Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-10
WAR-MADE Town
WIPED OFF MAP
Hopewell, Va, in Ashes and
Thousands of People
Homeless.
BUILT UP BY NEW
POWDER PLANTS
City Of 25,ooo People Built During Past
Year Near Factories Of DuRon.
company-Munitions Plants Saved
From Destruction Because Of Loca-
tions-Inhabitants Seek Refuge in
Adjacent Towns-Loss Of 81 10000

NoJacent 0WnS-loSS OF $l,VUO,UUV.
Hopewell, Va, Dec. 10.-The town of
,, Hopewell, swept by fire yesterday and
last night. was almost as bare as the
| cornf1eld in which It's first buildings
were put up year ago. In the main
, part of the town Of $4,000 hardly a
building remained, though the great
explosive factories at either end Of
town escaped destruction. The loss is
placed at 81, 100000.
Thousands Of tho inhabitants were
housed last night at Petersburg and
/; Richmond. A negro caught lcct!ns
was said to have been strung to a
tired at the edge Of the town.
The fire started in q restaurant
wke-e aa Gil steve ts.;i from q bbo1 ia
the kitchen.
The big explosive plants ceased oper-
alton only long enough to protect the
property.
War Builds Town.
This mushroom town Of $4,000 people,
great new explosive plant Of the Du-
Pont Powder Company.
Work to Save Powder Plant.
While some OF the buildings in the
eastern section Of the town were saved
by a strong wind blowing in the OPP
pos1te direction, some 900 houses were
destroyed and thousands Of persons
were rendered homeless.
HsH> Rea "a sosafook
Thursday afternoon until nearly
o'clock at night. Available fire. fighting
apparatus was inadequate, the flames
eating their way thru the flimsy frame
structures. thrown up during the early
days of the town last summer, like 30
mgtn ff6lsr. i s-, u i
when IL seemed that ths town was
doomed and the plant sndanxered. or-
ders were issued suspending all op-
erations, and the factory was closed
down. The shift then at work was set
to work protecting the buildings from
flying sparks. The gravest danger was
from woods nearby, which caught fire
and were still burning late Thursday
night. .
Watsr Supply Cut.
About 4 O'clock in the afternoon
one-half Of the towns water supply
was cut OF when poles which sup
ported portion Of the high tension
cable Of the Dupont company col
lapsed, swapping the wires which feed
the current to the Appomattox river
electric pumping station.
Surrounding the community, which
lay in ashes early today could be seen
men, women and children seated upon
c1YcI ho1or OF $ha1, ho haaV, obJa
to remove from the fire zone.
AS soon as It was realized that the
place was doomed the police, assisted
by experts from the powder plant be-
gan dynamiting' buildings. When the
first blast was set of many persons
thought there had been an explosion OF
gun cotton at the big plant. VI
Thousands Homeless.
When the excitement was subsiding
the population literally evacuated the
place Long before dark thousands set
out carrying the few possessions they
had saved. Some found refuge at Du-
Pont City. another settlement near by
which was at no time threatened.
Others went to City Point. but most
made their way to Petersburg.
On account of the great influx af
people, Mayor Cabiness. Of Petersburg,
ordered all saloons in that city closed.
A national guard company was called
out to aid the police In controlling the
crowds, while the Petersburg city
council, chamber Of commerce., the z.
NJ. c. A.. churches and others took
quick action to, provide temporary
shelter for those who had lost their
homes.
finder Town Rapidly Consumed. a
Famed by strong northwest wind
the flames swept over Hopewell at a
rapid rate, and burned themselves out
when they reached the lumber yard.
When all danger had passed, the
DePont plant resumed its operations,
and the night shift men took their
places at II o'clock Special trains
were arranged for to carry many Of
the homeless families to Wilmington.
Del.
Those in charge of the powder plant
arc said to have delayed turning on
their water to make certain It was
not needed to protect the company's
property. Some said that had the
water been Immediately available most
OF the town Of Hopewell could have
been saved. Others were OF the opinion
hat s;i.. flames 80 rapidly tnai
1t would have been Impossible to
quench the fire even II water had been
available. "a,
Public Buildings Cons.
Z Hardly a building in Hopewell proper
was left standing. The two banks. the
Hopewell State and the Farmers and
Mechanics. were destroyed. However,
the Officers managed to save ALL their
cash ana securities and remove tl1as1
to City Point.
The court house and jaii also were
4raxed. The prisoners were moved In
ample time to the lookup within
DUPONT reservation The tnbernAcle,
HopewelIs only house OF worslifp. Was
q > ssssss iie lspps5 WsAIenouso,
ono or tine biggest buildings IN the
place. went down before the dyna-s!t-
ar1