Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-09-11
A STUBBORN FIRE.
FACTORY OF THE GoRNaN-CAnf-
HE'LL co. Is curTEn ny FLAMES.
AoUAETITY OF TOBACCO DESTROYED.
Tho pnilding badly Damaged, and
VIII Probably Have 10 he Torn
p,up-tt Was n Historic stree
tvrc-Thc Insurance I'm Detail.

Fire yesterday gu;tcd the large to.
bacco factory on the southeast corner OF
Twenty-second and Cary streets. operated
by Messrs J. n. German & Co, ana de-
stroyed about 5000 worth OF tobacco
STORED therein.
The flames originated on the third moor
among a lot OF loose leaf. and 1t is pre-
sumed that spontaneous combustion was
the cause No one had been IN that part
OF the building for hours, and The flames
wore discovered. after they had made
considerable Roadway, by carpenters who
were at work In the basement
An alarm was st once turned in from
BOX r. at the corner OF Nineteenth ana
Cary s,reets and was registered NJ head
quarters at l0i o'clock. Another alarm
was sent in from the Main-street engine
house, ana in a very few minutes Engines
2S7 Z. 4. and s. and Trucks l and
were at work o. the building. which was
enveloped In dense black smoke.
The proximity OF the building 70 the
dock made Il possible Tor the engines 10
secure an abundance OF watt. ni the
nve streams that were poured b" .. every
flames were forced 10 succumb io tue
opposing element.
1T WAS UNSAFE.
The building was erected In 1871 by
Mr. John Enders. and he used II for
tobacco factory for many years. II j.
OF brick three stories high on cary
street. and four stories on Dock street.
For some time the structure has been re-
-
wlk were badly cracked, and the fire.
men therefore dared not enter IL. when
the flames were raging fiercely for the
walls were IN danger 81 tumbling al any
time
Under the direction Of Chief Puller,
however. they drowned the fire with
water. and then, when II became apparent
that there was no danger Of crash, they
entered the building and eXtinguished tie
eulouldaring Goals.
The German Campbell Company had a
large stock Of fine wrappers in the build
Ing and had Just closed a deal whereby
they were 70 dispose Of a majority Of the
staple on hand at a handsome pront. OF
course. they Will lose this profit but they
expect to save themselves from actual
loss. believing that their insurance is
SUFFICIENT 10 cover the purchase cost OF
the entre stock.
lie N~uCcI Y IDS b4lll LtN.4 lh hA-iA4N-N
about twelve months. and Is stock
company Mr.. j. y. German IS president;
Nr Hugh Campbell. secretary and trea-
sarer: and they, with Messrs. Fred. ".
Scott, Onward w. Scott, Jr., and T. Cor
man. Of Greenyilie, y. C., were the d.
rectCrs.
THE INSURANCE.
Mr.. Campbell stated to a Dispatch
man that he anticipated no heavy loss.
though his stock was valued al from
$500 TO 5000. The bulk OF the IN
suraBce was placed through Alr. w. ".
Hsrdwieke IN the following companies:
Hartford. 5000; Virginia State, 5000;
JaGcasi.ge. S00l; Lion, $500: Royal,
50 %. Phoenix. of Brooklyn. 5000; queen.
s5oeo. and Western, $500 All OF this
was on the stock. and there was $3.50
additional in the Virginia State on the
fixtures, engine, and boiler There was
$3.50 more insurance placed through Mr.
j. +. Aloors's agency. making the aggre-
gate q the insurance $500.
Mr. J. X. Jones lad q considerable
amount Of tobacco IN the building, II
having been purchased from the German
Campbell Company. and stored there but
his loss IS covered by insurance placed
through air williamson Talley as fol-
lows: Pennsylvania. 5000; Aetna. $500;
and Royal. $500.
The building was a part Of the estate
Of Mr.. John Enders and was in the
hands OF Attorney J. NJ. Conner as agent.
IL was valued at about $7O1O. and was
Insured 'n the Mutual Insurance Society
for 1900.
A HISTORIC STRUCTURE.
The structure was historic one. il
was used during the var as an overflow
prison to receive northern captives when
Libby Prison was overcrowdeQ.
Major Turner, the commandant Of
Libby, had control of II when not used
as prison. IL was frequently used as
storehouse for goods sent TO Federal
generals who were serving terms under
his charge.
The building was the scene Of a fatal
accident some years ago, when fits late
owner, Mr John Enders, for whom II
was built. fen through T. kstchway and
lost his life
The walls are Ttill standing. but they
are very much weakened from the FIRE
and will very probably have TO We pulled
down.
The German Campbell Company had
Just leased two floors OF the building TO
the Richmond Leather Company TO be
used 10y them as a tannery. and il was
their carpenters who were making ready
foi them. who discovered the flames. The
leather company will. however. not be
interrupted In their business, as they will