The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-27

ehst and 1t was bitterly cold. SO cold
indeed, that the water flowing
from the Burning building Into the stteets
| frose. and Cury street was covered will
| ice. Owing to tho direction Of the wind
and the thickness Of the walls all the
heat was driven directly westward and
northwatd, driving the fireinen aud Fhll
Spectators back for a hundred yards. On
the cast hnd northeast sides Of tho mill
1t was so cold that electric wires Filnt,ltts
only Il few feet from The mill building
were coated with a Oeartl OF tcles some
ten and some oven twelve inches IN
length On the east side OF the building
the flreinen and policemen were keeping
warm by means OF Il small fire built IN
the streets, for II was very cold there.
With them were tho Ambulance surgeons
awaiting SO as to be in readiness TOT any
emergen cy. u! s1s.s S9 55
SO far as could DO ascertalncd there
was but one man hurt. That one was
Mr.. Lawrence G. 5ltnuko, Il fireman at No.
Y Station. 1Iarly In the fire Mr.. IlAakc.
whose squad was at work close to tho
seething furnace, staggered away and
took seat OH the running board Of tho
truck. then II block away from tho fire.
Loco,notl lives we're dragging the neislbor--
ing freight cars away and tho horses
hltched to the truck were rlunging 80 that
the then unknown sitting on the Side OF
the truck was In danger 'iS.osc who
went to warn him of his danger rc-
cognIzed him, and he was assisted to
his feet. Then for tho first time II was
found that. he was painfully, Il not Sc
riously injured. The ambulance was
called. and Dr.. Crutnp. who examined
the injured nun, found that his stomach
was abnormnllys dstendeu, and that he
was complaining Of pains IN his chest.
Emergency eatment was given the pa
ticnt and ho was then taken to tho First
Police Station. Inquiry al the station
shortly before 4 O'clock ELECTED the III.
formation that Mr.. Hanke had recovered
consciousness. and. thnt the swelling
had been nbated tota large extent. He
is Improving nicely, and 1t is not thought
that any serious injury resulted. rho in
Jury was due TO inhalinga smoke.
The crigIntof the fire is largely a mat
ter OF speculation. Ono report heard at
tho tire was that tho foreman Of the
mill attributed tho origin to incendinry-
ism. and gnvo as his reason for the be-
lief the fact that the key to the private
fire alarm box had been stolen the day
before tho fire: 1T Is a matter of GER
tanty that although the fire was visible
first from the tower. on the summit OF
the rOOC 1t must nave: OFl5 lltl lctl III llt'
lower portion Of the building, and: crept
,lnobservcd upward until, the draft found
und aperture and the tiny tongue Of
flame became visible from the exterior,
1t was a long time after the fire was
discovered however, lheforos any light or
flame was visible, save. that IN and
around the tower. siitt--5
At 4 O'Clock nll the walls Of tho mill
were still intact and were serving to
confine the heat OF the tangled mass Of
fallen beams and stills that were blazing
flercely from ground to the topmost point
of the walls. 1t was.a weird scene. The
window apertures were bright with flame
and the sky was brilliant with the re-
Election Great masses Of half fallen and
partially burned tmbers We're visible
cvcrywhere within the Enclosure formed
by the walls.
The flremen. wearled .bys1 their.$ three
hours Of work in the bitter coMt and
with tho water from the nozz es Of the
hose freezing as soon as 1t touched the
ground almost suffered keenly Wetsand
hungry and cold, they sustained them-
selves by drinking hot coffee, which was
constantly being made along toward j
o clock. The policemen, too, suffered
keenly with the cold. >.s,sa Iii.
At 4:3O A. NJ. dozens Of streams of
water We're steadily pumping thousands
Of gallons Of Icy water into the shell Of
@hnH olf1 aud p,nssivo htri1dinC H.%4 --ra