The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-23
$775,ooo

Fire. supposed 20 have had it. oriri,
I'm a drying-box in the surbruE Tobacco
Factory TO the rear OF the third floor. thiS
morning swept the Wnliams's four-storv
brick and slate building, on the northwest
corner Of Ninth and Cary Streets. leav-
ing it a mass OF smoking ruins. ans en-
failing loss estimated roughly at about
$20oooo. covered by an insurance OF pos-
siHiy half that amount
In the confusion following the discov-
cry and fierce progress of the flames it
was utterly impossible to ascertain cause
or 10 describe locations with any degree
% dehniteness. shortly before A. NJ
blaze was discovered on tile second or
tnird floor to the rear OF tile building.
and within a few minutes had gained 50
rapidly that the combined efforts of every
fire company In Richmond could do 10
more than conhne it TO the structure in
which ft started. Within an hour and p
half this had been entirely laid in ruins.
meaning the complete destruction OF ill.,,
Blues Armory. with its equipment. tie
Surbrug Tobacco Company's plant and th,
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:
Il. l.. 1. Btues' equipment. S25.-
600. and government supplies, S25,-
900; insurance small
SurbruE Tobacco Company, $780,
600; insurance about $4,000. . n
Southern Express Company. s1O.-
OOO.
Williams estate CbuiIdinE),
$4,000; covered by insurance.
Other Buildings Undamaged.
Damage 10 surrounding buildings VIII
not be great though several were injured
to some extent. The Chamber OF COM
merce. standing on the next corner. was
unharmed. and the immense Mutual
Building. towering high a single block
away. also escaped. A shower OF sparks
fell upon several Of tho manufacturing
plants lying around but such blazes a.
resulted were quickly extnguished. 4
car INSPECTORS shed on the Chesapeake
and Ohio Railway. q short distance away,
4
and the gram elevator were thought to
DE i'm danger. Tie plug stream was too
feeble 90 reach to the shed. and the tim
bcrs aared up ana burned themselves 10
ashes. Tho tops % several telegraph poles
caught and burned themselves out Bar
ga-aius plumbing supplies house. next
To- the Williams place. was Tapped by TO
T.e Gre was one of the most spectacu-
far ever seen in Richmond. and despite
tho hour and the intense cold. gathered q
large crowd Of people. who stood alter
rately shieering m tho nieht air ana
scorchcd in the heat or tie suddenly
leaping flames. Walls crumbled and feu
with a roar. and Wild rumors ~ injury
and death 10 dremen constantly Kept ihs
crowd excited. only one man was hurt.
and he not seriously Thousands q
cartridges stored in tho Blues Armory
exploded. the continuous rattle and ne
dread or nyinr bullets driving OH. pcopls
back and forth and sending them scamp
crlng around telegraph poles and behind
sheitering walls. a portion of thc cary
street wall OF tie burning building as
&c toppied. narrowly escaped barying ono
o. ue trucks The nacs o. hose wers
badr damaged
Firemau's Narrow Escape.
Fireman Lawrence HtaAe. of Engine
Company so. g. narrowly escaped aatai
Injury WhHc the fire. was in progress. Ifs
WIS hoidmg the nozzlo OF hose. The
stream oc whirh was playing on the Cary
street side of the building, when, WITH