Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-03-19

Colonel Myers stated last night that
his commission would today investi
gate the construction or tho building
in which the five men lost their lives
with view Of attempting to fix the
blame for the accident.
The fire, viewed from the inside,
proved to be full of thrills The work
Of Nthe fircmcu would be spoken of
on the battlefront as conspicuous BRAY
cry in the face OF CALLING fire.
The men worked right on rescumg
the dead and fighting tho firc~wh
dangers threatened on all sides.
ELEVATOR LEFT SUSPENDED IN
AIR.
The elevator of the Hopkins Com.
pany had been left suspended in the
air and after the fire rested shakily
!. on three tmbers directly above tho
heads of the mon. Had it broken FREQ
1t would have added to the list Of
those tltad. Despite this danger tho
fircmen continued to search the debris
for their dead comrades and when
| firo broke out anew, late in the even
ing, again endangered their lives by
climbing back over the wreckage to
get at the seut of the blaze.
Less than five minute before tho
wall which crushed the life from the
five unfortunate fell, Captain Mea-
doris of No. 1 Company, had his cn
tire command on,thc roof of the build
ing. They were unable to obtain pres
sure on their lines and transferred to.
another plug. While they were con.
meeting this new hose line the wall
foil. If they had been able to get
pressure Oh their first line the entire
company would have been carried
down probably to death.
Captain Meadors and his lieutenant
were IN the alley in the rear of tho
building when the crash came. Mead
ors was able to jump to safety with
bricks raining around him. His sub
ordinate was not so fortunate and was
badly injured by Ghc failing missiles.
HALLS CONSPICUOUS BRAVERY
Captain Hall of'Company No. 4,
displayed exceptional GOODNESS and
courage. Several times when it was
necessary to climb back under the
fallen mass of timbers, he refused to
allow any of his men, to go until he
had first been there and decided
whether it was safe. On one of these
accommodating expeditions he fell in
to the cellar, where the water was
sveral feet deep losing his helmet
and receiving wctting from head TO
foot.
Twelve engine companies and 3
truck companies were OH the scene,
and. hose was played OH the building
from all four sides.
When the explosion occurred mum
Der Of firemen on Adams street mar.
rowly missed death as tho wali blew
out on this side also, but warned by
the explosion, they saw the mass of
brick falilng and barely ran out OF
the way before 1t hit the street. In
THE rear Of the building where q por
ton of the wall also gave way one
firemen was knocked unconscious by
a brick which was blown out of the
top OF tho wall but was revived and
returned to mis- work.
PLY HOSE FROM MASONIC
TEMPLE
-Four sets of hose were played on
the blaze from Masonic Temple,
across Adams street while ether lines
were operated from Broad street and
slim others from the top Of the G. B.
Haynes Co., and the Boschen Shoe
Store, where fire fighters, undaunted
by he catastrophe continued to throw
streams Of water OIL the blaze.
Chief Charles A. Sherry, soon after
the accident, detailed police to aid
In the work. Fire lines we're formed
early in the afternoon and q crowd
OF many thousands packed the streets
for blocks around TO witness tho
fight. A special squad of police were
also detained to keep the lines in or
der.
firoamn &alliher who was among
the dead, was oil duty when the
alarm sounded, and his officers did
not know he was at tho fire until
they dug his body out of tae wreck.
Ell store. lie was one of the most pop
ular members Of his company, and Of,
tertd the department in July of 1911
lie was formerly of Reidville, N. c..
DEAD FIREMEN LEAVES FIVE
CHILDREN.
Firemen Johnson, who was thu
last man found among the dead, leay.
es five children, his wife having died
seven months ago. His children, un
less some action is taken by the pub
lie, will become public charges, but
members of his company last .,'gnt
were agitating the adoption of tho or
tire lot by his comrades.
Lieutenant Grace IS at the head of
this movement and stated that ne
himself would adopt one of item.
IL Is believed that ali five of them
Will be adopted by members of No.
2 Truck Company.
Many Little acts OF personal bray
cry and hcroism marked the after
noon. Captain George d. Rust left a
SICK bed to take charge Of his com.
pany at the fire, although he was
seriously ill as an after.effcct of tho
iGchmond Hotel fire. Flo wing TALON