The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-18
STRUGGLE TO KEEP
FLAMES In BLOCK
Entire Department Called Out b,
Three Skies, Blaze Being the
Worst Since Armory Dis
aster-Plant Was
Only Partly
Insured.
AsfAGE amounting 10 more tba

~ WcIS oWH OUT OF employ.
ment by fire which last night
practically gutted the plant OF the
Richmond Stove Works, between Twen-
ty-ffth and Twenty-sixth Streets, on
Main. and which gave the Richmond
department the hardest fight II has
had since the destruction of the Rich
mond Light Infantry Blues armory on
Z Cary Street more than a year ago.
Extending whole block, the blaze
was Tremendous menace to every
building within several blocks around
sparks falling everywhere within n
radius of at least a quarter of mile
and threatening every moment, to cre-
ate a new danger.
It was not until after the flames had
gained considerable hesdway that they
were discovered. and the fire. as far
as the Stove Works are considered
was hopeless from the first.
Flames Ragged Quickly.
From every window end from every
doorway. and even from the roof, the
flames were bursting In the utmost
fury when the department arrived on
the first call. Seeing the impending
peril surround every building on each
side OF the block, Chief Shaw ordered
a second alarm turned In. and within
few minutes came the dreaded Three
Sixes.'' call for every company in
town. Even then the issue was long
in doubt, and the department was
forced to content itself with keeping
the fire within bounds and to prevent
it's further extension.
II seems that the original spark broke
from the third story of what was once
the Hancock Tobacco factory. which
forms the eastern extension Of the
building. whence it spread rapidly in
every direction. Policemen Gary and
Atkinson were the first to observe the
blaze. and they turned in the alarm
watchman Barnes had just gone
nothing. The officers saw the smoke
but a few minutes Iater and then tbs
fire was raging.
After turning In the alarm. they
broke through iron doors In the rear
and. after creeping through the Sitting
smoke and fighting every inch OF the
way. rescued two mules, bringing then
out TO safety They returned for the
harness. went back through flames
and smoke for the books Of the con-
Germ and did other valiant service be-
fore the department responded.
called Every Engine In Town.
The first alarm was turned in abou,
$40 O'clock The second alarm came
within a few minutes. the three skies
following, and then every engine In thu
city was pouring water on the struc-
ture from roof and housetop and from
every vantage point, both rear and
front. For a long while the streams
of water seemed to add fuel to the
flames, and they burst forth with re
doubled vigor. Beginning about mid
of ha b1NrE fhav Snrea1 Yani0lN
in both directions. Water was sho
over the roof and through broken win
dows and smashed doors But 1t wa
not until the eastern wall fell outward
with crash and left clear space
did the department find itself able t
cope with the flames.
While the roofs crashed in an
floors fell with noise that could b
heard for squares around, the cute
walls tottered and threatened ever
second to bury the fighting fireme
beneath their ruins. Still they fougt
on. blinded by smoke and burned b
inch thick sparks. which everywher
fell about them
Fought 1t for Hours.
Two hours fighting did not seem
bring the fire any nearer to Its en'
and policemen and sightseers turne
to help get out every available thin
from those parts of the building whic
had not caught. They were drenche
both by water and flying sparks. Pal
of the time the building was indiscerl
Ible for the dense smoke. At othe
times 1t flashed out in lurld flam
and the crowds fell back, expe citing
see fifty-foot wall crash down upo
them, For over half way the bullt
Ing was entirely burnt out. All TIL,
could he seen was molten iron al
crumbled brick, with the flames eatln
their way through as IL feeding on @
X md pine. Mcanwhile sparks rose
showers and foil as far westward
tile Henrico county courthouse, whc
officers were stationed in case of fu
ther danger,
In the rear where the foundry rul
% the whole length of the block, hreme
were fighting to prevent the hre reac5l
ing further back. 1t was only the sla
roofs that prevented the spread, 4
the hose lines were too few. One
them played from q housetop In u
rear. was for the nosr part inefrectiv
as It shot over the building and sWe
only the dry cobblestones. This strea
was kept up in this manner throue
nearly the whole fire, though sever
captains passed 1t by, never not,clr
that 1t was practically waste,
On the opposite sfde OF the sire
d. the CullinRworth Tobacco Factor
which, except for the offices of t
stove company. on the western corne
extends the entire length Of the bloc
Sparks fell all about it. but fortunat
" it did not catch, Had this bull
Ing also famed up, the fire would ha
been hopeless and would not have be-
extlnguished until both sides OF
block had been DESTROYED.
Wall Fell With Crash,
When the fire was at It's height 7
eastern wall fell in With crash tn
was heard far mp Main Street. a.
then floors began to fall In one at
ldoRt!nnsa on Last Psgea