The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-04
II
HOUSES.
DESTROYED. !: D
-
The eHistOriC Rutherford
Row Wiped Out.
NOT a CENT OF
INSURANCE CARRIED
But the Losses Not Heavy,
Except 1tt to Occupants. "A
ROW ON FIRE MANY
TIMES IN THE. I H PAST. ! 's:'
But Always Heretofore the Flames
Have Been Promptly Extingulshed.
Houses Built Many Years Ago
and Of Late Occupied
Entirely BY Col
ored People.
But the Losses Not Heavy,
... Except to Occupants.
ROW ON FIRE MANY
TIMES IN THE PAST

sweeping tradition and a heretofore
well osta blished theory before It. nftesn
OF the houses on East Broad Btreet, below
Jall Alloy, known as "Rutherford's row"
but in common parlanca termed various
sly .Chncl, and Rusty Row." were yesIteerr-: yIAe
day afternoon destroyed by the fire fiend:
The loss is estimated at about 80. cog. ana -'t
not cent OF insurance is hold by one
OF tho many owners. the rates OF recent.
years having been prohibltiye s
The fire originated on the roo OF Nto
1896 owned by N. W. Bowe. and ocou-,
pied BY Eliza Moncure, colored. The The
strong breeze blowing at the time-o
o. .clock--wafted sparks from the blasting
furnace Of Chamblin and scott's Foundry
across the street, and in a com mparaattiive'- ati'
" short space Of time the roof OF the 3
shack was a seething mass OF burning
embers. ~; q
@jj. THE FLAMES SPREAD.
THE doomed house was located in the
midst Of the old time row. and the stiff
wind soon spread the fire to djoining
dwellings and tho entire bunch, all save
four, were shortly being rayaged.
An alarm OF fire was sounded from box
a. Jail Alley and Broad Street, and the
apparatus from the headquarters was on
the spot in a few minutes. The gray
ity OF the situation manifested Itself TO
Chief Fuller and he pulled in the SEQ
ond alarm. Altogether, four streams OF
water were playing on the blaze.
The conflagration was alive with exclt-
In z incidents and Wild rumors OF he de-
strnction Of human life. 1t was stated
that four negro children had been burn
ed In Martha Harris house. No. 16o2, but
this was unfounded, as the little ones,
mere tots, were among the first to seek
safety from the fiery furnace.
q For d time the fire spread rapidly In
10th directions from the source OF It's
origin, but finally the wind changed
decidedly. blowing to the northeast. as
a result OF which tho four houses to the
western extremity were saved from de-
struction, being separated by a narrow
alley.
WANTED THEM BURNED.
Chief Fuller and his men worked hero
icallys to save the row. but their efforts
were not applauded by the public-the
thousand or more people who had con-
gregated in the street-for they wanted
to see tho old shacks destroyed, hopinE,3
Oh COuTSs, lnal 5stHe iiscu teSorSo!I y < NS'ut'S1
be replaced with more substantial and
better looking structures.
on all sides the people seemed to do
plore the good work Of the department.,
They regarded the destruction Of the
houses as Godsend. and could sec no
use Of exerting energy and wasting water
upon dwellings that were practically
worthless. 3
But IL the public looked with disfavor
upon the excellent work of the fire lad
dies. the occupants Of the houses did
not. They realized that their homes,
their furniture. their livelihood, In many
Instances. and, In fact, their all. was
being swept away before their very eyes.
while they looked on In horror and
tears. The negro women were hysteri-.
cal In instances, while the mon rushed
,pell nell through the streets shouting