The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-23

Fire, supposed to have had its origin
in drying-box in the surbrug Tobacco
Factory to the rear of the third floor, this
morning swept the Willinms's four-story
brick and slate building, on the northwest
corner OF Ninth and Cary Streets, leav-
ing it a mass OF smoking ruins, and en-
failing loss estimated roughly at about
sibly half that amount
In the confusion following the discov-
cry and fierce progress of the flames. 1t
was utterly impossible to ascertain cause
| or to describe locations with any degree
of deflniteness. Shortly before 2 A. NJ
blaze was discovered on the second or
third floor to the rear of the building
and within few minutes had gained SO
rapidly that the combined efforts of every
fire company in Richmond could do no
more than confine it to the structure in 4
which 1T started. Within an hour and a
half this had been entirely laid in ruins.
meaning the complete destruction OF the
Blues Armory. with It's equipment, the
Offices OF the Southern Express Company,
on the first floor. containing thousands Of
parcels for shipment or delivery within
the city. Rough estimates this morning
distributed the losses as follows:
X. Ii. /. Blues' equipment, Sc5,-
900, and government supplies, $c5,-
900; insurance small.
SurbruE Tobacco Company, $780,
900; insurance about $4,000. -. d
Southern Express Company, $10,-
600.
Williams's estate (building),
S75,OOO; covered by insurance.
Other Buildings Undamaged.
Damage to surrounding buildings Will
not be great, though several were injured
to some extent. The Chamber of Com-
merce. standing on the next corner. was
unframed, and the immense Mutual
Building. towering high single block
away. also escaped. A shower OF sparks
fell upon several of the manufacturing
plants lying around. but such blazes al
resulted We're quickly extingushed. A
car inspectors shed on the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway. a short distance away.
caught and for time the Forbes plant
and the grain elevator We're thought to
be in danger. The plug stream was too
feeble to reach to the she'd and the tins
bers tlared UP and burned themselves to-
ashes. The tops OF several telegraph poles
caught and burned themselves out Bar
gamin's plumbing supplies house. neIs
to the Williams place. was Tapped by the
flames, but not seriously damaged.
The fire was one OF the most spectacu>
lar ever seen in Richmond, and despite
the hour and the intense cold, gathered
large crowd of people, who stood alter
nately shiverng In tho night air and
scorched in the heat of the suddenly
leaping flames Walls crumbled and fell
with a roar, and wild rumors OF injury
and death to tlremen constantly kept the
crowd excited. Only one man was hurt.
and he not seriously. Thousands OF
cartridges stored in the Blues Armory
exploded the continuous rattle and the
dread OF flying bullets driving the people
back and forth, and sending them scamp
ering around telegraph poles and behind
shelterlng walls. a portion OF the Cary
Street wall OF the burning building. az
1t toppled. narrowly escaped burying one
OF the trucks Tho lines OF hose We're
badls damaged. Il
Fireman's Narrow Escape.
Fireman Lawrence Haake. OF Engine
Company No, :, narrowly escaped fata!
Injury while the fire WAS In prcgress. He
was holding tho nozzle of a hose. the
stream OF which was playing on this Cary
street side Of the building, when, With M