The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-04
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I~--'7 ~ '---------7 z fasa
Virginia Street side Of the fire, while
Sergeant Sowell. OF the Second was on
the Shockoe SLIP side with two or three
men.
Fire lines were hastily drawn, and
presently the huge crowd, which had
gathered at the first sound OF tho BELLS
had been driven outside Of danger and
sufficiently far back to keep them from
hindering the firemen In the discharge Of
their duties.
No one not equipped with badge was
given permission to enter lines, as a re-.
suit Of which an over-zealous policeman
men. whose duty called them In closer
proximity to the blaze. He refused alb
solutely to allow certain representatives
OF the press privilege accorded them
always. and would listen to no explana-
tons, not even SO much as calling his
superior officer that matters might be
Strengthened out
In addition to tho regular policemen
Captain Tomlinson and Sergeants Wren
and Gibson. Of the detective force, were
on hand. rendering valuable assistance
to the police and fren,en alike hand
ling hose and holding back the crowd.
HARD TOdLOCATE.4
When Company No I arrived on tho
scene It was almost impossible to locate
the blaze. volume upon volume of smoke
making it a matter of imposeibilitty for
human being to tenter the building from
the front, where these men had stationed
themselves. And when the other appa-
ratus and fire laddias comm enced arriv-
ing they, too, experienced a similar
trouble. although four companies we're
stationed In the rear Of the building.
pouring water into the fiery furnace from
the Crenshaw Warehouse on Shockoe
Slip.
II the firemen were puzzled as to the
exact location of the fire, the public at
large, the immense throng OF Interested
spectators. were wholly at sea, a dozen
different rumors as to whose property
was burning being passed from one to
another. First 1t was this firm and next
it was that, and SO on until the mm ense
confia grafton had nearly exhausted its
energy on the interior Of the building.
Probably the largest bunch Of people
collected on Shockoe Slip and In the
vicinity of Thirteenth and Cary Streets
and from the moment the department
arrived until the fire was nearly out
hundreds upon hundreds iiocked In and
out the doors Of the Crenshaw Ware
house. only to be driven back by the
dense volumes Of smoke. Yet they re-
mained, despite the drlzzling rain and
unpleasant weather, wading about from
one place to another In mud seem1ngly
an inch deep.
WATER PRESSURE STRONG.
AS tho one department after another
reached the scene Chief Fuller stationed
them whore. to his judgment. they would
do the most good. An engine was an
chored at every plug in the vicinity. ono
being stationed as far as Byrd and
Thirteenth Streets. from which place 1t
pumped strong stream to the laddies
In the rear of the building.
Companies 2. 4. o and 8 were engaged
upon the confagration from the Clen-
shaw Warehouse. the second named
playing two streams OF water upon the
fire. In the front were Nos. Q, z and 1,
while the two truck companies we're on
gagged all about the place. rendering as
slStance with their ladders and axes in
dozens OF different places,
Almost Immediately upon the arrival
of the department and the initiation OF
the engines the water pressure was all
that could have been desired, the eight
lines OF hose throwing water much
higher than the roof of the building. AND
breaking tho windows as II they were
paper,
With this magnificent pressure the fire
men were able to cope with the blaze
| and while there was no chance In thu
| world Of saving the building and Its
| contents, the department was enabled Il
check the course OF the blaze and keep i
| originated, With n poor pressure THU
would have been impossible for the FIR,
displayed strong tendency to eat III
way out and attack and consume tn,
row OF buildings along Cary Street.
GALLANT WORK OBJ FIRDMEN.
When the first alarm was sounde,
Chief Fuller and Representatives o
| hnlduN0 rtara IN tha rif
gagged In regular monthly meeting o
the Firemen's Relief Association at tn,
Broad Street house. Various malnher
had sent in their dues and the men wer
engaged In counting the money an,
checking up the accounts when the.
Leaving money, papers and book
scattered from ono end OF the table t
the other, the men, led by Chief Fuller
| descended the slippery poles and in les
TIME than 1t takes 70 tell Were almost fly
Ing through the streets to the Thirteenth
and Cary, from whence the alarm
WAS sounded. every single soul rcalIz1u
that the locality was dangerous and re
Numbering other CONGREGATIONS in tn
vicinity.
Upon no other occa sion In the histor
OF the department have the fire. laddie
displayed more willingness to work tha
they did last night. They responde
WIN h'actllS 10 fFeT9 oTuer IRON Inc!
| chief, and every available inch OF hos
was on the blaze IN q comparatdyel
| short time. ~
4 No urging was necessary. the men bal
thing with the flames with vengeance
this crowd breaking in doors and tina
cutting Wires that the ladder might b
raised ard vantage ground gained owe
the rapidly spreading flames.
EXPLOSION AyERTED.
When II became yunored, as 1t di
shortly after tho arrival of fha 6remer