The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-27
FLAMES DESTROY
SEVERAL PLANTS
Spectacular Display Attracts
Thousands to Scene
of Fire
ESTIMATED LOSS OF
SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND
Three Concerns Destroyed
and Another Partially,
Throws Scores of Men
Out of Work

APPROPRIATED LOSS.
Boyd Iron Works. $4,000.
Mayo Barrel Company. $4,000.
Barnes Lock and safe Com
pany. S2S.OOO.
Richmond Cotton Oil Refinery.
$4,000.
One OF the most spectacular fires
that Richmond has seen for num-
Der Of years was that last night. be-
ginning at o'clock, which practically
wiped out the buildings which en-
braccd the old Trigg Shipyards.
Tho alarm was turned In about
o'clock It came from Box 3l2. Dock
and, Twenty eighth streets, and mis-
led thousands of people who went to
that point, or at least started TO go,
but who saw long before they reached
there on car or otherwise, that the
ffre was on the south side of the dock.
Thousands OF citizens hurried In the
direction from which the brilliant re-
Election came. and were disappointed
after they had passed Seventeenth
street to learn that the FIRE was out
Of reach. although the splendid dis
play was observable more from the
north side OF the dock. than from the
south side.
A second alarm was turned in but
the chief Of the FIRE department saw
the situation and felt that four en-
xtnes would be sufficient to handle
the situation. Therefor. but four were
placed into action. They were Com
pAnies ., s. ! and Z.
Owing to tho inaccessibility OF tho
. buildings which were burning. the en-
zines were forced to remain on the
nnrth side OF the dock. Through sheer
fortune when the engines arrived at
tho north side OF the dock there were
several row boats at hand. there BY
virtue OF the recent high water. These
boats were utilized to carry the hose
lines across into the territory of the
burning district.
Two Of the engines used two sets
Of hose, making six that were used
to play upon the flames. Owing TO
the delay tnT getting the hose acros.
Rapidly. Tho buildings were Of no
Substantial material. They burned
like 30 much finder. But for the.
strenuous work OF the men of the
IRE department., under the direction
Of Chiefs Joynes. Raffo and Jones.
aided by members of the police de-
pArtmert. under direction OF Major
Warner himself, the fire was checked
before Il wiped out entirely the build
fngs on the site OF the famous old
How Il Started.
While II was not definitely settled
by the hremen last night as to how
the flames started. 1t was the general
opinion that sparks from a fiue In the
Foundry Of the Boyd Iron Works was
the immediate cause OF the fire. A
young man named Dick Hull WAS the
first man who saw the flames. He
started the alarm. and In as short a
time a. possible the engines were on
the scene.
The IRE first appeared in the rear Of
che Barnes Safe and Lock Company.
next door 10 the Boyd Iron Works.
Owing to tho infiammable material
witch the flames had TO work upon II
tcok hut a tow minutes to display to
fho population of tho city the brilliant
reflection which covered the southeast
efn heavens.
Much OF the once material was re-
moved from the various buildings. but
there was not the slightest chance to
remove anything else, the flames
The Boyd iron Works IL substan-
tial concern. and the loss Of Mr.. Boyd
10 probably much more than that OF
any other OF the cnncerns which suf-
Tered BY the IRE. While It IL different
to dsfnitaly statA the actual less Al
this time. an attachc Of the concern
said last nisht , that hs would -. place ace
tuS Iusz - =. sIs 80 ~
ana $sv.oVv. wnlcn y pa5uaay coxereu;
Ine nsyo 1870 49, , su.ereu
10 something like 3AyDe0. m estimated
~ .eS - ~, .p,na ,,smr.
- .,snc.,.s =. Ala - not hs,,ews i,
1870 rorsr tha io.s'
TrS 1920 Tnrrnanv snfyerea con.
~sx.s.hi~ TfAre ~ = lot ~ material
~Asrs ~ insf hesn place in the buiid-
49, snd this. which, might have re-
1snfSe6 IL tie cars another day or two,
ss7I1I1 ctnpsYirsds o. damaged. This par.
fi6Slrr Ipss will probably reach $685.
03G Insurance, Il was said last night,
OeGneSd : part Of this.
TO- three establishments were
cosn1 1akaly destroyed. but before the
1eusss could Mck up the plant Of the
1llGana0n4 Cotton ON Refinery Com
paays - ARE depaTtment had Got n
~ - ana ~ dumping much
u - srom the dock upon the
sySeA019 @nmec. tncIo Wa matt IN
a ~ '1r1ssS ~ burning OF ono side
M 49,