The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-04
FA|RNVULI SWEPT
By THL FIRE H D|LN|D| |. | N: |
ThIIIy-SK Buildings Consumed lII
lle Destroying Element.
Sunday Night BATTLE With THE .FLAHES}
Facilities for CombatiINg Fire inadequate
for Such a Contest. s.:g3
Explosions OF Hinstinss Pow er shnHo
Every House in Town and Spread
the Flames Reyond ControI -Oniy:s
Tw" buildings Left In tho burnt
Distric.-Hoip yatnIy ExpeetedS
from LynchburS-I,oss% sI6O.Oo0:
with One-Third Insurnn II ce. n
Richmond, Va, jan s. 1893.

Fire In Farmvile Sunday night swept
away thirty-slx buildings and caused al
monetary loss of some $3.50, 900. HUI g. }si
special to the Dispatch says the
fire originated In the storage room or n
Duval, Robertson & Co., commission
merchants, situated at the corner OF 4
North and Third streets. When theS
lire brigade first reached the scene it,
looked as If the fremen would easily
gain the mastery and prevent any
spread Of the flames, but two terrific
explosions of blasting powder sent the 4
burning brands on many unprotectedsi
buildings and shook nearly every house {
in the town, thus disconcerting end un-s
nerrlng the flremen. ImmedlatelYS
after this the large double factory Sor, L
the opposite side of the street, owned Il
by d. L. Elan and used by w. a, Dunss B
nington, was seen to ignite, about the
gables, and in an Incredibly short time
1t was seethlng mass of flames y
"A stiff southern wind was tanning
the angry flames, and while the ener-G
Gles or the firemen were being directed$
TO saving other adjoining structures
and keeping the fire from reaching
through to Main street, the big factory
OF z. w. Blanton, used by Dunnington.f
was discovered to he burning furiously,$
This was fully six squares away from
the first fire. and with such 4unpromls-
Ing outlook for subduing the dames,a
Lynchburg was telegraphed to for as
sistance. There was plenty of water,
but rot the means with which to use IT'S
The Norfolk and Western authorities
cleared the way and had q train at the y
disposal of the Hill City Brigade, but
for some unaccountable reason 1t failed
to respond to Farmvlle's appeal.
The fire crossed Third street to tha#
store of j. a. Spencer, then across
North street again to the big factories
of b. L. Anderson, and these and four u
small dwellings were wiped away. The L
Farmville warehouse next caughta.
Then followed the large new factorysofg b
Edward L. Morris. The Presbyterian
church was in close proximity to Mor-$
ris' factory, but the lecture-roomS opIyS
was seriously damaged. In the mean,
time sixteen buildings within a radius
of two blocks were In light RblazS,
while north of the railroad a score aof /
others were flaming and crumbling3toS
the ground. When the fire ed the 4
STANDARD Oh building, in the lowerSpaTtSs
OF the town. the greatest excitement
prevailed, and only few persons could
the flames, which were finally extifi-
guished before any considerabl BILE damsSS
age was done tothe oil company
Not until the raging fire had burnelfs y
through TO the rivers edge was 1t got2
ten under CONTROL Only two or tIlrea8
buildings were spared that stood in tfias
track of the fire. They were the Farm sB
vile FIGURING Mills and the Randolph
| warehouse. So strong was the wind
blowing when the fire was at.its fesgiitg
that burning brands and sparks Wara8
carried distance Of several miles an d y
it is reported that the stables of&JsSIaS.
Lancaster, who resides one and a. half
miles away, caught fire several tiiness
The origin of this, the greatest fires
Farmville has ever experienced IN itsS
now one hundred years Of existence, Eis5 4
mystery, but it Is generally believed /:
to have been the work Of an 3kince1-
diary. s5llsf 81
AS far as learned the tnsuranceFis IS sd \
distributed among the various compaai
MES that none Of them sustains g. great tF
loss. there being nineteen comp anfeS$
carrying in the aggregate S49, 800. BE;