Year: 1878

This morning between l and 2 o'clock a
fire broke out in the engne-room at the
Virginia penitentiary. A messenger was
dispatched. and an alarm turned in at Sta
tion 15, corner OF First and Cary streets,
and later aL Station 43, corner OF Spring and
Pine streets.


Colonel Swami meanwhile gathered all OF
his available forces and went to work with
q vim to subdue the flames, but all to no
purpose. The inflammable nature OF the
material in the building adjoining the en-
gine-room was such as to cause the fire to
make rapid Roadway, and soon the flames
had reached the cooper-shop, and from
thence to the carpenter-shop, the sioe-shop,
and the machine-shop.


The first alarm brought out Steamers 3
and D, and the second all OF the rest OF
the department except the Church Hill ell
gine and the steamer on lower Main street.
The tiremen went to work with all possible
speed, and soon several lines OF hose were
encirclng the building.


By2 O'Clock nearly all Of the workshops
named had been entirely destroyed, and
the fire had burned the window-sash Of all
OF the cells fronting the north and in imme-
diate proximity to the shops. It will be
remembered that there is but a small space
between the shops and the cells referred to.
and the heat therefore which penetrated the
windows OF the cells must have been in
tense, It was deemed best, however, not
to remove any Of the convicts; and so Chief
Ainslic and his men devoted most Of their
attention at first TO putting out the fire OF
the wirdow-framcs. This done, they then
went to work upon the fire proper.
The work which lay before the tiremcn
| was at once perilous and responsible. In
| front OF them were many hundred prison
crs. some OF whom were among the most
desperate in the prison, while on the
other hand they had the fire TO encounter
AID subdue in very contracted space.


That they accomplished ali and even more
than was expected OF them Will not be de-
MED.


The news of the fire, notwithstanding the
latcuess OF the hour, soon spread over the
CITY. and it was but short while before
thousands Of persons were gathered III ana
around the penitentIary.


The strictcst watch upon tue prisoners,
however, was observed, many OF whom
were at work, under guard, removing valu-
abes and placing them beyond the reach OF
the flames, and in pouring buckets OF water
upon portions Of the prison less exposed to
the flames but threatened by sparks.


At this writing, 8 A. NJ, the fire is under
control.


As soon as possible messengers were sen!
to police headquarters, and Major Pos
promptly sent out all OF his available men
TO ala the guard at the penitcntiary in pre-
serving order and watching the convicts
Indeed, several members OF the First Vir'
ginia regiment came out in uniform, will
their muSkets, and sided the regular force
in guarding the prisoners.


Considering the extent OF the fire and the
danger which threatened the entire prison
it is astonishing the excellent order whlct
was observed. 1t is hardly probable thai
prisoner escaped.


AT so late, or rather early, an hour it is o.
course impossible for lis to do more thar
give brief notice of the fire; and at thi:
writing it is impossible to say what the nc
tual loss has been. The loss, however, VII
be many thousands OF dollars to the State.


There was no insurance. Colonel SWanr
is of opinion that the fire originated eithel
in the engin GROOM or from stove, ant
was therefore accidental.