Providence Forge Fire - 77 Years Ago

 

Providence Forge Fire; Destroyed by Fire; $75,000 Damage Estimate; Eight Escape

PROVIDENCE FORCE. June 17th- Fire destroyed Charles E. Hughes' general store here early today with a loss estimated at $75,000. Both an old structure, facing old Route 60. and a newly erected two-story wing extending back to the new double highway were gutted. 

 Eight persons sleeping in rooms above the store escaped after one man awoke and discovered the fire at 4 A. M. He warned, other occupants. 

 A fire company from Henrico County joined two engines from James City, one from West Point and a forest-fire fighting truck from New Kent in a futile attempt to halt the flames. The adjacent Layfield Motor Company was saved when shift in the wind carried the flames away as men stood on the roof of an automobile lubrication building. and threw water on the walls. Cars in the building were moved to safety.

 R. M. Hughes, brother of the proprietor, estimated the damage to the store at $75,000. He said the building was destroyed about an hour after the fire was discovered and that the cause of the fire was not determined.

 Only about $1,000 in merchandise was saved, Mr. Hughes said.

 Another section of the Hughes store and hotel, across old highway Route 60 was not damaged.

 The Hughes store was widely known as a stopping place for fishermen and was open day and night during the past Winter, a restaurant and general sports goods department were opened.

-Richmond News Leader, 17 June 1948

 

C. E. Hughes, merchant at Providence Forge, who was burned out with about a $76,000 loss, on June 1C, is already at work on the erection of a cinder block structure of about the same size on his store site. Mr. Hughes states that with the help of his brother, R. M. Hughes, and friends, that he expects to be open tor business in the new building in 30 days.

 As a reporter, we went over to the smoking ruins that morning at 9 o’clock. There was very littlie of the trick hull left standing end merchandise that had been burning since about 4 A.M. was still smoldering, especially the huge amount of motor oil that was on hand. It is said the fire started in Room 5 upstairs over the store. Eight people were awakened and saved themselves, but not belongings, just in time, as in a matter of minutes the ceiling caved in. Only about $1,000 worth of store goods was saved, which included the English spode china, some feed and a few automobile tires.

 Recently Mr. Hughes had added a sportsman’s department for the benefit of fishermen especially, and restaurant equipment and had stated that at last he had his place of business like he wanted it. “I even have the colored and white adequately taken care of, separately."

 Mr. Hughes only lost one day in being out of business. Since then he has had the bus depot, etc., in the Layfield grease building, which is only a few feet away. This building and Layfield Motor Company proper were threatened by the fire and would have burned had not men and fire trucks kept the buildings constantly under a flow of water. New Kent fire truck, the two James City fire trucks, the Henrico fire engine and the West Point fire engine all came when called and kept the fire from spreading. Mr. Hughes has been, a merchant at Forge for 35 years. Besides the novelty store, with hotel upstairs and his hotel across the road, Mr. Hughes has a peach orchard at Forge and also a holly wreath factory there.

-Tidewater Review, 24 June 1948

This is the same C. E. Hughes is the Charles Evans Hughes of the Christmas Wreath factory post of last Christmas. 

Of Fires and Fears - One Hundred Years Ago

Today we go a little further afield than the area of the upper Peninsula.

The tragic burning of a block of buildings has drawn some historical attention as that block was also thoroughly burned a little over one hundred years ago..

There is more to the story than that however; it is a tale of destructive fires, wartime fears and  . . . suspected German agents.

            TAPPAHANNOCK BURNED SUSPECT GERMAN SPIES 

Post office and Several Large Stores Completely Destroyed. Veil of Mystery Surrounding Arrival of Strangers Causes Their Arrest As Kaiser’s Agents.

News reached Richmond last night that the business section of Tappahannock in Essex county, was almost totally demolished by a act of in incendiary origin Saturday night and that two strange men, suspected of being German spies and responsible or the conflagration, are being held by the authorities. 

Incidents concerning the arrival of he two strangers and their subsequent actions have been so significantly mysterious that Commonwealth’s Attorney James T. Lewis ordered their arrest before the blaze had been extinguished.

The fire started about 10:80 In Henley's drug store. Mr. Henley, the proprietor, carefully locked every door in its store and went next door to the barber shop to have his shoes shined. He was sitting there a few minutes after when the alarm of fire was given by a passer-by. Rushing out of the barber shop, he found his store in a light blaze. The post office, located text door, was burned down, but all he mail saved. The Farmers Supply, the Brick store, Henley's, and several smaller adjoining stores were burned to the ground. It is not known is yet what the property loss will amount to. 

                                     Suspects Arrive Friday. 

