The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-04
BROAD STREET HAD
REAL SUNDAY FIRE
Department Fought 1t for Two
Hours Without One Glimpse
OF Flame.
AUCTION HOUSE DAMAGED
Volumes OF Smoke Issued From
Room and Almost Whipped
Fircmen.

ia Fighting hard for two hours until
they were almost overcome by the
dense clouds of smoke which rolled out
upon them. nremen from four COM
: panies yesterday afternoon .extinguish-
ed fire I'm tho store OF the VALENTINO
Auction Company. 61S East Broad
street which was one OF tho most
stubborn they ever experienced
1t was at five minutes to o'clock
when Policeman Iinl, doing traffic duty
at the corner of Seventh and Broad,
noticed thin rinslets of smoke issuing
from under the caves of the auction
house. II took him not more than
second to turn in the alarm
On the northeast corner tho Saliva
ton Army was conducting it's sunday
street meeting, and was singing n
hymn when the fire. was discovered
The out congregation wavered
an instant, and then melted away.
The crowd ran ever to tho opposite
side OF the street, whore. from n pile
OF sand and from the open windows
and doorways OF the new Ferrandini
building. they could View the fire with
out trouble to themselves and those
who labored.
Ten Thousand People There.
Seconds only seemed to elapse be-
fore engines were laundering down
the street from all directions. The now
motor engine sped down. It's steady
chusginE awning the crowd into 81
lence. It was the first time that the
big machine had answered a call to
fire Of serious proportions. Engines
4. and 9, and Truck No. responded.
and within a minute the lines OF hose
were laid, and the pumps began thelr
work.
BY this time all the dwellcrs on
Broad Street had gathered on tho
scene, and people swarmod from every
direction. Ten thousand people must
have seen the fire. But they were or
DERBY and tho police, who also had
quickly gathered, had little trouble in
Keeping them back
There was never sign OF fame or
OF spark. But smoke, dense and heavy
belched from the roof, windows and |
doors. and from every crovicc. It was
SO heavy that 1t even followed the
Always down to tho first floor, and
poured from the main exits. With their i
eyes streaming, and smartinE. the fire.
men fought valiantly on, cntieavoring
to discover the source OF the smoke |
Chief Joyncs took active charge, anu |
was aided by Assistant Chiefs RATIO |
and Wise.
Lines OF hose were laid both front
and rear. TWO streams We're poured |
IN by the motor engine. The extension
ladder was placed against the roof and
secured. and from its top flremen pour
ell another volume OF water into the
smoking furnace.
Used Oxygen Helmet.
Some OF the nremen broke into , |
room from the rear, and were forced |
TO lie face downwards to get air. They
got to the door. and could hear their
comrades talking on the other aldo |
They called to The others to breal, In |
The door, and so they were RELEASED
from their perilous position. CAPTAIN
harris put on the oxygen helmet md
entered to see II he could discover
from where the smoke was coming. |
others made the same attempt, but
me source OF tho blaze was not known
ontil II had been eStingushed.
1t was found in the rear OF the soc
ond 1loor In small roof which was
MED with mattresses and other IN
nhmmablc material. Over this tho fro
men had to crawl. From there tho
nre streamed UP to the roof, and Nm
through the Third floor. The build
ing was damaged very little. Chief
Joynes Thought $1,000 would cover thn
loss. But the stock, most of Il second.
hand was practically all destroyed.
either by hre or by water. This loss
was placed at $4,000 ConsiderahIc
oamase was done also TO the store or
n, klein & Son, go East Broad Street.
me first floor OF which was flooded.
rouEht for Two Hours.
IN auction building Is owned bv
the Whitlock estate, and is insured 81
the Mutual Insurance Society. Tn.
snrance on the stock, which is ONLY
partial, was carried by the firm OF
1ecky & Rufin
~ took two hours NJ diflcult work
10 subdue the fire. and II took mucn
more time 10 clean out In,
rubbish The blaze was confined 10
INC building in which it originated
'hers was no danger from SPARKS 20
adjoining buildings, as the nremen
.nses saw hamc. But the nre and
ana the Sunday crowds spent most nj
me afternoon on the scene. street cor
traihc was blocked for a whIlc hut
further congestion was prevented ~
me use of runners placed above Inc
hoe. '''