The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-08
.BLAZ THREATENS
union SEMINARY
Damage Amounting 70 $4,000.
to Watts Memoria! Hall.
D DEPARTMENTS FINE WORK DIRK
Promptness and Intelligent Management
ofthe Fire on Part Of Chief Pull
Ter and His Men Saved
the Building.

That. the Watts Memorial Hall, OF the
Presbyterian Theological seminary seminary
stands to-day, is due to the prompt ana
intelligent work Of the Richmond Flro
Depa rtrnent and the abundant water sup
ply found on the spot, and provided for
by the late Major Lewis Ginter.
Fire was discovered in this splendid
central building of the Seminary group
a bout ten O. clock yesterday morning. ~
one time, because of the delay ana dill
Guilty in getting the alarm to Richmond
it looked as if the hall WOULD Do oe-
stroyed, but the work, when once the
richmond department reached the scene.
saved the handsome structure, and was
well calculated to elevate the department
to a still more exalted position In the
estimation Of the people.
The damage to Watts Hall will approx
mate So, O0O, and is fully covered by In
surance Insurance to the amount OF S4o-
900 is carried on the building, and 5000
on its furniture.
The origin Of the fire is unknown. out
several theories are suggested. II was
PRACTICAL out in less than two hours
after discovered.
UEAKY GAS PIPE.
The blaze is thought to have started
from a leaky gas pipe in the basement.
Here were hot stove and pipes for the
distribution of the gas to the residences
of the various professors. From the small
beginning the fire caught the interior
of an air shaft which ran to the top of
the building, alongside of the elevator
shaft
The cigarette theory of the fires origin
is pooh-poohed by the intendent, DR..
Hersman.
Engineer Smith made the discovery and
gave the alarm to the people living in
the immediate vicinity. DR.. Charles Camp
bell Iiersman, the intendent, was the only
professor on the grounds. He and others
at once tried to reach the Richmond Fire
Department by telephone, but the remov-
al OF the central office Of the telephone
has caused the connection be-
tween the seminary and the city to be
broken. A street-car conductor brought
the news to the Barton Heights drug
store and from there it was 'phoned to
the Richmond department. Chief Fuller
ordered Engine Co. No. and Truck No
3 to go to the Seminary with all possible
speed. He went himself, also. Engine
house No. 5 is on Laurel Street, but the
apparatus was on the ground in less than
fifteen minutes. Fire Commissioner Lecky
thought it could have not been more than
ten minutes. The delay in getting the
alarm TO the city meant a gain of about
twenty minutes for the fire. But the
neighbors Of the Seminary responded
every, man woman and child, ard used
with all their power the private appara-
tus of the institution. This was entirely
inadequate, however, and was soon ex-
hausted.
THE DAY is SAVED.
Chief Fuller and his men turned water
by the hundreds and thousands of gall
Ions directly upon the flames, which had
reached the roof of the north end through
the air shaft The chSn1ical apparatus
did fine work upon the fire in the shaft.
When Chief Fuller had fought down the
fire in the rooms on the fourth and fifth
floors, he was able to see that the rafters
were in a light blaze, and that the
tongues of fame were reaching through
the slated roof. He adopted emergency
means by cutting hole through the
ceiling and sent a volume or water right
into the face of the spreading flames.
The effect was magical The extinguish-
ing element began to gain the mastery
here as on the floor below, and the mas
terry attained by this deluse was never
overcome. In short time the firemen
and the anxious people below breathed
more calmly. The danger had passed.
Chief Fuller found to his surprise that
he had fine pressure and plenty Of water
It came from the tank of the Jefferson
Laundry, which was erected by Major
Ginter. Manager Watkins. eff the laundry.
as soon as the fire was discovered, Or
dered the pumps into use to keep the
tank filed.
The smoke of the fire, when at Its
height, could be seen plainly from Rich
mond. Quite a number Of persons went
out from here, including Mr.. Robert
Lecky, fre commissioner. He spoke in
highest terms Of the work eft the fire
department.
DR.. Hersman stated yesterday after
noon that the work Of next session would
in nowise be inteTfered with The fire
had put out of use only five rooms. The
seminary could now accommodate eighty
students, which is the usual number
Repairs, however, would begin as soon
as the appraisers had finished their work.
Nessrs, Ancarrow and Wingfield had al
ready been selected for this purpose.
Tan,norary repairs to the roof would be
made at once.
DR.. Hersman also sends to the papers
the following letter:
.In behalf of the Board of Directors
and friends CT Union Theological Semi
nary all over the South. wish to extend
heartiest thanks for the very prompt ana
thoroughly efficient work of the Richmond
Fire Department, represented by truck
No. s and engine No. and under the per
sonal direction of Chief Fuller at the 1lre
Mt the Seminary to-day, August th:
IS;cnaSI c.. C. HERSMAN,
..Intendant.
Union Theological Seminary, avg ,le 'tn'
INSURANCE STATEMENT
The trustees of the Seminary - carried aar re-
sio co insurance on building and $1,000 IN,
s,n,snce on contents Of Watts Han ana
Chapel. under a schedule form prepared
far them by Robert Lee Traylor, cover
Ing a Total of $4,000 on ali of their prop
ertv. The following are the companies
,,t.c .,i.o So $50 .s29, 500
$50 = :, .,,'ta $500
,re,s. -, - : nrdon 5000
~ 1s' . - Iondon $500
l, n'i,e, a., ~ - 4artford s. 5000
- 80 $500, =. $500
a.. 5000
go Ia 80; 5000
- fNl1