The two suspects arrived in Tappahannock Friday on the steamer, proceeding to the Hotel Gresham,, where they registered for an indefinite period. When arrested they gave different names from those on the motel register. A resident of the town saw them Saturday morning and recognized them as the two men he saw in Irvington last week at the time of the fire in that town, but did not retort his suspicions to the authorities until the fire was discovered that light.

 A farmer named Markan, who lives a short distance from the village, met the strangers at the boat but they did not accompany him home. He appeared at the hotel yesterday morning in search of the register bearing the incriminating evidence of the men having used different names from those given when arrested, but was unable to get away with it, as Commonwealth’s Attorney Lewis took charge of the register last tight. Markson is said to have stated after the arrest that he did not now the two men, but that his daughter had written him to meat them, ending their pictures that he might recognize them. Markson is said to be a foreigner and to have lived In he vicinity several years.

The suspects are said to be of exceedingly good appearance, and so unmistakably gentlemen that the townfolks would not confine them in  the jail, which is badly in need of repairs. After being placed under arrest, they were put under guard at the hotel, and are allowed the liberty of the grounds. 

                    Motive Is Unknown. 

Citizens of the village could not account for any reasonable motive, except an attempt to burn the post office and mall contained therein, aa a blow to the government. A small hole in the rear of Mr. Henley's store is supposed to have given the necessary opening to start the fire. 

Tappahannock has a population of only about 500 and has no fire engine. The work of extinguishing the blaze was done by the bucket brigade, in which women, young and old, rendered heroic service, shoulder to shoulder with the men and boys of the village. Much of the merchandise from the burned stores was removed, but was badly damaged by water. The bank and courthouse were uninjured, but only one or two small stores remain undamaged. 

It is expected that federal authorities will be notified this morning to start a thorough investigation into the facts concerning the start of the fire suspicious incidents surrounding the arrival of the foreigners. No word had reached United States Marshall Saunders last night.

-Virginian (Richmond), 25 June 1917

The timing could not appear more suspicious to a nation that had only been at war with Germany for two months and for an area that had just experienced a similar conflagration that week.

              

                                   IRVINGTON SWEPT BY FLAMES. 

Virginia Citizen Office and Plant - Lancaster National Bank - Gunby & Son Store and Other, Buildings Destroyed. 

Loss $30,000; Insurance $18,000. 

 

At 2.45 o'clock Monday afternoon a fire which had its origin in the electric plant of the Virginia Citizen office, from some unknown cause, was discovered and had gained such headway that  in a short while the entire building was in a blaze. With the exception of saving the linotype machine in a badly damaged condition and the mailing list books, the entire plant was destroyed. In this building was also located the offices of the Northern Neck; Mutual Fire Association and this company was fortunate in saving all books and all records of insurance. On the second floor of the Citizen building was located the Irvington opera house.

 The fire continued to spread until it had burned the Lancaster National Bank, in this building was located the dental parlor of Dr. G.H. Oliver. F. A. Gunby & Son Store and stock of general merchandise. The office building of Dr. W.J. Newbill. also used as a Marine Hospital. In this building was also located the law office of Mr. F. G. Newbill. Most of the contents of the building was saved. The barber shop, town water works and local telephone exchange, were also burned. Dr. Newbill's loss on building was about $1,000; Dr. Oliver about $150. Neither carried insurance. 

 -Northern Neck News, 22 June 1917 (Friday)

The Irvington fire was proportionately even more damaging, almost totally destroying the little town.

According to later reports the two suspect "German spies" were "A. Brogenhart, a  Swede, of New York, and M. Hulmann, a German, of the same city." They were held three days until a Secret Service agent arrived from Norfolk, questioned and then released.

Forest Fire of 1910

The year of 1910 was a year of terrible forest fires across the western United States contributed to by severe drought. The West was not the only place affected. A two month drought had struck the eastern United States in the spring of 1910 only breaking in April of that year.

The heavy forest fires of late have caused the destruction of thousands of dollars worth of standing timber a this section. Many dwellings having narrowly escaped destruction. At New Kent Court House, the beautiful Baptist church, Corinth, was destroyed by the fire and the beautiful residence of Mr. T.N. Harris, our county clerk, was only saved by the heroic efforts of the ladies who formed a bucket brigade and fought the flames; one young lady, a daughter of Mrs. J.M. Harris, came near loosing her life, her clothing having been set on fire two or three times. Cord wood and ties owned by Mr. R.E. Richardson were destroyed, with not a cent of insurance on anything. The organ and a few of the pews of the church were saved.

-Virginia Gazette, 21 April 1910

150 Years Ago . . .

Fire in the Woods. A fire broke out in the woods on the farm of Mr. Charles Trivillian, in New Kent county. Va., on Tuesday week, and raged for three days. sweeping during that time over a number of farms, among which was the White House tract, and destroying several barns and a large amount of fencing.

