The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-25

on$in time. the building to the north
would have been saved, with only nom
inel damage, 1t was said that four
lines OF hose were kept playing on
ground names which could do no fur
ther harm. instead OF being turned on
tho Larus building.
Captain Charles +. Taylor and Fire
Chief Joynee said that they fought the
fire as scientifically as they could. and
that water was not thrown uselesuly
on any part Of the fire.
Worked Under Difficulty.
The fire jumped the alleyway," saio
Chief Joynes, 'and got under the other
roof. The Williams factory was lower
than the other and the flames had easy
access. Had there been a parapet Wall
we might have prevented the danase
But no man could live in that alley.
Bricks were falling all about US, ard
the tobacco smoke. the worst In tho
world, would have snuifed out our
lives Fire under roof is hard TO
fight, and we had TO work against Il
IRON the start. You will find that the
inside of the building is not so much
damaged as one would think from
looking at 1t from the outside Here it
looks as If the building were Quilted,
but you follow me.
His words were true, for damage by
FRO was not SO extensive as 1t had APP
peared TO be from the outside. The
roof was burned and fallen in, but the
top floor was practically untouched by
the flames. OF course, all the tobacco
on that floor was burned and destroy
Cd. but below, OH the other floors, no
ire had found its way. Water poured
through, and the building was wet
=,
81 the stock had not been touched by
The water, and Chief Joynos believes
that the damage will be found to he
not SO great as 1t had been imagined
it would be from outward appearances
and quick judgment.
"Curbstone ire fightcrs.'' said Chief
Joynes. ARE always ready to criticize
Ne expect it"
No Serious Injury.
The greatest danger which the fire.
men faced was from falling bricks
and debris and the dense. overpowerlng
smoke. Several parties were trapped,
and had TO be rescued by their fellow
lighters. 1t was fortunate that the
Ere began at the noon hour, when
many of the employees were at lunch
AL escaped without difficulty except
those who wero trapped in the VIII"
liams building, and they were taken
from the adjoining roof.
The Williams building sank in short
~ before l o'clock. Only the walls are
left standing. Absolutely nothing was
saved Then all attention was paid to
the Larus building. Fircmen swarmed
contact on the top floor. The smoke
drove them steadily back. Chief
JONES was once caught between two
walls OF flame. He saved himself by
crawling beyond their reach and suck
Ing UP air from the floor, where 1t
flowed beneath the smoke. All the
men of No. 10 Company were caught
by the suffoca ting smoke, and sought
safety on the fire escape. Bricks fell
in shower about them, and they We're
called down They slid hand over
hand. down the hose. Chief RATIO was
the last to come down. Ho didn't
realize his danger until called out
aicn Worked vniicntly.
The men of No. Truck were ira
ped on the roof just before ii fell in
Smith and Pegram of that company
were overcome by the smoke, and were
rescued by comrades. TWO men of No
z Company also had TO be rescued. hav-
ing been overcome by tho smoke
Whatever might be the Judgment as
to the management Of the fire, no one
FlUES:ieES the Valor Of the men, nor
their willingness to risk their lives
in the line Of duty.
i never saw the men work harder.
said Chief Joyncs, ''and we had to
watch them to keep them from sacri-
iicing their lives"
II was 4 o'clock before the fire was
under absolute control, and before that
time it often looked as il it would got
away. From every vantage point,
front and rear, water was played on
The flames. Both water towers wero
used from the TWentS-tirst Street side
and performed effective work. Under
meath them Charles Guliett. connected
with headquarters. cut hanging live
wires. From one he received a shock
of 2,300 volts which knocked him
down and severely burned his hands.
lie suffered considerable pain from the
shock
Assistant Chief Wise also had mar
row escape from suffocation lie led
his men hack to rescue the men Of
20. 4. lie Vas caught himself and ex-
perienced great difficulty in making
his way out 10 safety
Prisoners Returned.
At 1 o'clock, when The tire was un-
der control, all the books and stock