Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-20
FOREST FIRES SWEEP
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY
Valuable Timber Land Burned Over
for Miles and Fences
Destroyed.
HARD FIGHT TO SAVE CHURCH
Main Fire Under Control. but Sparks
Have Spread Blaze in Many Direc-
tons - Volunteers Are Fighting
Hard to Save Buildings.

II Sweeping in long line through rich
timber lands, one of the most disastro Gus
forest fires in the history OF the county
has already devastated an area OF about
fifteen miles in Chesterfield County,
principally in the vicinity of Midlothian
and is still raging. About 1000 acres
of wood have been destroyed, with n
loss OF approximately $4,000. AL
though the main fire was reported last
night to be under control several other
conflaE rations have started in other
sections of tho county, and 1t Is feared
that still greater damage will be
caused
Tho fire started about 10 o'clock on
sunday morning at the border Of Ches-
terhcld and Powhatan Counties. Owing
to the extreme dryness OF the country.
on which no rain has fallen for weeks,
~ spread with remarkable rapidity
famed by stiff breeze. 1t swept in
an irregular line OF about twenty miles
down the county along the Southern
Railway, touching along the Midlothian
! Turnpike.
ORIGIN OF FIRE
NOT YET DETERMINED
The origin of the ire has not been
J exactly determined, but It il thought
mat II was started from some place
( wherc people were clearing away new
F. ground. From this sparks may have
I been carried by the wind. and other
I fires started.
Several volunteer parties, numbering
! ABOUT fifty persons in each, have been
engaged in fighting the confagration
since sunday morning. and have done
4, heroic work in keeping the blaze from
| dwelling houses. Men, women and
| children. aroused by the cracking
flames almost ut their doorsteps I'm
some instances turned out. armed with
brush. pitchforks and other crude i'm
( PIGMENTS in defense of their homes and
! property. The whole countryside was
! aroused, and has been In n state OF ex-
= citcment since tho first news OF the
disaster.
The most spectacular piece OF work was
done around the Bethel Baptist Church
which for some time was in jeopardy
Flames were seen lenping out OF the
! woods near the church just as the
conversation was leaving after the
morning service. At first It seemed as
/ X the building was doomed, but through
the valiant efforts of the congregation
which turned out en- rnasse for the hat
+ Tie, II was finally saved. Several small
buildings around II were DESTROYED.
however and all the nearby timber
MANY CITIZENS LOSE
/ VALUABLE PROPERTY
Although no dwellings caught fire.
only few outhouses being DESTROYED
many persons in the county lost yalu
abb" property. Attorney William NJ
Just!s. with Offices in the Mutual Build
ing, was probably the heaviest loser
The fire ravag.d nearly the whole of his
i'2oo-acre tract. Others who lost
heavily arc: u w. Winston, r. G. Laird
Julian Spears. X. ~ .Iust!s. Jr J. w
Jnsts, John b. Watkins the JustIs
Butler Canning Co. Mrs. A. j. Eastman
ana the Saunders and Scherer estates
blaze In another direction from
ms, about four miles east OF Mid
lothian, was reported late last night
to nave started. Fearing the destruc-
ton OF their lumber. of which there is
about 10000 feet. j. w. Jcfferics and r.
H. Brucc. of Chester. left last night
TO secure volunteers and light the blaze.
The Midlothian Station and other
buildings are also in danger
IF not checked Immediately there Ia
no telling what damage these fires
may do" said Mr.. Justis The flames
are so high IN some places that they
leap roads and other barriers that have
"eeh erected 10 stop them. rolling like
n cyclone through everything"
while volunteers have accomplished
considerable. they are not like an or
ganiZcd body. and help is desired from
the county or other sources.