Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-18

Nessrs. s. II. Hawes & Co.'S four-story
lime. plaster, and cement warehouse AZ
tha southeast corner Of Cary and Eigh-
teartb streets. covering a large portion
of the SQUARE. was burned to the ground
last night
The fire resulted from a lot OF unsiacK-
ed lime being ignited by water Ihe oi'io0
of Nessrs. Hawes x co. was in the pu'lu-
ing hut their coal-yards are at announcer
,lace and this business will not be al
fected.
The loss Il is estimated. will reach SZo'-
ooo and this. so far as Mr.. Hawes could
cav last night is only partially covered
by insurance. He could give no estimate
Of the aggregate Of his policies, and beng
unable to get to his papers was unable
10 say i'm which companies he was IN
sured.
Tne ire originated about O'Clock, ana
was the result of the high water, which,
entering the establishment. caused a lot
Of lime to slack and set fire TO the build-
ing Colonel g. Percy Hawes, with large
gang Of hands. had been at work all
during Yesterday removing the 1.JW par
rels Of lime stored on the first floor or
the building to the second and thlru
floors and shortly before O'Clock the
men stopped for supper, leaving about loo
barrels of lime still to be moved. Whlle
they were at supper the water entered
and before anything could be done 1t had
gotten into the lime.
BUILDING SOON IN FLAMES.
Colonel Hawes telephoned to the Fire
Department. and they dispatched a
steamer to the scene Ere the iiremen
could get to work though, the building
was i'm flames. and a general alarm was
turned in. summoning Steamer Companies
{ Nos. 2, 3. 4, and Z, and Truck Companies
! Nos / and 2. The building was by that
time surrounded on three sides by water.
and the hremen were unable to cope WIN
the flames. except on the Cary-street side'
They fought. manfully. however, ana
when IL became evident that the struc-
ture must 60 they devoted their energies
to confning the flames 10 the Hawes
building. In this they succeeded, but only
bv dint of the most heroic work. The
members Of Engine Company No. 3, In
charge Of Captain Canary, were in Ice
water up 10 their waists, but they stood
manfullv 10 their hose and played upon
the burning building for more than two
hours.
BRAVE DEEDS OF FIREMEN.
At 10 o'clock the walls on the east and
west side fell with a crash, and scat
tered water for yards around. There
after it was easy work for the tlremen,
and the blaze was gradually extinguish-
ed. There were several heroic actions on
the part Of the hremen, but one especially
deserving of mention was that performed
by Lieutenant j. p. Angel, of Truck
Company No. 1. IT became necessary
when the fire was at it's height 70 break
I'm the doors of the building on the Cary
street side of the fourth floor, and this
work Mr.. Angel volunteered TO perform.
Ascending a ladder with fire raging
around him and flames almost envelop-
ing him. he used an axe with great
rapidlty and soon the door was battered
down and the streams were able 10 enter
that portion OF the building.
Other heroes were Mr.. Bob Cardwen'
who assisted Mr.. Angel. and Mr.. II. T..
Taylor. of the Fire-Alarm service who,
when the west wall began 10 fall, quickly
cimped a telegraph pole standing near
the wall and cut the electric-light wire
70 keep II from endangering lives Of the
nremen below. He barely missed being
swept beneath the falling wall, and when
he had accomplished his daring work
was loudly applauded by the great crowd
which had gathered to watch the fire.
TOOK CARE OF HIS sLooP.
Immediately in rear Of the burning
structure was the oyster sloop War
Eagle. securely fastened in the ice, and
her skipper, though almost suffocated
with the heat and smoke, stuck man
fully to his boat, and with bucket after
bucket Of water kept her from being de-
stroyed. though several times she caught
fire. At one time the masthead was In
a light blaze, but the heroic sailor quick
" Skinned up the mast and quenched the
fire. The ice-house of Mrs. Jane King.
a frame structure adjoined the Hawes
building, but though IL was several times
| threatened, IL was saved.
There were several accidents to fire.
men during the evening. but fortunately
! none were serious. While In the burn
| ing building Mr. T. II. Davis, OF Engine
| Company No. 7, fell in water above his
head, but he was quickly rescued BY the
other members of his company. Mr..
| Lewis Miller. OF Truck Company No. 2.
also fell IN the same place. and he sank
twice before assistance could reach him.
CONTENTS OF THE BUILDING.
! The building was stored with sumae
lime. and other building materials. ant
was one OF the most substantial structures
| In the city. IL was built some year
ago under Mr. Hawes's supervision. By
| Contractor John Fox. and the brick
work was done by w. ]. Westwood. Th'
walls ranged In thickness from two e
| three bricks. but so rapid was the wori
of the fire that they crumbled 10 das