The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-03-04
CAUSED THREE ALARMS
A Dangerous Fire Quickly Flooded by the
Engines and Fire Boats.
THE ENTIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED OUT.
The Depot aud General Offices of the
Norfolk and Carolina =. Railroad
discovered In Flames-A Defective
Fiue Snid To Re The Causc-i'he
Losses Covered by Insurance.

An alarm of fire ut 500 o'clock from
poX ~. on the wharf of the Southern
railway, followed flve minutes later by
second and third alarms. called out every
SValiaple piece or apparatus of the Fire
department and put into service two of
the lie tugs recently offered 10 the
clty FOR that purpose. These tugs were
uhe Little Nell. of the S:aboa,d Air
Line and the rdmont. of the South
ern "a ilway
The fire was located III the depot and
general offices of the Norfolk and Caro-
lima railway. When the department ar
rived the building was envcioped in o.
thick cloud nf smLKe. while from the
WINDOWS and caves at the northwest
corner of The big brick building huge
volumes Of smoke swirled upward, in
terminsled with showers of sparks and
tihS tongues of flames. The firemen first
attacked the fire from the roof of the
ola compress building on the north.
Inc iron shattered windows, however.
prevented rapid and effective w2rl, from
this quarter aud the Are fighters soon
shtted their pos.:ton to Matthew'S stree
teeth of the wind
About this time the Southern Rail
ways line tug Piedmont got three lines
OIL nose stretched across the Washing ION
steamboat wharf, and began pumping
tons of water from the Elizabeth upun
the burning building. In this she was
materially assisted by the ScaboI;i Air
Lines tug, Little Nell. which ma f.yc
INES of hose connected with her strong
lire pumps. Both boats fought the: fire
from the river side with excellent re-
suits
Meanwhile. the city fire department
hao succeeded in confirming the Ire TO
the upper stories OF the BUILDING on
the Water street side
During the DrOrrpSs of tI,a -,
ployes OF the NorfolN and Carolina rail
way succeeded in saving most of the
papers and effects in the freight and pas
senger offices. y transfer barge also
tied up to the dock directly opposite tn.
scene of the contiasr;ltto:i and a corrs
OIL men began the work or shifting trunks
and boxes from the hay:.usc room 10
the barge for safe Keeping
In the building. especially that portion
OF 1t in flames. there was stored some
2ao bags OF peanuts belonging to ]. w
Perry, and two lots Of peanuts. the
property or w. IS. Young. besides several
bulss OF cotton and miscellaneous col
lection of merchandise In transi, for a
cay or so over the Norfolk and Carolina
line. Al! this property was either burn
ed or totally ruined by the oceans Of
water with which the building was
flooded
The gcne,ui offices of the road wcra
>'t'I'SNSiS SuLlVV ANU llt cHllEc loss
will probably figure up over $4,000, al
though the exact amount could no. be
definitely estimated last night.
The Fire Department. as well as the
harbor annex. deserve great credit for
their splendid efforts in Keeping the
fire within bounds. and particularly 50.
considering the great odds against Them
In the way of high winds and the al
most impregnablc location of the fire
ticnd Tina; this was the first
time the tug Piedmont has seen
service since she was rendered by the
Southern railway as an adjunct to tho
Norfolk Fire Department. although the
Little Nell is an old timer at the bust
ness. The boat and her crew acquitted
themselves Very creditabiv and gave
an ink!ng of their incstimablc value
In case Of big fire on the water front.