Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-27
FOUNDRY IN FLAMES,
Plant Of The Watt P|ow Company
Damaged BY Fire.
BRIGHT BLAZE FOR AWHILE,
The Buildings Being Franz, They Burn
Fiercely and Fast.
THE LOSS AGGREGATES $4,000.
IL is Fully Covered by Insurance.
Works VIII lie Rebuilt mt Once, rs
the Busy Season IL Now On-An-
other Small Fire.

The large plant of the Watt Plow Com
pany, situated at Nos. 1918 and 1920 east
Franklin street and extending over a
| large part Of Lumpkin's Bottom, was bad
ly damaged by fire shortly before o'clock
last night, and the loss, it is thought, will
aggregate about $1,000.
The fire originated In the cupola, over
| the foundry, and this building was total
~ destroyed, together with the black
smith and woodworking-shop in its rear.
The storage warehouse, fronting on
Franklin street, was considerably dam
injured.
the storage warehouse Is Of brick, but
the burned structures were of frame. and
they burned fiercely, making a bright
light in the heavens, which attracted an
immense crowd to the scene. The fire was
first discovered by a negro on a passing
! street car. lie raised the cry Of fire, and
some one turned in an alarm from Box
1874. at the corner OF Mayo and Franklin
streets. The department responded
promptly, and when Chief Fuller arrived
on the scene he turned In the second
alarm, calling out additional apparatus.
HARD TO FIGHT THEIR WAY.
BY this time the flames were mounting
to the sky in great volumes, and the fire.
men realized that they had a difficult task
before them. The building is exceedingly
difficult of access from the rear owing TO
the fact that Shockoe creek runs around
that part of it, but over fences and
through rubbish piled almost mountain
high the dauntless fre-fghters fought
their way, and they finally got to work
on the flames, with the result that they
were confined to the two frame buildings,
save that the rear of the warehouse was
slightly burned
Yesterday was what was termed cast
day at the foundry, and the works were
in full blast until o'clock, when the
operatives all left and the plant was
closed for the night. The cupola over
the foundry is for the purpose of carry
ing off the hot air from the blasts. which,
If allowed 10 remain within the building,
would render it uninhabitable. 1t is
thought that the hot air had set fire 10
the cupola early in the afternoon, and
that the woodwork had smouldercd until
the time the fire was noticed.
DAMAGE AND INSURANCE.
Mr.. Sinton, the president of the concern,
arrived upon the scene shortly after the
alarm was sent in. and he cleared his Of
fee of all valuable papers. To Dispatch
man he said that the loss would not eX-
coed $4,000 on stock, including the engines
and other machinery, which were ruined,
and the loss was fully covered by insur-
ance, though TO what amount the policies
carried applied 10 the machinery in the
burned building he was not prepared to
say. The insurance was placed through
W. q. Crenshaw and Peyton q SntOn,
but the policies were locked up in the
safe, and il could not be ascertained I'm
what companies the insurance is carried.
THE COMPANY.
The Watt Plow Company was establish
ed in 1870 and incorporated in 1893. The
company has as its president, Mr.. Arthur
G. Sinton; Mr. X. Ii. Gwathmey is vice.
president and Mr.. Manfred Cali is secre-
tary, while the stockholders and direc-
tors are these gentleman, and MessTs.
Samuel and William Sinton, 7. II. Basker-
vile, }. Q. Haw, and W. Is. Garick.
The building were owned by the estate
Of George Watt, and the damage 10 them
will aggregate 5000. Thirty operatives
were employed by the concern and they
will be thrown out Of employment tenn
porarily, though the works will be re-
built promptly, as this is the busy season
with the company, and they have orders
enough to keep them at work for many
months TO come
A CHURCH CATCHES.
While the firemen were at work on the
Watt Plow Company's fire an alarm came
in from the corner of Jail alley and Broad
streets. and the former fire having been
gotten under control, Chief Fuller hur-
ried some Of his apparatus around 10 the
other fire. This was found To be in the
Tabernacle Baptist church (cOlored), Ia
Gated on Mayo street, just north of Ross.
This building, which was formerly the
Synagogue Beth Shalome, had caught
from a spark from the other fire and the
roof was burning. a small stream soon
extinguished the flames here, and the en-
gines returned to their work on Frank
lin street.
While the department was at work on
this fire a hose burst and more than one
hundred people were drenched TO the skin
ere they could get beyond the reach of
the water.
one of the engines returning from the
fire stalled on Main street, between
Twelfth and Thirteenth, the horses balk-
ing and refusing 10 pull. After much labor
lost on the loafing steeds, another pair of
horses were secured and the engine was
carried to the station.
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