The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-07-13
Two Suffer Seriously and
Others Affected at Barton
Heights Blaze
LACK OF WATER
PROVES HANDICAP
City Department Responds
ProplntIy TO Call, But Chem
zeal Engine Has to Do
the Work.

Barton Heights narrowly escaped a
disastrous CunrtagratioA Wednesday
morning and a wholesale destruction
ouT valuable property was aVerted
only through the heroic work OF city
tiremen and the volunteer organiza-
ton OF the suburb.
AS 1t was beautiful home was
completely destroyeasa nd other prop
erty in the vicinity seriously damag
ed by the flames, The dwelling de-
stroyed was 5l2 Virginia avenue and
belonged to Mr.. Henry :. 'Hutzler.
1t was occupied by the families Of +.
w. Parkinson and j. A. Schroeder.
The house OF f. y. Richards, sos.
and oil were slightly damaged.
Lieutenant A. {. Roger. OF
Chemical Company 40. 3. was over
come by the terrific heat and +, T..
Cowardin, oil the Barton Heights Vol
unteer Company, was Frustrated at
almost the same time.
Drs. K w. Miller and c. :. Pitt
were on the scene and quickly under
took 70 resusti,|te the hremen Two
trained nurses also came to the as
ststanee Of the men and were Of great
help in bringing them around
Started in Attic.
5i2 and had gained considerable
Roadway before it was discovered
Mayor Il. W Miller telephoned TO
Richmond for assistance the momtnt
he arrived on the scene and recog-
nized that the fire might assume large
proportions.
Assistant Chief Wise responded
promptly with Chemical Company
No. and the ttremen appeared on
the scene at about the same time the
volunteer company arrived.
dePanFn. OQ3. hea . Shtrdlu
The iremen were greatly handicap
ped in lighting the flames on account
Of the scarcity OF water. IL was nee
essary to recharge the chemical ap.
paratus several times in order u
check the flames. 1t was almost i'm
possible to get any water from the
plugs which was d long distance
away.
We blankets were used TO cover the
sides of nearby houses. and time after
time other houses became ignited. and
the many fires were extinguished "s
the hard workers.
The fire started shortly after =
o'clock, and 1t was fully II before the
danger was past. Had the t1remcn
been able to get water they might
have gotten the flames under con-
tro much sooner. Assistant Chief
Wisc saw the danger OF big FIRE ~
soon as he arrived on the scene and
sent to Richmond for help. NJ. :
company responded promptly and aid
ei in the work -ef getting the fire I'M
der control.
Big Fire .Aycrted
In speaking OF the fire Afterwards,
Assistant Chief Wise stated that the
Community had a narrow escape trU II
a disastrous fire. The scarcity of WI.
ter was a big handicap To the fire
MA" said Chief Wise. and the town
was In grave danger Of destructive
ire"
E.nils the city tlremen did the gre ~
er rfrt OF the work the volunteer
! omTany was of great assistan III
Iacirg the wet blankets and eXtin-
gushing the small fires that broke
out en- the roofs of nearby dwell
iors
it is estimated that the loss oL
u % dwelling destroyed will amount 10
i.tcut $4,000, partly covered by in
surunce Several other houses we're
dElnaged TO considerable extent
pthers who We're overcome by tie
neat or slightly burned were J4.a
+ T ~ cridge and Cullen Cosby. both uf
whom took a prominent part in hight
ms sc flames.