The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-18
ALH1lNBRA IN FLAMES;
THEATRE THREATENED
Forty Guests Try to Save Be.
longings and Then Flee for
Lives.
INSURANCE MAN UPSET
Was Signing $500 Policy on
Hotel When Fire Bells
Rang.

JUS. as he finished attaching his
sisHatrr to $500 insurance policy
on q portion of the Alhambra Hotel,
~ the corner of Eighth and Franklin
Streets. Mr.. Robert Lecky. Jr.. vice.
president OF the Virginia State Insu-
,@nce Company. and member OF the
Board of Fire Commissioners. was
aroused by an alarm. and, proceeding
at once TO the scene, was considerably
UPSET to find that the hotel itself was
ablaze and In imminent danger of be-
ing destroyed. The policy held good
from IL o'clock yesterday. and the fire
occurred shortly after o'clock. Mr..
Lscky had signed away $500 for little
or nothing. but it was business and
lie seemed not TO care.
Theatre in Danger.
Originating supposedly in the cellar
"f the building, the blaze in the AL
hanlbra quickly made its way upward
and rearward. and before the fire de-
part.nent had responded to the first
call 1t had progressed with such ra-
pidity that smoke and flames were
pouring from the windows and threat
ening the Academy of Music next door.
'iotel guests. forty-odd In number.
fought valiantly to get their personal
Effects from the path of the flames.
~. the latter spread too fercely, and
~" majority mao TO be content with
Sesins for their lives.
Half a dozen members of the com.
oany PLAYING. "Brewster's Millions" in
no Acadethy. We're lodged at the hotel
and they lost nearly everything they
Tad there. Fortunately ali their stage
effects We're in the playhouse at the
Time, and were saved. Mrs. Miller be-
ra!ac much excited, fearing Ger baby
was IN the flames, but the child was
found downstairs and was restored TO
her arms,
The Academy Of Music was itself
,hreatened 1T one time The flames
burst through the side wall Of the
hotel next TO the Academy. and in
few seconds were eating their way into
the Office of MIR. Robert White. TIN.
latter ran for the alarm box al once,
and was followed by Mr.. J. y. Corrir,
manager OF the hotel, who knew moth
ting OF the fire until informed by
negro porter
Smoke in great volumes was issuing
from the cellar. and flames soon burst
upward end through the ceiling. Guests
immediately became excited, ana fur
niture. bed clothes, bric-a-brac and
personal belongings were l-urlcd
through doors and windows with rccll.
less haste. One negro appeared at the
street door with a large bureau. He
gitliSSrS l1ls FN'p as lIN- pltAiF7fN btN,-
md bureau and negro were so mixed
mp that one could not be distinguished
lrom the other. The man managed
finally to eytricate himself but his
brave effort had not been worth willis.
FOR bureau pieces were scattered far
and near.
Started In Cellar.
Steamer Companies Nos. 3, 4, Z and
9, and truck companies Nos. / and 2.
responded to the alarm, and, under the
direction of Fire Chief Shaw, five lines
81 hose we're soon playing on the burn
lag building. From the rear dense
Clouds of smoke poured skyward, and
saries belcled out Internationally from
fyery window. Crashing through glass
and window framework. The water
rushed in, pouring over everything
shd, striking against the brick walls.
Dashed back in spray on the curious
IND excited crowd. With water drip.
Sing on them. guests, friends and vol
:nteers moved about the lower floors
Tor a short space, bringing out all the
furniture they could lay their hands
m. Much stuff on the first and on
the other floors in front was saved. but
rom midway OF the building on the
two upper floors, everything except a
Few stout beds were ruined, either by
water or by fre. Down al his ONCE
door stood Mr.. j. p. Corrie, answering
The thousand andone questions put to
him, but he could not explain the ori-
gin OF tire fire, IL Is supposed TO have
started in the cellar, where there Is
pniy an electric meter wiiioh could
possibly cause the DANES, The kitchen,
raid Air. Corrie, had not had sign OF
trc In II.
From the reaY OF the hotel the fire.
men played their hose alternately on
the burning building and on the Acad-
emy Of Music. Mr., Whites room was