The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-06-07
The Virginia and North Carolina
Wheel Company's Plant DESTROYED.
ORIGIN OF FIRE A MYSTERY.
Night Watchman Discovered it in the
Rim-Deparrnent and 1t Quickly
Spread TO Other Buildings.
Millions of Feet ofLumber
Consumed. The Ether
Plant Threatened.

The nlant of the Virginia, and North
Carolina Wheel Works, situated on the
Osborn Turnpike, near the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway, was competeiS oe-
s+roved by fire which broke out about
o'clock this morning.
The fire brightly iilumined the whole of
the East End of the city, the flames leap
ing many feet in the air.
The value of the plant and stock is es-
timated between $4,000 and 100000. There
was 900 OCO feet of oak and hickory lumber
and about a, million and a half OF sookes
turned. and about the same number in the
blank. There were about 6OO,oVo RIM
strips, being over 100000 feet Of lumber.
The insurance is about S14O,t0O
At late hour this morning 1t looked
very much as il the plant of the American
Ether Compane, situated just across the
road from the Wheel WORKS Woula also
go. Portions of the buildings did become
ienited and the tiremen which had been
summoned from Richmond, together with
others, and the residents of Fulton fought
hard to conquer the flames and avert d
terrible explosion, which it was feared
was threatened.
FIRE DISCOVERED.
It was a few minutes past CLOCK
when the night-watchman discovered
flames bursting from the rim department.
He Immediately gave the alarm and at
tempted to extinguish the fire with hose
in the building and fire eXtinguishers.
The flames. however, soon got beyond all
control and rapidly spread TO other por-
tions of the building which, owing 70
the, inflamable nature of the contents,
was\soon consumed, While the liberated
flames and burning embers We're snow
cred among the huge piles Of lumber IN
the yards and about the buildings.
THE PLANT DOOMED
One by one these stacks of lumber be-
came sreat masses of charred wood, While
the angry flames raced from building to
building rapidly converting them into fur
naces.
The buildings were covered with CORFU
gated iron which was first turned to
white heat and then melted, falling with
great crashes. Hundreds of people We're
gathered and it was early realized that
the entire plant was doomed.
Attention was then turned to the saving
of the books, papers and office equip
ment. The majority of the books and
business papers were saved, as were sew
eral desks
ETHER WORKS THREATENED.
The attention of the fire fighters was
soon turned to the American Ether
Works, which it was feared would be lS-
nited owing to the intense heat. Volumes
OF smoke We're seen issuing from the
buildings, and this was followed by flame.
Another call was sent to the Richmond
Fire Department for aid and an engine
responded. The attention of the 1lremen
was then directed to the saving OF the
Ether Company's plant. Colonel John b.
Purcell is president of this company.
The heat from the burning buildings
and lumber was intense and made 1t i'm
possible to go anywhere near the scene
Huge sparks were thrown high IN the
air only to be caught by the strong wind
and carried about, becoming a source 'oi
constant danger.