The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-08
Blaze Supposed to Have Been
Caused BY Electric Wires
in House.
FAMILY ESCAPED WITHOUT
INJURY FROM FLAMES
Seminary Students and Professors
and Other Neighbors Render
Valuable Assistance in
Saving Contents
of the First
Floor.

FlOoT.
Laburnum, the beautiful suburban home
OF Mr.. Joseph Bryan, was destroyed yes
terday morning by fire that, originating
before daylight in room in the south
west corner of the third floor, swept the
entire building within two hours, leaving
1t II heap of smouldering ruins.
Cut off from the protection of a fire
department. the large homestead, which,
under its different owners. has been
burned three times, was n quick prey
of the flames The occupants of the
house. aroused from their sleep by the
fire, escaped without harm. Heroic as
sistance, rendered by members of the
faculty OF Union #rneologicH Seminary.
situated nearby, seminary students and
other neighbors, enabled the family to
save valuable collection of books. paint
ings and papers. and u few articles OF
furniture from tho first floor and the
basement. Everything else in the house I.
was destroyed. or the building itself. Il
vestige of the walls alone remains. The
loss ia complete, and is only partially
covered by the insurance of 10000 ON
the building.
Origin Of the Fire.
The fire Is supposed TO have been caused
from the electric wires which furnished
lights for the house. The blaze was dis
covered about 430 a. NJ in bedroom
in the southwest corner of the top floor.
This room, which was unoccupied at the
time. is used by Mr.. Jonathan Bryan.
who was spending the night In an ad
Joining chamber with his uncle Mr.. ST.
George i. c.. Bryan. brother OF Mr.
Joseph Bryan. Tho latter, who was
asleep in room on the second floor. inn
mediately below that in which the fire
started. was aroused by the sound OF
falling objects above. The third story
bedroom was then In a blaze. The tirc
tank in the top of the building could not
be reached. and the entire house was in
danger. telephone message was sent
to the headquarters of the fire depart
ment In Richmond asking assistance.
While I.aburnum was a brick building
the interior, including the partitions. was
finished in pine The fire gained rapid
headway. such efforts to check 1t as
were possible. proving entirely fruitless
double cement lining 70 the floors re-
tarded the flames somewhat and made +
possible the rescue of the small portion
of the contents of the house that was
saved. The seminary students turned out
sin II body and, assisted by members of
the faculty and by other neighbors. gave
timely and unstntedsservice. Without this
heroic and generous assistance. render
ed while the upper portion of the house
was ablaze, everything including the
books and papers, would have been lost
The Books Are Saved.
The library was located upon the first
floor and was taken out practically COM
s.1s.e 3
portraits. other pictures. aportion of the
furniture, silver plate and other articles
on this floor were also saved The con-
tents of the second and third floors, in
Guiding furniture, slverplate and cloth
ing were completely destroyed. The occn-# Il
pants of the top story escaped in their
night-clothes and very narrowly missed
injury from the flames. The others We're
in no danger.
Besides Nh. ana Mrs, Joseph Bryan
those in the house at the time of the
fire we're Mr.. st. George 4. G. Bryan. Mr.
and Mrs. ST.. George Bryan and little
Joseph Bryan. Jr,, Mr.. Jonathan Bryan
and DR.. Robert c. Bryan. There We're also
three colored servants
Could Render Little Aid.
The Richmond fire department responds
ed to the call for help but was unable
TO render other assistance than in at
tempting to save the contents of tho 3
burning house. The alarm reached head
quarters at 1855 a. NJ, and Captain VIII
liam Joynes. In charge of engine cont
many No. g. was sent at once. The
chemical apparatus attached to the hose 4
wagon is effectiye only in cases of Very
small fires, and was not put to use at all. 4
THE only available water supply Was
big well on the lot, but the water here
was too far from the surface to be "A
reached by the fire engine, and. besides.
the supply would haye been exhausted
in about two minutes, and would have
done little good. Tho tiremcn did what
they could TO assist in tho work of rescue,
and at TO A. NJ, came back to Rich
mond. ~
by daylight Laburnum was no more
One or two of tho great shade trees IN
front of the house We're slowly burning
still but of the building Itself there
WAS nothing let beyond the heap of
smouldcring debris, surrounded by an
irregular line OF topping walls. Several
members of tho family watched the work
OF the ilanes to the end, and then left,
somo for Brook Hill, the Stewart horne.
nearby, and the others for town. wkers N
they got clothes and breakfast. rha q
books and paintings and other articles
saved were stored away in tho onthonscsl
or In tho Seminary, The wallis were
wired OH and county officers Were sta.
toned to guard the ruins
The news; of the irn spread quickly and
Turing the morning and Afternoon several