Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-12-22
MEETS DEATH WHILE
FIGHTING BIG FIRE
Captain w. G. Matt, of Fire De-
partment, Fractures Skull in
Fall From Ladder.
COFFEE PLANT Is BURNED
Damage Estimated at 100000 Is
Done to Big Cary Street
Warehouse.
COFFEE PLANT is BURNED

Captain w. Z. Matt, OF Engine Com
pany No. :. was killed. and Abraham
Podol. driver OF Engine No. 3. and ].
l.. Buck, Of Engine Company No. 4.
were seriously injured last night at
1880 O'Clock when they fell from lad
ders while engaged in lighting Il fire
which practically destroyed the I'M
perial Coffee Compsny's plant at
Fourteenth and Cary Streets. Tho
damage was estimated at about $780,
600. partially covered by insurance.
officials of the company, who arrived
shortly after the fire was discovered,
said that an exact estimate of the
damage could not be given.
Captain Matt was directing; the work
Of the fremen from the top Of an ex-
tension ladder at the Cary Street en-
trance of the building, which is four
stories high AZ taa front, lie was
overcome by smoke, and fell to the
pavement distance OF thirty feet
His skull was fractured at the base
He was rushed to the Virginia Hos
pital. and every effort was made TO
save his life. lie died within thirty
minutes after the fall.
Firemcn Podol and Buck were work.
ing the Mill Street side Of the
building, when the ladder upon which
they we're standing turned and threw
them and several other men to a roof
beneath. Neither OF the men was con-
sidered TO be fatally injured at late
hour last night.
SAUNDERS ESTIMATES
LOSS At ABOUT 500, 900
+. y. Saunders. Jr, president of the
company, said that the damage would
consists, SO far as the stock is con-
cerned in coffee. tea and rice. The
firm recently packed and had ready
for the New Years shipment 1000
boxes OF rice. Roasting and packing
machineiJ was valued at about slO.-
coo. He said that it was Impossible to
state exactly how much stoclt was on
hand. lie was unable 10 tell what
consignments had been received and
wnat amount OF goods had been
shipped. The irm would have taken
an Inventory within the next two
weeks. Forty people are thrown out
of employment.
The building was owned bv the
Hanew!nckel estate. The building Is
"a total loss. it was believed last night.
The four floors in front, and three
iioors I'm the rear. are practically cut
ted, and the walls, IL was believed.
welu so damaged that they would have
to come DOWN.
The fire was discovered on tho nrst
! floor. and the alarm was turned i'm
from the corner OF Dock and Four
tcenth Streets at 1893 O'Clock Within
TWO minutes. Or at 1913 o'clock, the
second alarm was turned in For
severa! minutes the streets leading in
that direction We're full of fire-iightinc
apparatus. The streets were slippery
ana the big machines skiddcd pcriious-
ly at times. Luckily there were no
accidents. Engine Companies Nos. /.
.. 3. 4. .. and 9. and Trucks Nos. /
and went TO the scene
NO LACK OF WATER
IN FIREMEN'S FIGHT
There was no dcarih OF water poured
into the blazing structure. Practically
every window formed an opening for
stream, and some had two or three.
II was fully twenty minutes before
the blaze broke through the floors and
out the windows. Until this time the
fircmcn worked under difficulties. the
building and surrounding spaces being.
wrapped in a dense blanket of black
smoke. After the flames broke through
the windows the work could be car
r!cd on with mor1 facility. and by mid
night the fire was under control
! Next door 10 the building in which
the fire was located is an oil. paint and
rarnish warehouse. Had the fire
spread TO these combustibles the blaze
would have been of a far more serious
nature.
This building is loo ated on the square
below the Crenshaw Warehouse. which
was destroyed by fire some months ago.
when four fircmen lost their lives i'm
the falling walls.
WORK IN MELTING SNOW
AND DRIZZLING RAIN
The lire of last night could hardly
he called Il spectacular one. The rain
was falling. and the fog was so dcnse
that il was uncomfortable Melting
snow and the water from the fire hose
kept the streets several inches dcer
in slush. Despite this "a large crowd
gathered and watched the work OF the
iircmen. Police Captains sherry and
Sowcn. of the First and Second Pre-
cinct stations respectively. assisted bv
Scrgeants Sheppard and Whitlock. of
continued on Third Pagco
BIJNDI F. DAY