The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-12-12
Flanees Rarcd FuriousIr.

Resulting in damages amounting to
about $4,000 and threatening for
sometime to assume gigantic proper
tons, one Of the hercest fires this city
has experienced recently last night
swept through the building 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 in ~
path. =
Beginning shortly after IL O'Clock
the flames ragged with undated and
uncomfortable fury for nearly two
hours Until the fire had. so far
burned itself out as TO beSltfana geable,
the heroic and well-diret a work of
the fire department .coalh accomplish
nothing more than the protection of
adjoining buildings which were threat
ened. IL was at first though that the
Haines. Jones < Cadbury Company
warehouse and plumbing supply house
adjoining the burning building on the
north. and the warehouse of Joseph
w. HatlSe on the west side were DOOM
ed, and the tact thar theyswer saved,
under the circumstances. ia due TO the
excellent Judgment Of Chief Joynes
and his assistant chiefs, RATIO and
Wise. who directed the streams so
that they would operate to the great
est advantage.
The tire was discovered by NJ r..
Damron and /. T. Anderson. clerks in
the employ of the express COMPANY
who. together with aoout thirty othe,
men. were at work at the time the
iire 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
ment. Calling Anderson he ran TO
engine house No. Z on Cary street and
gave the alarm. while Anderson at
tempted TO put the blaze out, but with
out avail. as IL reached the elevator
shaft up which il was soon r0aring
60 the second floor.
general alarm was at once turn
ed ia from Box 81 and Engine Com
paay No responded Immediately.
ON the very heels of this another
alarm was sent in and at 1885 Chief
Joynes, realizing that the fire was get
ting beyond control, sounded a third
alarm, which brought Engines Nos. 3.
4. Is. ., s. and 10 TO the scene
When the first apparatus arrived
dense clouds of smoke were pouring
out Of the windows OF the first floor.
streams were Immediately directed to
the seat Of the fire. which was in the
basement, but the flames had already
gained greater Roadway than was sus-
peeted, and in spite OF all the efforts
OF the fire department the red glow.
made by the fire and smoke together
was soon visible through the second
story windows
AS soon as the fire reached the sec
ond floor IL seemed to take on in
creased fury and the building became
9 roaring furnace. The flames with
q seemingly greedy relish. seized on
the tar-covered roof of the building.
which was speedily devonred. Quickly
the water towers OF Trucks Nos
and were hoisted and threw a CANOPY
81 water over the building but with
small innmediate effect.
Inc soaring flames in a short time
mad eaten through the wooden tar
covered roof and then showers of
sparks, borne aloft by the waves of
the heat, fell like torrents on the
ROOFS OF adjoining buildings. and sew
eral times burst into small flames
Wn1cn threatened TO become serious.
men the roof fell in the fire be-
came most spectacular and drew
thousands TO the scene, and il was
WITH difficulty that Acting Capfain
ftoidcraft, of the First District, and
tnlrty policemen succeeded in holding
the crowds back
The building is one of the widest
on the, block, and the fire appeared
to- be hottest in the very center OF IT
50. that II was more than usually Diff
dicnlt TO reach. Huge volumes OF
smoke crept up the sides of the build
ing and filled the alley in the rear.
SO dense was the smoke in this aIIev
inst nremen belonging TO Companies
I and were overcome and had to
pc carried out and given medical aid
They We're treated by DR.. Hinchman.
department surgeon, and Dr. Fl. IT.
Hawkins and DR.. O.. c. Page, dity
Hospital ambulance surgeons FIred
Dawson, of No 3. and r.. Earle ykiI-
kinson. Of No /, were SO badly az
fected they had TO be removed to thei~
stations. Others, including /. IW.
Duffy and Barley Kahn, Of No. 3, hind
Myer Katzs OF No. T. responded to
oxygen treatment and were abla to
return to their posts. Several other
men were also overcome.
Two or three. companies We're pIaced
at the southern end OF the building.
which WIS not burning as flercelI as
the balance, &nd this had great effect
ia checking the progress OF the flarhes.
The Gre was regarded as complete
~ upder control about O'Clock This
m1sring
As much movable stniR as possible
was taken from adjoining bnildihps
which were threatened while the ffre
was TT its hci9bfh. A 0unrfifv oflex-
preFe was moved from the annfxea (
4 ,lafteIk ~ the eKureS5 company Hhen /
- q 81 tfII elton seemed Inevitable land (,
owners and erooloY8& al 1fker etfah-3
'IRhN1e1ite j d t5f4 Vicinity either Yt1l1wed I
<nQte asit - tt6if buildings or 5pre~