Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1912-12-12
flames Ragged Furiously.


Resulting On damages amounting 20
about S12c.o0O and threatening for
sometime 20 assume gigantic proper
lions. one Of the hercest fires this city
has experienced recently last niSht
swept through the bsilding occupied
by the Southern Express Company and
the Virginia School supply Company
on the northwest corner OF Ninth and
Cary Streets and almost completely
destroyed everything that lay ia It's
path.
Beginning shortly after Il o'clock
the flames ragged with undated and
& unconrollahle fury FOR nearly two
hours. Until the IRE had so Tar
/ burned itself out as 20 be manageable.
/ the heroic and weIl-directed work OF
/ the FIRE department could accomplish
/ nothing more than the protection Of
I adjoining buildings which were threat
] ened- IL was al frs though that the
/ Haines. Jones & Cadbury Company
warehouse AID plumbing supply house
4 adjoining the burning building on the
\ ". Hatke on the west eide were doom
I "a. and the fact thai they we're saved,
I under the circumstances. - due 20 the
/ excellent judgment OF Chief Joynes
. and his assistant chiefs. Rano and
I Wise. who directed the streams 80
. that they would operate ID the great
est advantage
The nre was discovered by NJ =.
Damron and I. 7. Anderson. clerks Ia
the employ OF the express company.
who. together with ABOUT thirty 9th -
men. were az work az the time the
Ere broke out The two clerks first
saw the smoke and DamrOn started
an Investigation He found a small
blaze near the furnace in the base
meut Calling Anderson he ran 20
engine houss no. : on Cary street and
gave the alarm. while Anderson at
tempted 20 put the blaze out. but with
out avail. as % reached the elevator
shaft up which "a Was soon roaring
20 the second noor.
a general alarm was at once turn
ed IN from BOX 81 and Engine Com
ipauy 40. responded immediately
/ ON the very heels Il this another
alarm was sent 81 and AZ 1883 Chile
J0ynee. realizing that the IRE was get
iflnE beyond control. sounded "a thirC
alarm. which brought Engines Nos. 8
&. e. 3. 2. 8. 8 and 10 20 the scene.
when the first apparatus arrived
dense clouds % smoke were pourlni
ort % the windows o. the first floor
Streams were Immediately directed q
the seat 81 the ire which wac in IN
basement. but the flames had alreac
gained greater Roadway than was sus
pected. and ia spite % an the effort
% the FIRE department the red glOv
made by the fire and smoke tOgethe
was soon visible through the second
letory windows.
~ soon as the q 'e reached the sec
Ond floor Do seemed 20 take on ia
n creased fury and the building becam
"a roaring furnace. The flames. wit
Il "a seemingly greedy relish. seized O
the uncovered roof u the buiidini
which Mas speedily cevOured. Qulcki
the water towers % Trucks Nos
and We're holEtec and threw canop
~ water over the building. but wit
small immediate effect
The soaring flames ia short tim
had eaten through the wooden TAR
covered roof and then showers q
sparks. borne alOft BY the waves Q
the heat. fell like torrents on IN
roofs % adjoining buildings and sey
eral times burst into small flame
which threatened 20 become serlou
when the roof fell in the Ere be
came most spectacular and dFe'
~ thousands 20 the scene. and IL va
- WITH oitiieuliy That Acting CAPITAL
b. Aolecraft o. the First District, an
le thirty policemen succeeded IA holdln
- the crowds back.
r. The building is one or the wide,
~ on the block, and the IRE appeare
20 be hottest ln the very center or !
80 that u was more than usually az
lclit 70 reach huge volumes
n smoke crept up the sides Of the bulk
~ INK and filled the alley in the rea
D. So cenHe was the smoke ln this allie
a., that lremen belonging 20 Compani'
~ j and 3 were overcome and had
81 ~ carried out and given medical al
lIhey were treated By DR.. Hinchma
department surgeon. and Dr. ~.
81 Hawkins and DT. .. C Page. CT
so Hospital ambulance surgeons. Ere
re Dawson. % No. 3. and X. Earle WI
- kinson. Of 80. I. were 20 badly a.
n. fecteo they had 20 be removed 20 the
statioEs. Others. including l. Y