The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-19
FLAMES THREATEN
TWO R0NS0F HOUSES
Powell's Hall, on Church
Hill Avenue, Utterly
Destroyed.
VALIANT FIREMEN
WORK FAITHFULLY
John Donati Falls Exhausted, but
Resumes Fight-Woncn Go
Into Hysteria-Men Are
Blistered by the Heat
and Are Continual
ly Drencled.

Powell's Hall. situated at the corner
OF Twenty-fourth Street and Church
Hill Avenue. long looked upon as an
cycsore in that section OF the city and
as a death trap. was utterly destroyed
by fire at an early hour last night. and
two blocks OF frame houses werc so
dangerously threatened by the flames
TINT to prevent wide area of destruc.
ton and ruin the Fire Department had
one of the hardest fights In recent his
! tory.
Originating in the millinery store
operated on the first floor. and spread
ing thence to Chinese laundry adj
Joining. operated by Him Lee, the
flames spread so rapidly that the place
was doomed before the first fire engine
had arrived. SO fierce waa the fire that
the curious crowd. unable TO withstand
the heat. was forced to stand far back.
and 1t was necessary TO drench the
flrcmen with streams OF water to pre-
vent their catching fire and suffering
from the heat
John Donati. one of the firemen. fell
to place of safety by Chief Shaw.
lie soon recovered, however. and re-
sumed his work.
Flames Spread.
The main efforts OF the department
were directed toward saving the three
threatened houses adjoining. Situated
but three feet distant. the first house
caught IN u moment and houses. trees
and fences on the opposite side OF the
street blazed up in many places.
Streams OF water. were continually
shifted. to cover every new place of
danger. Little runnels OF fir. were
threading their way In every direction,
and clouds of sparks scared up and
fell to carts, blocks away. adding a
new source OF danger TO the already
difficult problem with which the de.
partment had to contend. Completely
disrnanticd and guttet. the burning
building soon tottered and fell. the
eastern wall topping on the house ad-
Joining. Fire burst out anew on the
dwelling and II seemed as II 1t must
go. Several streams were kept con-
tinually playing on the house. and the
blaze never once got beyond the mems
control
SO Intense was the heat that stream.
B of water 40 sooner toucned the grouu,
than they were Immediately converted
! into dense clouds of steam, hiding the
lire from view. When the building
finally crashed i'll. n tremendous cloud
1 of sparks rose to height of fifty feet.
| making beautiful scenic effect, and
felt blocks away.
Homes Dismuntled.
the three houses adjoining the hall
were completely ,iismartled by their
occupants, who. with reckless and fe-
ver;sh haste threw from their doors
and windows every particle Of furniture
and fixtures they possessed House
hold effects were piled up In vast
array OF confusion everywhere about
\ tie street. Women wrung their hands
snd wept. Mrs. Crump, who lived In
the house nearest the hre, was pros
,rated, and fell into violent and pro.
tractcd hysteria. Him Lee, the Chinese
iaundryman. lost $500 in greeEbacks
and all his effects. amounting to about
$500. and he roamed about wringing MS
hands. weeping and sobbtng. because
he had lost his all
Mr. Marshall Boyle. who has gen
era, merchandise store nearby. took
the lone Chinaman in, gave him money
and promised him further help. MIR.
Boyle gave all aid possible to the home-
lass ones. and took care of their house
hold goods.
In Millinery Store.
How the fire originated could not be
learned. Him. Lee stated that 1t began
In the millinery store, owned by Mrs.
Doc and that it spread SO rapidly that
he was unable to save thing. Mrs.
Doe had evidently closed up shop and
gone home, for she was not anywhere
to be seen. The house at No. 930S. adj
Joining the burned building. was occu-
MED by a Mr. Crump and his family;
The second. No, 231o.. by Mrs. A. Z.
Kestler and three children and two
Misses Davis, and the third house by
the family o. Captain George D. Rust,
pf the Fire Department.. Neither OF
the latter two houses We're damaged.
and the first house was but Slightly
damaged. All the houses are owned
~ Mr.. Joseph Johnson.
Good Work of Firemen.
Great credit is due to Chief Shaw
and Ills men, for had It not been for
;ieir valiant efforts the whole place
must have been doomed, The faces
ST all were blistered by the intense
aeat, and all were exhausted when the
lre was finally eStinguished. Chief
Shaw worked next to the fire. and his
aien followed him to the last ditch.
though sparks fell about them In
.louds There was NJ. relief until the
building fell In,
Erected by Fireman. @
Powells Hall was erected in $50
~ p, Leslie Powell, now a fireman,
Ind. by strange coincidence. driver OF
HE first engine to respond to the alarm
1t has since been bought by Mr.. Thomas
stagg. The lower floor was rented for
,llop purposes; tho upper floors for
reetings, the Junior Ordertof American
Mechanics being the chief lessees. All
4 their effects We're destroyed. The
pocahontas Tribe OF Red Men. Fidelity
Council, Daughters of liberty; Pawnee
tribe OF Red Men, Unity I.ol go. Odd
yelloWs; Old Dominion Council 8Daugh.
l,ors OF Liberty; the Painters Unton Il
pdgs of Modern oflnen of the
Continued on 4 second PaEe,l