The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-12
FIRE RUINS GIVE
UP CHARRED DEAD
Dabney's Body Taken From Destroyed
HabIeston Building.
MISS CRuMP is IN DANGER.
Her Condition serious-Full Statement Q.
Insurance and Investigation of Origin
OF Flames Inquest To-Day May
Develop lacts.
MISS CRUMP is IN DANGER.

Crushed and charred, the body OF
Thomas Dabney. the negro who perishtds
in the destruction by fire Of the Habliston
building, at Seventh and Main Streets,
was recovered yesterday afternoon about
half-past one O'Clock. Other victims of
the tire-NIss Emily Crump, the steno-
grapher, who was injured by a leap from
tho scccnd-stcry to the ground, Iessrs.
Peyton r. Noel, of The Times, and Horace
a. Hawkins, of the News, who
were slightly lnjurcd--are, it is
stated authortatively, improving, al
though Miss Crump is as yet in danger.
Meanwhile the cause OF the great fire
and possibly how it started may be de-
Veloped at tO-day's inquest over the body
of Dabney. This inquest will be held at
ten O'Clock in the basement of the City
Hall. It is possible and, in fact. has
been suggested by some of the leading
insurance men of the city, that this in-
quest offers possibly the only method Of
learning the cause of the fire. They sug-
gest that all persons in authority in the
building be summoned as witnesses, and
in this way can be definitely shown just
what was in the basement where the fire
started and just what Dabney was dong
there.
RESULT OF CARELESSNESS
That the fire was the result OF Dabney's
carelessness, q carelessnesS which cost
his life, there seems to be no longer any
doubt. But just how and by what means
came the explosion which set fire to all
the northern end OF the building simulta-
necusly. Is as yet mystery. 1t is pos
sible that an EXAMINATION cf the officers
and employees of the Richmond Traction
Company and of the Virginia Electrical
Railway and Development Company on
the stand may throw light on this
question.
For the first time yesterday there came
out the exact insurance on the Hablis-
ton building and its contents. This was
made possible at q meeting of insurance
adiusters, held at twelve o'clock in the
Office, Of Arthur L. PIeasants, No. 1900
East Main Street The aggregate insur-
ance was s41,425, somewhat more than at
first announced. and the total loss, it is
now stated, will reach a little more than
$4,000 also somewhat more than at first
thought.
Tower-Binford Company carried, alto
gether, s17,425 insurance divided as fol-
lows Royal, $1,000: Agricultural, $1,000;
Virginia State, $1,000; Commercial Union,
1.425; New York Underwriters $1,000:
Hanover. $3.50: Liverpool, London and
Globe, $1,000; Home, Of New York, $500;
North America, $500, Firemen's. $500;
Greenwich, $1,000; Virginia Fire and Ma
rine, $1,000; Lion. $3.50; London AssIr-
ance, $1,000, and the Philadelphia Under
writers. $500. This. including stock and
fixtures. aggregated s17,425 on the Tower
Binford part Of the building.
THE LOSS IN DOUBT.
IT was stated at the same time that the
building. owned by Mr.. Charles T. Davis,
carried $4,000 in the Old Mutual Ass:ir-
ance Society of Virginia. The building
was valued at $50. 000. so Mr.. Davis loss
is s22.A0 On the Richmond Traction
Company's fixtures and the Virginia Elec-
trical Railway and Development Conpa-
ny the aggregate insurance is SliOG0S the
distribution not having yet been an
| nounced. AS to the actual loss. except
Ito Mr.. Davis, there is as yet considerable
doubt. because the Virginia Company and
the Tower-Binford Company will have to
go over their books to figure out iust
what stock they had on hand and then
wait until the debris of the burned buii:l-
Ling is cleared away to see just what
copper is left there. All this will proba-
bly, take about two weeks. when the los
ing companies will file claims against The
Insurance companies. and these claims
will then be adjusted and a settlement
reached 5-aa
Around the ruined building work is go
ing steadily ahead. As sooifsas the base
| nlealt is cleared of the tons of burned
and scorched debris. which exhales an
| odor of stale smoke distinctlyits own.
the walls will be torn down, as Chief
I Fuller believes that there may be dangen
in them. This will be several days how
a.r4-. as yet and reanwhile the fire lines