Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-20
FIRE AGAINST RAIN.
Flames Originate in Mslzssr Bros
Coopsr-FactOry and Do Much Damage.
RICHMOND PICKLE CO. BURNED,
But for Timely Interference by the
shower the Results WouId Have
Been More serious-Damagcs About
$f2,OO0-Insurance.

a stubborn and destructive FIRE broke
out in the cooperage- factory OF III. Metz
gers Sons, Nos. II and IS south k,zh-
teenth street. last night, and. although ft
had once been-to all appearances-extin-
guished. 1t again asserted its consuming
tendency, and before the department.
could suhdue the flames they had sweps
away the plant. OF Messrs. Metzrer and
LETT In chaotic ruins the large establish
ment OF the Richmond Pickle Company.
The total damage reached about si2. 600 To
$1,000. and was probably one half covered
oy insurance. Owing to the threatenins
condition of the elements II looked for
fuily half an hour as IL many OF the sur
rounding buildings would so. but these
were saved. partly by the heroic efforts Of
the hremen, and partly by sudden down.
pour OF the rain, aud a shift in the wind
from almost due south to north.
ALARM QUICKLY REPEATED
ABOUT 800 O'Clock last evening two little
boys, who had been playing in front ~
the cooperage establishment. saw smoke
ISSUING from the house, and told The
Waterman that the place was on fire. IL
Is reported that the watchman denied
Informed =
policeman, but before the latter co,,,d
turn In an alarm Mr.. Ebenhack. who
keeps n bar at the southeast corner ~
Main and Eighteenth streets sent In a
sun alarm. An engine and truck prompt-
ly responded. and the flames were nut
out. Then the hremen. as is their custom
mace complete tour Of tho building.
going even through the basement and
We're satisfied that there was no further
danger from fire.
AT Hos, however as Officer n. II.
Hughes, OF the First District, was walk
ing along his beat. he heard some one cry
'tlreF and. looking down Eighteenth
street saw great volume of smoke is
suing from the cooper-factory. He has
tened 10 the First Station and turned I'm
regular alarm from Box u. which Is
located there. Owing to tho seriousness
or the situation second alarm was
sounded about two minutes later, and
soon every piece OF apparatus In the city.
save steamer No. and Truck No. 3,
which are held In reserve, was upon the
ground
FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY.
The flames spread like they were eating
their way through so much tnder. and
were In few minutes leapirg through
the large factory occupied by the Rich
niohu Plckle Company. Johnson Brothers
Il
0usiy and II was almost Imminent for
some time that Il would reach the corner
or Main and Eighteenth streets This.
however, did not happen. bat Il WIS only
aVerted Py the strenuous efforts Of the
hlenen and Change in the wind from
south to north. and by sudden rain.
The only point at which the department
could have rendered mare effective SER
vice was at the time when the I, OF the
pickle-factory first caught. This building
was almost entirely tslescoped by fire be
tore stream OF water was poured on Il.
| There was apprehension at one time that
! Charles w. Hardwlck's lumber establish
ment would burn. but Il WAS across an
alley from Metzgers place. and the wind
was not toward IT long
DAMAGE AND INSURANCE.
The business OF II. Metzger's Sons
was established some twenty-odd years
ago by the lato X. Metzger. deceao sd.
and Is now condHcted by his sons, Messrs.
| Charles A.. Edward H.. ana Henry Metz
| GER Jr. They owned both the building I'm
| which their plant was located and that
occupied by the Richmond Piclxling Com
! peny, and valued the entire property az
| $1,000 The buildings were insured for
5000 the policies being issued by the
Mechanics Flrs-Insurance Company, OF
this city, 5000, and the Scottish Union
Fire-lnsurance Company, $1,000 Their
stock OF barrels and rough material was
estimated by them to be worth about
| 5000 and was insured for $1,000. the
Mechanics Fire-Insurance Company car
| rying $500 and the London Assurance
| Company $500
Messrs. Johnson Brothers & Co.'s loss
on stock was estimated to be about 5000.
and II could not be ascertained last night
how much Insurance they carried.
The origin of the flames Is thought to
| have been incendiary.
1 About $50 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
an alarmQf fire was sounded from Station
%, occasioned by the discovery Of flames
! i'm the three-story brick house, No. 6fs
east Cary street, owned and occupied By
| Mr.. Thomas Mccarthy. The irs was in
the mantelpiece. and the damage done
was trihing