-The Evening Telegraph. (Philadelphia), March 23 1866

Spontaneous Combustion

A Fire at Talleysville

Mr.R. Richardson, of Talleysville about five miles from Tunstall's, in New Kent county, was in the city yesterday. His premises were visited by fire about 5 o'clock on Friday evening and two barns, the stables attached thereto, and a corn house were entirely destroyed. The barns contained 700 bushels of oats and a lot of hay, fodder, & c. Mr. Richardson places the loss at $1,800. The insurance amounted to $1,600, and was placed $1,000 through Gordon & Co. and $600 through Montague & Co. The cause of the fire is not known, but it is thought to have originated from either the oats or fodder becoming heated.

-Richmond Dispatch., October 09, 1892

A County's Records Lost To Fire . . . And It's Not New Kent.

The following piece might seem of peripheral interest to those interested in New Kent history, but beside the physical proximity there is the fact that King William County was formed out of King and Queen County in 1702 which itself had been part of New Kent until 1691.

And it shows how county records could be lost to fire even in the post-bellum era.

DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS.

King William County-Clerk's Office Burnt on Sunday Morning. The clerk's office of King William County Court was destroyed by fire about 6 o'clock Sunday morning with all the records and papers of the County and Circuit courts. Nothing was saved.

Mr. Winston, the clerk of both courts, was in the city yesterday buying new books, &c., and he states his belief that the fire was the work of an incendiary. A window-blind usually kept closed was found open when the fire was first seen, and this, with other circumstances, he thinks removes the probability of an accidental fire. There were no stoves used in the building. The heating was done by the use of wood in a big open fire-place, in front of which there was a hearth near about five feet square. Mr. Winston's deputy was the last to leave the place Saturday night, and he informs Mr. Winston that he left the fire very low. The fire seems to have broken out on the lower floor, and when discovered was far beyond control.

The building was of brick, two stories high, and covered with slate, It had been burnt once before (about 1840), but then most of the records were saved. It was insured for $1,200 in the Virginia Fire and Marine Insurance Company, and that sum will go a considerable ways towards replacing it; but the loss of records is irreparable. Many of these dated back to 1715, and with them were evidences of debt, deeds and deed-books, and business paper that cannot be replaced, and which will entail a world of trouble upon the people of the county. There was no fire-proof safe for the keeping of precious records.

The loss is complete.

Mr. Winston estimates his own loss in evidences of debt and other property, at |$2,500, All the deeds, except one sent to his house, had been put on record, but originals, by hundreds, were burnt with the books.

There are plenty of other counties in the State with papers of equal value as poorly protected against fire as was King William. Well would it be if they took warning from her misfortune.

-The Richmond Dispatch, January 20, 1885


(Oh, and I'm sure the open fire left unattended over night had nothing to with the loss.)

A Repeat: The Barhamsville School Controversy, Pt. 1

While doing some blog "house keeping" I came across theses postings from March of 2011, and thought that after tidying them up they might bear repeating . . .

FIERCE FEUD ABOUT SCHOOLS

New Kent Community Wrought Up.Two School-Houses Burned.

The citizens of New Kent county, in the neighborhood of Barhamsville, are greatly wrought up over school matters. Two school-houses have recently been burned, both, under very unusual circumstances, as the superintendent of the county schools himself states. And two neighborhoods are waging a fierce tight against each other. They have done so for nearly ten years, and the settlement is apparently further off than ever before. Superintendent George  Fisher, of the New Kent Schools, was in the city yesterday to lay the matter before Dr. Southall the Superintendent of Public, instruction. He makes a lengthy report to Dr Southall stating that he is in a serious dilemma, and asks for advise as to what is best to be done.

INVOLVES PROMINENT PEOPLE.

To give a history of this trouble, which involves some of the most prominent people in that section of the county, is to give the history of the two neighborhoods of Barhamsville and Bradenham for ten years past. The feud started, between two families many years ago. A member of one family was supposed to have said something ugly about a prominent member of another family. Later this family wanted a school in their section of the county, that is, down near Plum Point. This is the Weir Creek district. The other family, with all that was in them, opposed it. A Board of Reference was called and the new school was decided upon. This became the "Bradenham" School. But the other family and their friends who lived at Barhamsville have fought the school ever since. Mr. Fisher says that it has been the "bone of contention" ever since it was built.

FEUD BREAKS OUT AFRESH.

