The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-04
QUARTER MILLION LOSS.
FARMVILLE'S MOST yALUABLE ~
DUSTRIEs SWEPT AWAY.
Explosions Of Blasting Powder Spread the
Flames Until They Were Beyond
Human Control.

FAI,MVILLE. VA. January Especial.
The fire which visited this town last
| nisht was the greatest ever known In its
| history. 1t swept away nearly two
score buildings. entailing a loss Of a
quarter OF a million dollars, with an en-
| tirely inadequate insurance.
The fire started at a quarter OF IL
| O'Clock. and in less time than il takes TO
write this account it had spread over a
| territory extending from the corner OF
| North and Third streets 10 the Apo
mattox river, 4 distance OF six blocks.
EXPLOSIONS PLAY HAVOC.
Two explosions OF blasting powder ac-
CELEBRATED the spreading ii mes, and at
one time there were thirty-six buildings
burning. burning brands being driven a
distance Of many blocks TO the roofs OF
/ unprotected houses.
The scene was appalling in the extreme
and sent terror to every household in the
little city.
THIRTEEN FACTORIES.
Among the burned buildings were thir-
teen tobacco factories. a storehouse. small
dwellings and workshops. Hundreds OF
laborers are temporarily thrown out OF
employment and great distress prevails
among them.
The Standard Oil COmpany's mammoth
tanks narrowly escaped tho fire. and IL
was only by tho most strenuous efforts
that they were protected. as building
adjoining them was burned
Lynchburg was appealed to TOT ald' anu
the Norfolk and Western railroad au-
thoritics announced a clear track ana
right Of way TO them. but they failed 10
#
tremity.
THE INSURANCE.
The whole amount Of insurance so TAR
as ascertained tonight does not quite
reach $1,000. This is distributed among
nineteen different companies, so that
neither sustains heavy loss.
The work of clearing away the DEBRIS
and rebuilding the burned district VIII DC
commenced at once.
The heaviest loss was in the burning or
the factory Of W. G. Huntington ana
y Gillian q CO., but II Is rrdets.oou
~. c.fni,r, G. 90. were fully covered by
insurance and Huntington parul'y So.
THE COMPANIES CARRYING RISKS.
The following are the losses
Iumpkin's factory. valued az eight nun
dred. insurance unknown.
Stocks Of goods stored by Duval'
Robertson & CO., valued at one thousand
insured for five hundred In Philadelphia
Underwriters.
Stable. Planters Bank. valued at one
hundred; not insured. ...,
Prizery. d. 4. Elan, valued thirty-'hree
hundredl insured fifteen. Queen.
American przerey, 3. l.. Anderson
valued eight thousand: supposed insur-
ance about four thousand. exact amount
and name Of companies could not be Sc
cured stock insured one thousand in the
imperial. one thousand In the Home, one
thousand in the Manchester Of England.
w II. & r. c. Richardson's two fac
tories. valued al two thousand; insured
I'm the North American for six hundred
Aetna, for five hundred.
J. A. Spender stock Of groceries, five
hundred. no insurance.
sublett & Cary's prlzery. six thousand;
insured two thousand i'm the Continental
Probably other insurance. Occupied by
T. L. Morris stocks. insured for one
thousand I'm the Manchester Of England;
one thousand i'm the Philadelphia Under