The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-04
Flames for the Second
Time Destroy Express
Company Building.
THREE SKIES
ARE SOUNDED
Entire Fire Force Called Out,
and Immense Crowd Watches
Excellent Work of Depart
ment-Virginia School Sup
ply Company Heaviest
Loser.

Fire last night shortly after II
clock almost totally destroyed the
,wo-story brick building at Ninth and
Cary Streets, occupied by the Adams
and Southern Express Companies and
the Virginia school Supply Company.
entailing a loss Of $4,000. fully COW
cred by insurance. The heavies, loss
was sustained by the school supply
company. Preston Belvin. Jr.. manager
Of the company. said the value OF his
stock. which was lost. was s55.000
The building. some portions OF which
may be saved was owned by the es-
tates OF Evan and John r. Williams.
and erected az a cost of about $1,000
D. :. Baker a representative Of the
express company. said that he did not
believe the loss 20 the company would
exceed $4,000 Tuesday is always
our lghtest day" ne said. and we had
comparatively few ccnsignments on
hand. Twenty thousand dollars In
cash was locked IN our hreproof safe.
but 7 have no doub: that will be found
intact tomorrow. About $4,000 In cur
rency was removed to our branch Of
fee at the Chesapeake and Ohio sta
ton. Our loss Is covered By insur-
ancc."
Fire Discovered by (tcrhs'
About thirty men we're at work IN
the offices OF the express company when
the fire was discovered. N. r. Dam
ron and T. 7 Anderson. clerks. rotlceo
the smoke and when Damron started
an investigation ne found a small blaze
near the furnace IN the basement
While Damron ran 10 engine house No.
:. in Cary Street. to give an alarm,
Anderson attempted 10 put out the
flames. but they spread rapidly. and
By the time the apparatus arrived mad
gained great Roadway. general
alarr2 was at once sounded from BOX
No 5f-No engine house. II was
followed immediately by second
alarm After lighting che blaze Tor
@ew minutes and dndfne that fs was
rapidly getting beyond control. Cniei
Joynes sounded third alarm about
l1.35. In few minutes ten engines
Nos ;, 4 :. 9, .. ,, 6, and lo-were
pumping fifteen streams into the burn
ing building.
Dense Volumes OF Smoke.
AT first great and dense volumes OF
smoke were issuing from the hrst
floor OF rhe building. Companies were
stationed inside and at cellar caps TO
play the big streams into the base
,S-1t But je reached the elevator
shaft and with rush, famed by
swift draft il reached the second floor
Despite every effort by the depart
nent u keep II from spreading, II
ate its way into the ceiling and out
through the roof bursting forth in
q ROSY glow. The water towers of
Trucks Nos ! and were Immediately
put in service and threw thousands
of gallons on top of the flames.
With rare judgment. Chief Joynes
and Assistant Chiefs RATIO and Wise SO
&,rected the streams 10 prevent the
IRE from spreading 20 adjoining build
inzs The warehouses occupied by
Harris. Jones & Cadmey Company. =
plumbing supply house. adjoining on
the north on Ninth Street. and that OF
Joseph ". Hatke. on the Cary Street
side. but also occupied by the express
company. were threatened from the
start.
At one time il appeared almost GER
tain that the express companys add
tional quarters were doomed and a
great quantity of expressage was
moved in big trucks TO places OF safety
Some Of the packages were damaged
by water.
Become. Spectacular
Not until the flames came through
the roof did the fire assume spectacu
lar proportions. 1t was visible LOT
miles beyond the city. Thousands or
men. women and children gathered
after the three skies had been sound
ed. and IL was with difficulty tnat they
were kept back by the police II
was necessary n stretch ropes in
Ninth street to keep the people from
s-warminS into the street But under
the direction Of Acting Captain Hold
craft Of the FIRST District. thirty
| policemen preserved order. and pre-
vented the hremen from being handi-
capped in their work
The Are was one Of the most stub
born which the department has had TO
fight in a long while. Starting In the
basement, IL was difficult to reach
Inside OF the building the great mass
Of smoke which rolled U2 fought oack
the various companies Time and
vzaln they would advance with 81
heavy stream. only 20 be again driven
into the street for air.
Tries 40 Enter Basement
One Of the more venturesomc mem
bers OF No. Company attempted 10
enter the Easement By ladder
through a cellar cap. bu; the smoke
made IL Impossible for him 90 remain.
and he was forced out IN q few usin-
utec
After the flames had come through
the roof. Il was not a hard fash 20
direct streams upon u from the water
towers, The southern portion % The
roof was not In any danger. and this
enabled chief wise 20 place several
companies there. which did emci-rt
work. and IN. flames were gradually
beaten down After two hours WORK
the FIRE was regarded 80 under con-
troll. However, az o'clock this morn
log stream. were still playing upon
the ruins and 80 was thought az that
.f-rc that several hours must eiapse