The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-26
OLD MASONIC HALL
SAVED FROM FIRE
Blaze i'll Livery Stable, Next
Door, Causes General
Alarm.
WAREHOUSE Is SCORCHED
Homo of Richmond Randolph
Lodge, Erected in 1875, Has
Narrow Escape.
WAREHOUSE is sCORCHED

Fire originating in the feed loft of
H. A. Prueits livery and auction stable.
1909 East Franklin Street. spread last
night TO the brick building at II North
Nineteenth street. Jointly occupied by
:. Gllnan's Son as u warehouse and j.
:. Jones as Il storchousc for barrels. and
resulted in damage amounting to sew
eral thousauh dollars before it was OK
tiiSuishcd three hours later by the
Fire Department.
Policeman TAFT. OF the First District.
noticed fire issuing from the fourth
story OF the building occupied by j. s
Jones. and turned in the alarm As
soon as the first fire company arrived
on the scene second alarm WAS turned
In. bringing Chief Joynes and Assis-
t'nt Chief RATIO. The blazes had then
assumed dangerous proportions and
the third alarm. which summons all the
fire apparatus except that maintained
in reserve. WAS turned In by order Of
Chief Joyncs
HISTORIC LANDMARKS
THREATENED ny BLAZE
The warehouse is Unattached. cxcppt
on its northern side and In the rear
where is situated prucit's stable. and
the fire was not a difficult one To con
troll. though there was in the bcginniu:.
AN anxious half hour because OF the
close proximity Of the home OF Rich
iiond Randolph Lodge No. - a. T.. IL
y. NJ, on Franklin Street. between
Eighteenth and Nineteenth This build.
ing, frame structure. is tho oldest
Masonic lodge building in continuous
existence in the United States having
been erected in 1855. and is rcvcrcd as
one OF ltichmonds most famous land
marks. It's rear wall almost abuts on
the warehouse. and IL was feared AZ
LII L.
sparks pouring from the burning build
ing. One OF the first iabors of the fire
men was TO drcnch the Masonic shrine.
and so 1t was saved
Seven companies. with their cores
pondin2 trucks. answered the three
alarms, and water was poured into the
warehouse from all sides and from the
roofs OF nearby buildings. The hlazc
spread 10 chat part OF the building oc-
cupicd by j. :. Jones. and was CON
hhcd there. Damage to the other part
was done by water. In the warehous,.
portion Of the structure there were
stored hficcm car loads Of groceries.
owned by Henry Wallcrstcin. kent
there for distribution among tho re
tail stores Of :. Uilman's Sons Though
subjected TO both fire and water. the
stock was not greatly damaged tho
main loss being in the northern part
OF the building occupied BY j. = Jones
iere thousands OF barrels were de-
stroycd. and the loss will be consid
cradle 4 brick building adjoining.
USED Tor commercial purposes. was
not injured.
III NrINt: DOCS MEET
DEATH IN FIRE
when the fire was at its height a
policeman recalled that Mr. Jones hud
cisht hunting dogs on the third floor
ana a vain EFFORT was made to sa ~.
thcm. IT Was round impossible TO en-
ter the building through the ground
ioor, and tire streaming through the
windows lnadc entrance by tina, route
equally impossible. The dogs had 10
he left to their fate
Henry Waiicrstciu. owner of tho
building. said that it contained an
pFoNlmatcly S2o.000 worth OF stock. on
which he carried about sl5.0o0 ins,r-
ance. The building is valued At <o5
""". and IL insured for $1,000 Dam
age 10 the stock, All Wallcrstcjr
thought, would bc inconsidcrable. The
eA.In' "i The damage I" the building
could not he estimated last night
me warehouse is about thirtv-0ye
Years old. and is one Of the finest hricIz
structures III the city, the walls heinz,
nearly TWO feet thick. IL was once
used by the Gordon Cheroot Compnnv.
ana WAS later used as "a temporary iaii
wneh ,ne new City Jail was being
nult. The iron bars. which were fixed
IN The windows wien the warehouse
was used as Il jail. are still IN position.
Ihcy added 10 the difficulty OF the ire.
men in eXtinguishing the blaze because
or the throw back" OF the water II
was not until the fremen gained adj
Joining roofs that they were able to
place the fire under control
Tie home OF Richmond Randolph
Lodge has been frequently threatened
by hrc, and il was said last night
mat move would he made to erect n
"re wall around the ancient structure