Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-28
FORGING PLANT
DAMAGED BY FIRE
S
Hammer Shop, Where Autorno-
bile Frames Were Made,
Burned to Ground.
100 THROWN OUT OF WORK
Loss Fully Covered by Insur-
ance-Will Rebuild at Once,
Says President Bryan.

Fire early last night destroyed the
hammer shop OF the Richmond Forg-
Ing Corporation. ut Acca. doing dam
age estimated at about $4,000, and
temporarily throwing more than 100
men out of employment. 1t Is thought
that the conHagration was started by
the explosion of compressed air
tank in the engine room, which adj
joins the hammer shop; but repre-
sentatiNes Of the corporation said last
night that they had been unable to con-
firm this. The entire building burnt
practically to the ground. leaving the
large steel hammers rising like herd
o: prehistoric monsters from the de-
bris. 1t Is said that the loss is fully
covered by insurance, and that the
work of rebuilding will he begun at
once.
blaze IS DISCOVERED
BY NIGHT WATCHNIAN
The blaze was discovered shortly be-
fore o'clock by Night Watchman Ar
braugh. and just before the last of "a
gang of repair men, who had been
working at the plant during the day
had left the premises. Arbraugh, with
the assistance of several OF these men.
succeeded In connecting the plants fire
apparatus and in getting two streams
on the blaze. However. 1t was learned
that the fire had spread from the en-
gine room to the rafters and frame
fire was discovered. and these burst
into sheet OF fame almost stimuli
taneously with the turning on OF the
water.
The workmen realized that they had
to deal with n coniiagration of no
small proportions. and at once tele-
phoned the Richmond Fire Department.,
and the engine house at Ginter Park.
asking for assistance. Jonathan Bryan,
President of the corporations: w. II.
Williams. vice e-president. and o. +. Red
ford, secretary. were also notified. and
each hurried to the plant
Both the Ginter Park apparatus and
No 10 engine company, from Lom-
hardy and Broad Streets. were dis
patched to the fire. but the heavy
roads made rapid progress impossible.
The Ginter Park motor engine stalled
IN the road and was unable to pro-
coed. but the horse-drawn Richmond
engine, after more than an hours toll
through the snow, managed to arrive
with its. horses and men in, a state of
collapse. BY that time stheSs worst of
the fire was over. ~ =. 80 =
The heavy rafters and frame work
OF the building was all that could
burn, and their destruction was steady,
but not spectacular. The flames crept
along them and from one to the other
with a persistency that made the eff
forts of the two water streams of little
avail. AS they weakened, the heavy
sheet steel used as walls for the build
ing made its pressure felt, and grad
ually the roof sagged until 1t caved
in. Soon after the wall frames gave
way. and the walls, except in n few
places, fell into the building. With
the collapse of the frames and the
rafters, the heavy shafts and belts
as we'll as the steam pipes which car
ried power to several of the mammoth
hammers fell also. The wood within
the mass then smoldered for several
hours before it finally died out
MAKES PARTS FOR MANY
AUTOMOBILE FACTORIES
The Richmond Forging Corporation
Is one of the largest plants OF it's kind
near Richmond. This corporation
makes business OF forging machinery
of various kinds. but especially parts
of automobiles for large manufactur-
ing concerns located in different sec
tions OF the country. The plant is Il
large one. Besides the hammer shop
and power plant, which adjoins it, and
which was destroyed last night, the
plant consists of the shipping room.
Office. the machine shops. the shear
ing shop, trimming room. laboratory
and oil rooms, where 10000 gallons OF
fuel oil are kept. The plant is located
on the Boulevard, between Westwood
Avenue and the tracks of the Rich
mond. Fredericksburg and Potomac
Railroad.
200 feet long by eighty feet wide. 1t
was about twenty-five feet to the caves
and probably forty feet to the ridge
of the roof. according TO officials OF
the corporation. III II were seventeen
hammers, some operated by steam and
others by belts, pulleys and shafting
This shop is regarded rs the most i'm
portant OF the plant, and it will be
impossible to continue the business
until IL is rebuilt. AS the greater por-
To-, - . tba 1T
steel, officials Of the corporation do not
think that either Of the hammers has
been seriously injured. The concrete
bases. upon which they rest and which
are said TO be an important item,
were also uninjured. it is thought.
ABSENCE OF WIND SAVES
ADJOINING BUILDINGS
Neither the office. with Is records OF
great value. nor the "shearing'' shop,
regarded as ore OF the most vaIua Dlc
adjuncts of the plant, was injured by
the fire of last night. There was no
wind, and the few flames which es->
capped from the burning building were
not blown far enough to cause any of
the other buildings to ignite Most of
the fire In the hammer shop was on
the inside. the steel walls preventing
spread TO other buildings.
Jonathan Bryan. president OF the
Richmond Forging Corporation, last
night told reporter for The Times
Dispatch that the hammer shop would
be rebuilt. FIe said that, with other
officials of the corporation. he would
go to the plant early to-day and plan
for immediate reconstruction Mr.
Bryan estimated that about 100 men
had been temporarily thrown out of
employment by the fire, but said that
they would be re-employed as soon as
the shop and engine-house could be
put Into operation again.
firm OF Davenport &c Co.. through which
the Richmond Forging Corporation is
insured said after the fire that he.
was of the opinion that the plant was
insured through his company for either
$4,000 or $4,000. A separate oplicy,
called by the name of ''use and oc-
cupancy'f policy. provides for the pay
ment OF an adequate sum to the cor.
poration for each day 1t is forced to
remain idle as result OF fire. Mr..