The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-04
.G0RDOkSv|llE LOSS
FIFTY THOUSANDS
Prove blessing to Horse show
Town
VARSITY BOYS FINE WORK
Woke Up Members OF Fire Depart
ment Hunting Noxzle--Had only
stream ON Flames When Char
lottesvilie Department Arrived--in-
diSnation Against Mas, The Syrian.

iottesyiiic Department Arrived--ln-
dIgnation Against Mas, the Syrian.
Especial to The Richmond Virginian)
Charlottesville, Va. Jan. 3,-While
.egretting the serica as losses sustained
in last nights ire, Gordonsville Is
thankful that the connagration did not
come a month ago. when the reservoir
was empty for weeks while a concrete
bottom was being laid.
Although many of the firms burned
out had their stocks only partially in
sured. 1t is believed the fire will, after
all. prove a blessing. New and more
modern structures will rise to replace
the old frame buildings which were
RACED.
A sober estimate today places the
total losses at considera bly, less thar.
nifty thousand dollars Mrs Gertrude
Biakey. the widowed postmistress. was
tn greatest single loser; she owned
the three brick buildings burned on
The south side of Man Street, and the
one-story frame sloreroom occupied by
j. A. Mayhugh's butcher shop. w. Fl.
Jordan'S garage, which was on the
ground floor of a three-story frame
structure. close to the Chesapeake arsl
Ohio Bridge, was valued at three
thousand. Fortunately his residence
and livery were Just outside of the
fire zone.
The next most substantial building
destroyed was B. II. Atkins two-story
fr-me house, which housed on the
lower floor the job plant of the Cor
louisville Printing Company and the
Novelty Store operated by c. S. War
rem.
Owner On Bridal Tour.
Bertram III. Beckham. proprietor Of
the printing establishment. was away
from town on his bridal trip. having
recently married Miss Margaret james
daughter of the late Rev. Il. j. James,
former pastor of the Gordonsville
Methodist Church.
Mr. Warren. who lived over his
store, lost everything, as did his
father in-law. Albert Murphy
Others Who Lost.
in addition to those mentioned ".
today's Nirginlan, others who sustain
ed losses were r. w. Ross, who owned
the frame building occupied by
Jeweler Cloves & Son: w L. Cloves.
photogra pher, over J. ]. Faber, who
owned the two-story building where
the fire originated, and had just
NCIb'pNfi mo the JCHCiA bhStttNGe' -"
F.. Yancey. who came 10 Gordonsville
from MELONS and Green Springs,
Louisa County, and served brief term
as assistant postmaster; a n, Mar
tir. who owned the two story frame
building which conta ined l.. NJ. AGREE $
general merchandise establishment,
and also the frame building adjoining,
used as a storeroom: j. William Sui
Ivan, who recently purchased the
two-story frame building and dry
goods business from Buckley Il Co:
II. r. Bradfield. wheelwright. and
Frank Fisk. blacksmith
Gordonsville has volunteer fire
company but the hose wagon and
hook and ladder truck had To he pull
ed from their quarters by a seNtette
of young students from the University
OF Virginia. who had been in Gordons-
willie since thursday, eng aed In dapH-
Itation work. These young men. who
arc carrying the efforts of Y. NJ. c. A.
into small towns of the State, held "A
service Sunday evening in the Method
ist Church at GeedonsSiiie. When tte
fire broke out they were the first to
respond They went to the fire.
house and rang the bell Failing to
find a nozzle they had to wake mp
several members of the Gordorsville
could be located.
Football Lad On the job
James l.. White, captain of the Eir-
gina Baseball nine and end on the
varsity football eleven, headed the fire
/ lighting brigade. and when the Char
lottesviile firemen reached the scene
he and Keith Lee. son of DIR. II. T.
Lee, rector of Christ Church. this
city. were directing the single stream
of water which was being played upon
the burning buildings. Both were
drenched to the skin The other sta
dents on the team were: Messrs. Pen
nington. A. l.. Alden. r. s. Harmon
and Leath All did effective work.
In response to request from Cor
Edonsville officials. local firemen took
with them nifty pounds of dynamite
None was used. however. The chem
lcal wagon at Orange was wired for
but failed to arrive.
Much feeling was expressed over a
rumor to the effect that the wife Of
G. Mas. the Syrian. had stated pub
licly that her husband might have
extinguished the blaze. which started
In his restaurant, had he used bucket
OF water when il was first discovered
Instead, it Is alleged that he locked
the door. walked out into the street
and failed to give any alarm. me
Syrian, who opened up business In
Gordonsvilie about a month ago, had
only recently returned from his bridal
trip. He welded a Miss Hartsook. or
Gordonsville. after brief courtship.
Railroad Head Optimistic.
Norfolk Va jan 3.-President j.