Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-10


Federal Sugar Refining Company and
g Robert s. Christian & Sons. The great
er part OF the flames were kept in The
sSrehr OF these buildings for q long time.
but gradually the stock caught and
this caused the spread of the fire TO
the fronts. 1t is thought that prac-
ttcnlly NIL OF the stock in each OF these
3 buildings is total loss either from
L fire or water although the front walls
4 OF most oc them are standing.
~ Back at the Crenshaw Warehouse.
while these buildings were catching,
numerous hremen were lighting des-
perately to down the contlaGration and
to prevent the spread of the flames to
the Shockoe slip Warehouse. just across
narrow street which was already
showing signs of catching. The walls
were smouldering and several flames
/, licked out from the cornice of the mad
ly burning building and ignited the
cornice and window trimmings of the
other warehouse. These were yeNtin-
, cuished and the walls thoroughly
'drcnchcG.
COMMISSION HOUSES
ARE IN GREAT DANGER
ON the other side OF the Crcnshaw
building were the rears of the com
mission houses on Cary street. y small
alley between them acted as a. dr;tugh-
funnel for the flames. and they found
no trouble in iGniting. i'iromen pour
ed thousands of gallons OF water on
them In all attempt to pat them out,
but to no avail Chief Wise scnt sew
eral companies through the buildings
from Cary street. and the rcars were
all soaked in water. In most cases
the nremen We're able to down the
flames and TO keep them from spread
ing toward the fronts of the stores.
FIREMEN FORCED BACK
ny ONERPOWF;ItING HEAT
&. However. this was impossible in the
store Of l.. Neal y Co. There the
flames secured a fooihold which could
not he conquered 10y the department
and gradually the firemen were forced
backward. step by step by the over
powerinE heat The flames licked their
way forward and then, getting firm
: er footing, fairly flew. The interior OF
the building on all floors soon became
81 furnace OF fire and was entirely de
stroyed. The fremen continued their
efforts 10 save the remaining buildings.
and in this they were partially success
full. The rears of all of those near the
western end Of the block were damaged
to a considerable extent. but those on
the lower end of the block were saved
for the most part
Those most damaged were. William
Jenkins & Son, l.. Neal Il Co. William
Wallace, Hudson & Tucker. Butler Il
Fearman. and :. T. PadEctt The build
ing in which the Cotton and Grain EN-
change is located on the corner, was
also badly damaged.
IN WARE1I0I ST., FIRE
RACES FOR SEVERAL. HOURS
n SIn
ragged for several hours before it's
manifested signs of dminution. This
building Is practically a fve-story af-
fair. two OF the stories being under
ground. Tho first ground floor seemed
10 have born" the hrunt OF the early
fire. Those Immediately above soon
caught. ana the fire fed there by emp
~ casks, grew as though ii was fed
by the mercst finder. The building is
AN extremely large one and the con
Migration within 1t was ono ol the
hottest experienced ny local fire --ht-
crs in years.
In this warehouse were located tho
Tobacco Board Of Trade. Arlington &
Roses Offices. those Of II NJ Vaughan.
l.. l.. Strausc. John NJ. Taylor. Fred
crick V. Lutz and 7. r. johnson. Most
Of these firms arc in the tobacco bust
hess' ana most or thcm hau large store
or IN" product stored within the build |
ing All OF the stored tobacco was on
the floors beneath the ground. and this
prevented increased strain on the
walls.
For this reason il was thought that
the walls would he saved. but the heat
ana devastation wrought by the fire
was great that even the thick walls
could not withstand the flames The |
walls next 10 Mill Street was the first !
TO fall. II came down with a crash.
Sendin~ another cloud or sparks high
into th' air Firemen who had been
Working directly beneath them had |
been ~'ithdrawn hut few seconds |
!. before.
FIREMEA HAVE NAHRoW
ESCAPE FROM E.1rfNG WALLS