Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-11-14
FLAMES DESTROY
BELL BOOK STORE
Early Morning Blaze Entails
$4,000 Loss to Main
Street Concern.
8 FlRENIEN OVERCOME
Second Fire in Eighteen
Hours Causes Police to
Investigate.
FlREMEN OVERCOME

- result OF The second nrp on
Main street within "iGht.en hours. the
IL u !io"h aud stationery store. 9Ii
East Main. wtth it, contents was
extent OF approximately &5O,o00. II
81 ;hat the loss Is uronaDly fully
covered by insurance.
Just what arrangements will L..
made i"r continuing tn. business
could not ht learned last night. X.
.. Bell. president "f The company
arrived in Richmond from lynch
burg. II waS reported. but could not
be located
Captain T. NJ Meadows Of COM
ramy NO. 9. sud Charles Sn"Iimss. OF
the same company who We're over
come by smoke at til. IRE yesterday
morning, last night left Memorial
Hospital for their homes Hoscmeu
II. 6. blankenship. OF Engine Com
pany No, 9; j. &. MurdoCli. Of Com
nany No. 4 ana l. ~. Rucaas shell OF
company No. .. who were also over
come by smoke. have practically re-
covered and Will probably leave for
their homes today.
police Probe rirr-.
Wh.l- police hav. 40 theory upon
which to work. thcy are investigat-
ing the causes or the fire that de-
stroyed TIA. Pits FURNITURE" Com
pany on sunday afternoon and tn.
Bel R"ok ANA Stationery Company
yesterday morning. The two hres
occurred within eighteen hours OF
each other and resulted in damage
agSrcsst!uG $4,000 or more.
The Stvr. and s;ocK OF the Bell
Book and Stationery Company we're
almoS; completely destroyed by
FLAMES and water. and the brokerage
establishment ~ Bryan. Kemp * Go.
adjoining. VAS damaged by wa.cr
and SmOEr Tie telegraph and cle,-
rlcal equipment; Of the place was
rut out O. commits 'irn. bui valuable
hooks, pap-rs securities and bonds
We're removed 10 temporary quarters
at a:4 EaS; Main Street. before they
were injured
the hre yesterday morning was
discovered about $50 O'Clock just
after employees had reported for
work. smoke was coming out OF the
basement, and when A. f. Harding.
with porter. went to investigate he
found the place in a blaze Tile
lanes had Icuped from an ovcrhcated
furnace ana spread rapidly. Mr.
Harding attempted TO use a .ive-g gal
Ion bottle Of lithia water on the
blaze. hut they had gained such head
way thai this effort was useless and
Mr. Harding was slightly burned
about the hands before he made his
exit
II WAS when the ircmcu started
INTO the basement that the back draft
struck them The basement was
hllcd with Illuminating .as. the pip,
connecting with the street having
become severed. which added To the
elements nf sunucatinu. several ct
the hrcmcn managed 10 reach the
top of the basement stairs opening
On Main street. where they gave the
alarm that their comrades were over
come
Ia the midst OF tho cXcitcmcn, that
followed this announcements res
cHs party OF hrcmcn ami citizens VAS
puiGHly organized aud the rudaugcr-
I'd ir'mcn, "nr ny one, were dragged
30 safe'y \ majority revived when
tho fresh air struck them
The Rcli Book ana Stationery Com
pdny was preparing to celebrate it's
twenty NTH anniversary in Rich
mond. iG November 1897. j. i. BELL
of LynchhurE. the head OF !. T.. Bell
Co. of l.SnChhurr. came TO tich-
mond. and after an examination OF
the heid. decided 10 opcu :, store in
this city. The new concern. hearing
The same name as at present. was
opened a; rs Eas, Main. under the
direction Of MIR Rclis son, Rohcr; -.
Rel. and j. ! English Jr.. who nov
is ono OF tho Oldest book sellrrs in
point OF service In the United states
In 1925. the establishment was
moved To olt East Main street. its
present location. which previously
had been FOR many years the music
store Of - los s. Moses. The prop
erty occupied by the store Is owned
by the Rrll estate. 81 Lynchhurc