Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-25
THIRTY YEARS. FIRES
an OLD TRUCK THAT HAS SEEN
MUCH SERVICE.
sPoTTsWooD TO JEFFERSON.
" at the Burning of Petersburg
nridsc, Old Castle Thunder, and
scores of Other. Driver for
Twenty Years stirl in Department.

II is SiatcG IN the published reports OF
The decision OF the Board Of Fire Com
rniss!oners TO purchase new hook and
ladder truck, that the truck which is to
be replaced by the new machine has been
3n active service for over thirty years.
III was after the Spotswood Hotel FIRE
that this truck was bought said Cap
tain George Watt Taylor relapsing into
q reminiscent mood when asked to give
something of the history OF this old truck
and the fires it had attended during the
past thirty years.
There were several lives lost in tina,
are. among whom was a prominen,
leytAian named Hines, for whom one o,
The Richmond lodges was afterwards
named.
ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
1T was on Christmas-Ere Of 1870, one
Of the coolest ever known here, that the
Spotswood burned. 1t was a five or six
story building. and stood on the site nov
occupied by the offices of the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railroad Company at the cor
ner of Eighth and Main streets. 1t was
,he Jefferson OF Richmond at that time.
The Ballard and Exchange were large
aotels, but the Spotswood was the fash
ioaable hosiery OF the city. All the big
guns of the Confederacy congregatea
there and made II their headquarters
curing the war.
The department was using a small
truck, which was totally inadequate Il
the occasion. This fire demonstrated the
necessity fer an aerial or extension lad
Ger truck, and the truck in question was
purchased. George a. Ailslie was the
chief a that time / was then foreman
OF the truck company located at the oio
Broad-street engine house commanded By
Captain Sam Iicrnden.
TO ESCAPE JURY DUTY.
The way in which / came to be FIRE
man was somewhat curious. l had jus,
come out of the war and, like everybody
else had 10 go TO work for a living. /
got place as clerk. l was frequently
called on TO do jury duty to the Interrupt
ton OF my work. and the boss one day
told me l would have TO join either
military or a fire company to escape
these demands. l had enough Of military
life, so / joined fire company and be-
came very much attached to the duties.
Il was made chief of the department in
lSTI or 1915 and continued in office until
1882 when l was deposed by the knights
Of Labor and Reform Council, who elect
I'd Captain a. l.. Fuqua, an assistant
lnder me- as chief He held the office
two years. l was reelected. but did no,
qualify for the Office as my business
would not permit of me taking it again.
Captain W. G. Fuller was then made
chief and has been chief ever since.
And, by the way, he would be the
oest person to give you the various big
tires this truck has attended.
FIRST BIG FIRE.
Chief Fuller when applied to said the
first big fire in which this truck hao
played a part was that of the HaXau
Flour Mills They stood on the site
which the Virginia Electrical Company
now occupies at the foor OF Twelfth
street
The next was the burning of the old
Castle Thunder, which was used as a
prison, like the Libby. during the war.
Following this were two large tobacco
factory fires. the Jones toctory on Frank
lin street and the Boyd's factory, corner
Of Q enth and Cary.
The next was the Gordon & Tribbett
fire. a large wholesale grocery store on
Fourteenth street between Main and
Cary.
PETERSBURG BRIDGE FIRE.
This truck was at the Petersburg bridge
fire which on a Sunday. in March. 1852.
! think. This fire burned The Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac sheds, two
large tobacco factories. and a row of
buildings between Seventh and Eighth
stTeets. The sparks set fire to twelve
fourteen buildings in various parts of the
city. II burned out everything from the
canal down to the river, between Seventh
and Eighth streets There was one life
lost that of a small boy, who was
crushed under a falling wall.
Then there was the old bedstead fac
tory fire at the corner Of Main and Ashc
5treets in which one life was lost.
The Phillips ( Stein fire, q large whole
sale crockery house in the block opposite
The post-ofIice.
The Cameron & Cameron tobacco fac
cory fire corner of Twentythird ano
Cary
Savage & Beverage, wholesale feed
dealers at Cary between Twelfth ano
Thirteenth,
H b. Taliaferro. commission mer-
chant on Twelfth street.
The Eddings tobacco factory. south
Eleventh street.
The Wright tobacco factory, corner
Gary and Twenty-third.
The Hagard * Dart tobacco factory,
Nineteenth and Cary
James n. Boyd's tobacco factory on
Brook avenue. near Clay.
Tie Srace-Street Baptist church al
FoUshee and Grace
The jefferson Hotel fire.
The Myers department store. corner
Foushee and Broad, April TO- 1901.
The IIahlston building, Seventh and
Main streets.
Coydes & Mosby. a large dry goods
atorc on Broad street.
T. ~. Gates. wholesale grocery. Oil
Fourteenth between Main and Cary.