Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-11-26
DEFECTIVE FLUE
| CAUSES BIG FIRE
Damage of $4,000. Done at
Plant of Atlas Speciality
Company.
SAVE OFFICE AND CONTENTS
Sprinkler System Aids in Keep
ing Blaze From Spreading to
Adjoining Buildings.

Fire, believed to have originated
from defective nuc In tho boiler room
chimney. early last night destroyed the
srecttfying room and u large amount Of
stock and equipment of the Atlas
Specially Company. Nineteenth and
Dock Streets. doing damage roughly
estimated at about 10000 The loss
is fully covered by insurance. 1t Is said.
There were no injuries to flremcn, and
the Office and entire northern section
or the large building was saved by the
department. operating under direction
OF Chief Joynes. Although buildings
oil the Richmond Structural Steel Com
i' were threatened from sparks and
neat at times. the sprinkler system,
combined with the efforts of the local
Fire department., prevented any of
these buildings from catching.
Iho blaze was discovered near tho
roof on the southeast corner of the
building by Lem Bowcry and his
brother shortly after O'clock. Lem
bowcry rushed to a fire box and turned
IN inc alarm, bringing Engines Nos. 1.
=, 8. and z, and Truck Company No.
20 inc scene. The box was some dis
TANGO from the scene OF the fire, and
"nen the companies reached the box II
was round necessary to return to
Fourtcenth street in order to cross tho
canal, the Seventeen Street bridge be
ing blocked for repairs. This DELAYED
tho department. In getting streams on
the biaze. and the building was en-
'eloped in flames when the first stream
was turned on.
FIREMEN SAVE OFFICE
END OFF BUILDING;
Each OF the engines soon had water
pouring into the building. and in short
oroer the confiagration was under con
troll 1t was evident that but little
could be done to save the southern end
ot the two-story wood and sheet-metal
oullalns. however, and the firemen
turned their attention toward saving
the remainder. In this they were sue
cesstui, the office and portion of tho
warehouse being undamaged eNccnt
Tor water. large amount of the tin-
iShed product. in the way of molusses.
vinegar and syrups was saved, The
rest of the building with its eouinmen,
ana STOCK I'm the process of rectifying
was total loss.
r. ii. Frayser 31al-o South Third
street, president and general manager
on the company, said last night that
,he building was valued at $4,000. 1t
Company. and is insured The stool,
and machinery In the building was
valued at $4,000 by Mr.. Fpayser. He
estimated that his loss was in tho
'eiShpornood OF $1,000, but was unable
to state definitely, as he had not been
able 10 learn how much OF the stool,
ana equipment had been saved Mr..
Frayser said that the. company would
certainly continue business at the ear
nest possible time lie did not Know.
whether the railway company would
rebuild. but stated that his company
would secure other quarters IL it aid
not do so. The company carried $40.
oo0 insurance on It's property
The Atlas Specially Company is situ
ated OH the site of the old Trigr
Shipyards. between the canal and the
river. Just Off Nineteenth Street Build
inSs or the Richmond Structural Steel
company are on each side of IL and
IN the Immediate vicinity. These
buildings are constructed of steel sheet
lug and Iron throughout. They are
equipped with sprinkler system,
"h'ch was released by the heat from
the burning building, and which
drenched them.