And so matters went on, the two neighborhoods nagging at each other until the fresh break came last fall. The Bradenham and the Barhamsville schools are only a mile and a half apart. All the children at Barhamsville and between the Bradenham school and Barhamsville have been attending the latter school, no parent deigning to send a child to the Bradenham school. All the patrons of the Bradenham school lived down the county on the other side of Bradenham. Matters took a curious turn as a result of the feud. The patrons of the Bradenham school wanted the school moved into their neighborhood. The Barhamsville faction would not hear to this, and determined to fight it with all their might.They didn't send their children there,but they were not willing to see the school moved on the ground that the locality to which Bradenham people wanted to take it was not healthy, etc. So matters stood and the question of moving had not been settled. It was apparently settled, however, just before the session, was to begin last fall, by the Bradenham schoolhouse being burned in the night. Mr Fisher says that no fire had been built in the house for months.

FEARED ANOTHER FIRE.

In due time a new schoolhouse was begun. But so strong was the suspicion of the incendiary origin of the fire and so certain did some feel that the new schoolhouse would also be burned that the persons who sold the lumber to the building contractor refused to deliver it until he had taken out a builder's insurance. About the middle of last month patrons of the Bradenham School sent a petition to Mr. Fisher asking for a Board of Reference to determine whether or not the new school-house, which was then half finished, should be moved to the place they wanted!. The board decided that it should be moved. The leader of this movement is recognized to be Mr. W. Jackson Taylor. But the contractor said that he was employed to build the school-house there and there he would build it. Just at Christmas the Barhamville patrons sent a petition to the Board of Reference asking it to reconsider its action. Mr. C. Sylvanus Goddin is said to be the leader here.

OTHER SCHOOL-HOUSE BURNED.

Close upon this petition, just-ten days ago the school-house at Barhamsville was burned to the ground. Mr. Fisher admits that he is at his wits end to know what to do, and wants the advice of the State superintendent.

- The Richmond Times, January 22, 1902

Christmas Tragedy: Loss of the West Point - The Evening Telegram

FEARFUL CATASTROPHE

Twenty Lives Lost On the

Steamer West Point

WONDERFUL ESCAPES.

The Causes of the Accident Not

Definitely Known

THE NEWS AT RICHMOND

Special Dispatch to the Evening Telegram

Richmond, Va.,Dec. 27.—News was received here this morning from West Point, on the York River of a terrible disaster to the steamer West Point, of the Clyde Line, plying between that point and Baltimore. The West Point arrived at West Point early yesterday morning and a stevedore and gang began to discharge her cargo. They had cleared out sit the freight between decks, and had cone below into the hold to taken out a quantity of kerosene oil in barrels, when, at ten minutes past twelve midday an explosion occurred which blew the off side of the vessel into the river and set fire to the ship.

Twenty persons, including some four of the crew and nearly all the stevedore's hands, were fatally burned.

The first and second officer escaped, one of them being badly injured. The captain, being on shore at the time, was saved. There are some four or five badly injured.

                                                      TWENTY LIVES LOST.

Twenty persons have perished by the accident. The crew are mostly from Baltimore, and the laborers from Richmond and West Point. The West Point was a new ship, having only made a few trips. She was valued a $60,000 and was insured. The cause of the accident is as yet unaccounted for. Some believe it was gas in the hold, while others attribute it to an explosion of the donkey engine which was at work in the forward part of the vessel.

THE TWENTY DEAD

The following is a list of the dead:—

L. S. BRADFORD (white), stevedore, of West Point.

Mess Boy (white), name and address unknown, of Baltimore.

RODERT KERSE (white), or Richmond.

— JARVIS (colored), fireman. West Point.

J. STAPLES (colored), of Richmond.

ALEX. WILSON (colored), of Richmond.

JOSEPH JOHNSON (colored), of Richmond.

LEE JENNINGS (colored), of Richmond.

BEN SMITH (colored), of Richmond.

L. LAMB (colored), of Yorktown.

SAM WATKINS (colored), of West Point-

SHEPPARD TAYLOR (colored), of West Point.

NELSON RAYLOR (colored), of West Point.

HORACE BIBS (colored), of West Point.

NELSON STARK (colored), of New Kent county.

CHARLES TYLER (colored),  City Point, Va.

SWEET HALL (colored), City Point. Va.

ALBERT JACKSON (colored), City Point, Va.

JACK PARKER (colored), City Point, Va.

J. ADOLPHUS (colored), City Point, Va.

In all twenty.

Soon after the fire commenced the ship was cut loose. She drifted Into the river. The wharves were saved.

LIST OF THE INJURED.

The following is a list of the injured:—

PETER GEOGHEGHAN. first officer, of Baltimore.

WM. BOHANNON. quartermaster.

WM. BARNES, assistant stevedore, of West Point.

WM. GREEN, of Richmond.

all are badly burned

-The Evening Telegram (New York, NY) December 27, 1881

Forest Fires of 1910

From the Virginia Gazette of April 21, 1910