The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-03
ELECTRIC WORKS
BURNED TO GROUND
Spectacular Blaze in South Rich
mond Does Damage of
$4,000.
ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN
Edward ]. Willis, Owner Of
Plant, Plans to Rebuild
at Once.
ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN

Fsrc. originating close 10 gasoiene
tank I'm the winding department. last
night completely destroyed the now
additions to tho Richmond Electric
Works s0l McDonough street. Sohth
Richmond and did much damage in
tho main part Of the establishment.
The building and it's equipment Was
estimated as being worth sl"o"on by
Edward J. Willis. the owner. and it
IS believed that the loss VIII total
s1J. 400 at least. air. Willis Haid last
night that II" thought about two
thirds OF the total valu" of the works
was covered by Insurance
The real origin ~ III. connasration
yet remains in doubt. Tom Mann, the
watchnan. was the nrst 10 discover
tho nrc as II burst from the vicinity
Of the gasolcuc tank. ANA. after MAX
ing Intellectual efforts to put il ont,
hc -an screaming into the street suf-
feriug from burns on his hands and
arms he only knew that the FIRE had
started ~ IN. tank. but could furnish
no clue as TO the source Of tn. spark
Which irnitcd tn" tanks contents. Tho
alarm was phonoi 10 Engine House
No. |" By Mrs. Pierce. of 72s NcDon-
ousn Street, and the city alarm was
sounded by &. w Pinuei nf 10 Me
Donough Street
S1ENOGItAPHE:RS SAVE
VALUABLE. RECORDS
Miss Agnes Zones. 81 Woodland
Heights. aud Miss pcachy cook. Of
lar Porter street. s,cnographers in
the Offices Of the company. were among
the first To reach the scene Tiey i'm
incdiatelN attempted 10 get into the
office. which w. already beginning 10
fell tn" heat from ,te nro. nut finding
The doors and windows barred in
formed Il fireman of the location of
valuable company papers and records
The door Was smashed in and Dillon
1"nes. brother of Miss Jones. and Wi
i'a" L. anderson. of 1000 S"innes Ave
nue. rushed within The huiIdina, and
carried out tn" dtsiHphoucS aud r.c-
ords. and II number Of other valuable
Office papers. III" greater part ~ the
records were locked ia TIL. safe. and
were uniujurcd by The t!a
NJ Willis told q reporter for Th-
Iinre"- bispaich last rtHlt that Offices
Wou' b" Immediately Upcn.d H. Rich
.nond and ~" affairs ~ ~. cunpauy
stra'Rht"n"d oGi ~ th'' earliest pos
,'piN m"ihehl ~" saia tiat y" did
not Know what kiud rf q settlement
ne could expect from the Insurance
c"rlpnnies hu, would begin rebuilding
the plant - Sooi. ~ i settlement ,,tt..
ne s',tl mat th" destroyed
- - 'ne "oFEs Wa entirely new.
coihpie''u curing the lat.
pt'"t, ",iu 'hht y" thouIht some hity
,. w ''iiP"''ilIN "ut oi cni-
un.n' -" I's.il ot thc nrc
'"NN
I,. fiRt. ~ YEARS
.,nrias -. was bNt i"o
~ 49, - ~ "tc Was one
co.,, J., "'t' '"'l'a = iatlon&
,nr 49,, @'"'' 'hc t'ihswan-
.t, ,i,. 'c"lS ago. The
~. 49,. ,,., ~ c"''re section OF
~ mo hal. .ia,,. ."", III spite
ana for ,t"uus Wh'ch overcast II.
Eycn ln,nra ~,
romn.nv .rrt,ad 'N'chHiohd utc
~ IA. hnnGt - -" scene thc rear
iiar.s Tbn 49,, - :" mass or
carried In. ta,nns i"e" fo"i
.,,ntdi,, cn,n.,., WIN amazing
u.bcn co,,era,,, oc' 'he plant, and
Of the rlver arrival '' io' IN s1de
me second alarm ~. ,,in SiohSc !"
sentcd n sncri,cia -, ,;,,.s pre-
tatinp f,,nes tt,o - i'''Ht .t oeNas-
" thrown into the furnore ''I.'ola'e- fr
point OF yont,c. ,,,i o''' cN try
dozen other or. cor,n. man
their posis ,w,itt,, ,,'n ...' STOOD to
rhe fremcn al me sou. ,'. sizes.
dreds of yallons az .u nun
cald-op "'e' INTO the
The ngh, was NJ no ,
tho rear of The huilIi,c -o WITH
fame high nor,L.r,, -, =" " ni"ss OF
and swept tho nrc in shn.. p!"hS up
front ana Office end of 49,. ,,a 81 u the
the wind came n doyvnna,,a Win
which drcnchcd tlc ,housn,d. ~ 'aih; M
Hooked TO the scene and n.,ta, i" ~ nta
verted the burninr hniid;n,r "'.en con
ing. stcaining mass Of rod d-bnt ,o, 'aas
glass The entire vae,.r,, , ". CIV
building was cons,ructed az ,ria' ~ nc
and the heat from 1hc f,,rra,a ..t.,',,'
was sufficient to melt IN, Names ,,'a -,
twist the steel pirders as ,hnu.,i ~ ", 80
had been bits Of conner wir. ivy
DOWNPOUR OF RAIN
AIDS wOUIS oI, r,Yuc,,>
While the downpou, conti,,,,'1 ...i.,
out abatement for NOR ~. ".'n ~
hour. tho fire ragged as fcrceIv =. aa
before and the firemen rave M 49,,
of saving the rcar n,d oan,]i. 'f