The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-11
AUDITORIUM BURNED,
E;EF feet ON SHOW
Continued from First Page.)

Hancock and Broad STREETS. It was a few
minutes before five o'clock when the
Laurel Street and Brook Avenue engines
started on the long journey to save a
building of most inflamable construction,
and we'll on fire. The rain by this time
had stopped. The engines made sood
time but they were on a forlorn hope.
Broad Street beyond the paved portion
was rather soft for fast driving, and
with building of the character Of the
auditorium on fire. seconds lost were
minutes and minutes were hours.
MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE.
AS the engines approached the building
it presented a most magnificent appear
-arce. The whole southern front was on
fire and blazing fiercey. But the greater
part of the fire was at that time in the
interior Of the building on the southern
side, and from it dense cloud OF smoke
was forcing itself through every opening
il tho building. however small. In fact,
i: was impossible to see any portion of
the building at this time from the eastern
side
4 dozen engines with unlimited water
supply could hardly have arrested the
progress OF the fire when the tiremen
arrived. The situation was entirely hope
less. Lines of hose were run out, but
il q short time, even before any stream
mac DeSN lltp"N on tIlc bQlIIlIlS, iue
neat became SO great that it was impos-
sibie even for the tiremen to approach it.
The gathering crowd had taken positions
around the building at distances of
eighty and n hundred yards, but from
these they We're forced to run as though
Tor their lives, so great was the heat.
THE HEAT INTENSE.
The wind was from the northwest, but
even on the western side Of the burn
ing structure it was impossible to APP
approach it nearer than the raised drive
day. some two hundred yards and more
away, SO intense was the heat.
On the eastern and southern side the
grass, although wet from the recent
rain, was not only killed but literally
burned and blaZed up, so fierce was the
heat that licked up everything it touched.
The covered shed over the gateway
was in danger of catching afire, although
nearly hundred yards distant. A
stream of water from an engine station
ed in Broad Street was kept playing on
it's roof. for quite a time.
The sight which the burning building
presented as the roof fell in and the
flames roared upwards unconfined was
fine as any fire spectacle ever seen In
Richmond. Every one agreed that IT
was the hottest fire of which Richmond
has any record
From the nature of the building and ths
impossibility of arresting or ree7rdir.g
Its progress, the fire was Of of short dura-
lion. 1t was practically over when ;jle
larger portion of the great crowds from
Rici,mcnd arrived on the ground to view
it. In the construction Of the building.
maIv large timbers had been used, and
tlies. continued to burn fieicely for quite
a time after the frail and combustihle
portion of the interior wood work had
burned out.
It was a most fortunate thing that
there was no other building near to the
Auditorium. With the small number of
fire plugs, had it been possible to get
the engines promptly on the ground, 1t
wuuIu ucun eAtte44iely ot4itCuit 10
properly protect oven brick building
from the ncrcc heat OF taa burning puiiu=
Ing.
May Postpone the Horse Snow.
The burning OF the Aucltorlum. SO near
the time 1or the great exnlplrioi Wnlcn
was to have led the South in entertain
ments of its character, throws the plans
Of the Horse Show Association into
state of chaos. The absence of Mr.. J.
nrestdert Of the association