Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-11
TWO

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and the smoke with which the building
was filled. Bagby said that as Inc
Strengthened up from the bench &
tongue Of fame darted UP the stairway
He threw a bucket OF water on It and
went 10 secure more, thinking it bu,
small fire. When he returned from
the hydrant. the entire section about
the bench was enveloped in flame
The Waterman threw his bucket OF
water on the mass OF fire and turned
back toward the hydrant AS he did
so he noticed that the stairway was
acting as a ,lue for the draft and
that already 4 sheet Of flame separate ed
him from the street door. In despera-
ton. he plunged into the fire and
struggled for the exit Badly scorchcd
about the eyebrows and the head and
with his face and hands a mass OF
5listerS, he managed TO find his way to
the air. once outside the building,
Bagby claims to have sped to the alarm
box on the corner and to have sounded
the alarm.
FIRE GAINED IIEADWAY
BEFORE FIRST ALARM
The apparatus was on the scene in
a few minutes, bu, already the entire
ground floor of the warehouse was
filled with fire, and second alarm. to
be followed a few minutes later by II
third was runS in Every piece of
apparatus. except the suburban COM
panies, was hurried 10 the scene, and
soon had streams playing Oh the fire.
Bacby said that the police ropes were
stretched in short order, and that lie
WAS unable 10 get through them He
claims to have stood on the corner and
watched the fire until about 3 o'clock
when his burns caused him to 20 to
the Lexington Hotel and summon q
physician He was located there about
dayhrcak. He was unable TO assign
any origin for the conilagra,ion.
For time ii appeared that the de
partment would be unable TO get con-
troll OF the fire and that the entire
block. In which are located many of
the principal commission houses ana
merchandise brokers' establishments
rs well as the tobacco warehouse.
would he a total loss. However. with
desperate fighting ana by turning their
attention 10 the buildings which had
succeeded
in keeping the fire away from most of
the Cary street places.
WIND SWEEPS EMRi!RS
RACK FNoJI CARY STREET
IN this the wind was an able assist
ant, for it swept the mass OF sparks
and glowinuc emberS which rose from
the warehouse toward The yards Of tho
southern Railway. and there many of
them died without doing more DAMAGE.
But showers of the sparks fell on the
ROOFS OF the places ON VIRGINIA street.
and soon fires We're sprinrinc out in
This locality. Fire companies were
transferred there, and the fire was
fought desperately for about two
hours. The building occupied biz f.
Y. Gum & Co. irnitcd, and il was i'm
possible 20 prevent the spread Of this
IRE The blaze spread 10 the adjoining
buildings. in which the Gum Disin-
ioctine Company, the Federal Sugar
refining Company, tho r. \. Cauthorne
iaPcr Company and the FLEMING
hr"th"rS places are located. and soon
these buildings We're burning hriskly.
The wall OF the Charles L Smith
hu!l"ihg were drenched. and in spitc
Of the heat and sparks. this huildinr
was saved The other buildings on
Virginia street, though, burned like so
much finder, and the heat forced back
the throns OF people crowded close 10
tbs police ropes. 1t was soon evident
that none of these places. eXcent TINT
ON the corner could he saved. The
corner stores were prevented from
catching. and with the cxccptlon of
water damage ana scorchina in the
rear, thew ,SrIps1