The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-24
Midday Fire Wipes Out Williams Plant and Makes Wreck
of Large Portion of Larus Establishment
Near BY
HALF SCORE OF BRAVE FIREMEN
HAVE VERY NARROW ESCAPES AND
SEVERAL ARE SLIGHTLY INJURED
Battle With the Flames Attended With Great Hardship and
Such Herosm Disp aged as is Rarely Witnessed
Spectators Lift Ladder Carrying Doc
tor to Injured Man
FTREAfEN INJURED.

TTRENfEN INJURED.
Charles Hlrschbcrg, hip disio-
Gated and bruised.
Charles schmidt, overcome by
smoke and nearly sufYocated.
j. Il. Angel, bruised about body
by fall.
Billie Smith and Allie Goode,
overcome by smoke.
w. 4. Tfnsley, hurt ON head
by falling brick.
Lives of many persons were en-
dangered early Friday afternoon and
several accidents occurred to the flame
lighters during a fire that complete
ly destroyed the four-story brick
building on the northeast corner of
Twenty-frst and Cary streets, used as
stemmery by F. u. Williams d
Company. tobacco manufacturers.
When the flames had well gutteo
this building they leaped to the root
of the tobacco factory OF Larus d.
Bro. Immediately In the rear. and
running along Twenty-first street to
Main. where the otr1ces front. and
In half an hour the rear section OF
this factory was engulfed In water
and flames.
May Reach 100000
While no definite estimate can be
made until later, ii is probable that
the total damage will reach 100000.
Frank u. Williams, head OF the VIII
liams Company, places the value Of
his stock and machinery in the stem
merry at $4,000. and 1t Ia likely that
the building. which belonged TO Gran
vile Valentine. II. Selden Taylor a.
Company, agents. was worth fully as
much. w. T. Reed, general manager
OF the Jarus Company, was unwilling
during the progress of the fire to es-
innate his loss. but 1t is certain to
be not less than $4,000. The build
ing Is owned by the George Pope
estate and Ia valued at $4,000 ap-
proxfmatety. Both building and stock
were fully insured. II Is stated
Starts In Drying Machine.
The fire started about noon in u
drying machine on the first floor OF
the stemmery OF the Williams Com
pany. and despite the fact that the
automatic extinguishers were turn cd
on. the blaze Immediately spread like
wilGfire through. the dry tobacco,
Manager r. g. Walker, in charge
OF the first floor. realizing the dan
ger to the $50 or more colored men
and women hands in the building.
urged all to remain calm. He and
Manager j.. G. Roaher. In eharge OF
fA<Ar s EcSNfAA4 = ilSCE, 'tYfSn quickly ar
ranged for the employees to pass out
from the second floor to the roof
of the one-story warehouse adjoining
the building to the East and used by
the same company. Badly frighten-
ed. the hands finally reached the
ground by means or ladders.
Schmidt's Narrow Escape.
The hremen worked In constant
peril because Of the stifing and SUIT
locating smoke and falling brick and
timber. Many of them had narrow
escapes from death and were rescued
from their periious piights only by
quick thought and presence OF mind
on their ow npart or that of persons
attracted to the scene.
Charles Schmidt. of Truck Com
pany No. 1, would certainly have lost
his life but for the quick-mind edness
OF several boys on the roof of the
Larus office.
Schmidt had gone into the Larus
factory and had become almost suf-
located by the noxious fumes Stag
gering to a door. ne fell unconscious
in an areaway. with smoke and flames
enshrouding him. BY the light of
the flames through the smoke the