From the Richmond Dispatch, 8/27/1879, p. 1, c. 4

THE LATE FIRE

VISITING THE SCENE – NO LIVES LOST – PERSONAL – WANT OF HOSE; WHAT THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE TO DO – INSURANCE.

When we went to press yesterday morning the fire on Eighteenth and Cary streets was fully under control, and made no further headway after 3 o’clock. Yesterday large numbers of persons visited the scene, and of course expressed various opinions as to the origin of the fire. It is generally conceded that it was accidental, and originated from the engine-furnace.

It is now stated that no one was sleeping in Whitlock’s factory. Mr. Allen slept in Mr. Whitlock’s office, at the northeast corner of Nineteenth and Cary streets, and is therefore all right.

Mr. R. H. Whitlock was in the mountains, probably at the Rawley Springs, though he intended, it is said, visiting Detroit during his summer vacation. Mr. Charles E. Whitlock was at the Warm Springs.

Mr. Turpin was also out of the city at the time of the fire.

About 10 o’clock yesterday morning all of the steamers and other apparatus withdrew from the fire, but about 1 o’clock, or a little later, it became necessary to send the hose-carriage of Steamer Company No. 2 to play upon the flame, which had broken out afresh.

It may not be generally known that at one time during the progress of the fire there were twelve streams of water playing upon the flames – six steamer streams and six from plugs. The steamers seemed to have been well and wisely disposed of along the dock, all five of the steamers taking their supply of water in that way, while the plugs were used by the hose companies alone. The supply of water from the plugs is very good to that part of the city; in fact, the streams were almost equal to those of the steamers. Section after section of the hose bought a short time ago bursted under the plug-pressure, as well as from the force of the water thrown out by the steamers. At least twenty sections, and perhaps a larger quantity, of the hose was bursted during the fire, and to-day the hose-carriages in some of the engine-houses are not half filled. The Council may as well know the truth at once. Money will have to be expended for new hose, and that very speedily. The department is in immediate need of three thousand feet. If a fire had broken out in another part of the city at the time of the late fire on Cary street not a foot of hose would have been available unless some of the apparatus has been withdrawn from the fire. Such a contingency may arise at any time. As soon, however, as the fire was under control, steamers from the two hills were withdrawn and sent to their respective houses.

The following is a statement of the insurance:

R. H. Whitlock, box-factory – On stock, building, and fixtures: Pennsylvania Fire Insurance Company, of Philadelphia, T. M. Alfriend & Son agents, $1,000; Petersburg Savings and Insurance Company, of Petersburg, Va., $1,000; Fire Association of Philadelphia, $1,000; Williamsburg City (N. Y.) Fire Insurance Company, D. N. Walker & Co. agents, $850; Manhattan Fire Insurance Company, New York, $1,500; Westchester (N. Y.) Fire-Insurance Company, B. H. Nash agent, $1,000. Total, $6,350.

Turpin & Crother, tobacco-factory (Castle Thunder) – On building, owned by Turpin & Brother; Manhattan Insurance Company, New York, D. N. Walker & Co. agents, $3,500; Granite, of Richmond, $2,500; Mutual Assurance Society, of Richmond, $6,640 – total, $12,640. On stock: Virginia Fire and Maine Insurance Company, of Richmond, $3,000; Seaboard Insurance Company, of Norfolk, B. C. Wherry, Jr., agent, $3,000; Merchants and Mechanics, of Richmond, $4,000; Western Insurance Company, of Toronto, Milhiser & Straus agents, $2,500; London Assurance Society, of London, J. H. Montague & Co. agents, $3,000; Imperial and Northern Insurance Company, of London, H. Swineford agent, $2,500; City Fire Insurance Company, Richmond, $3,000 – total, $21,000. Fixtures: Virginia Home Insurance Company, Richmond, $4,000; Phoenix Insurance Company, New York, D. N. Walker & Co. agents, $6,000; Merchants and Mechanics, Richmond, $1,000 – total, $11,000. Total insurance on building, stock, and fixtures of Turpin & Brother, $44,640.

Jackson Turpin & Co. – Building on Eighteenth street, owned by Turpin & Brother: Virginia Home Insurance Company, of Richmond, $3,000; Merchants and Mechanics, of Richmond, $2,000; Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia, $3,600 – total, $8,600; damage trifling. On stock: Virginia Home Insurance Company, of Richmond, $2,000; Merchants and Mechanics, of Richmond, $2,000; Imperial and Northern, of London, H. Swineford agent, $1,000 – total, $5,000; loss, $500.

S. H. Hawes – On coal-office: City Fire Insurance Company, of Richmond, $500; loss, $250.

Mrs. Jane King – Ice-house office, on Cary street: Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia, $500. On ice: $2,000 in the same company – total, $2,500; loss small.

Aggregate insurance: $67,590.

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