Destructive fire.
--The fire brigade was aroused from its repose at 5 o'clock yesterday morning, by an alarm which was found to be caused by the burning of the large brick tobacco factory occupied by
J. H. F. Mayo,
Esq., on the
South side of the Basin.
Though the firemen repaired in all haste to the scene of the conflagration, such was the combustible nature of the materials it had to operate on, that the flames were not subdued before the building occupied by
Mr. Mayo, and one adjoining, also a tobacco factory, used by
Messrs. Mason &
Timberlake, were entirely consumed, together with their respective contents.
The building used by
Mr. Mayo, was built many years since by
Mr. Edmund Brown, (one of the most famous tobacco manufacturers of by-gone days, and the proprietors of ‘"
Brown's best, "’ well known to all lovers of the weed,) at a cost of $30,000. It was finished in 1838.
Before being occupied, the Whig party gave their great leader,
Hon. Henry Clay, a dinner within its walls, that famous orator making on the occasion one of his most happy forensic displays, the memory of which is extant even to this day.
Mr. Mayo's loss is very heavy, only a portion being covered by insurance.
Everything was burnt, books, fixtures and stock, including about 120 boxes of
manufactured tobacco that was to have been shipped yesterday.
He had an insurance of only $6,000, half the amount in the Valley Office, and half in the office of the Insurance Company of
Alexandria.
Mason &
Timberlake had an insurance on their stock of $2,000, which, we presume, will not cover their loss by a great deal.
Both buildings were owned by
Mr. Abraham Warwick, who had an insurance on them of $11,000 in the
Mutual Office.
The fire was no doubt the work of an incendiary, as all that was used in the day-time was extinguished before the hands left work the previous night.
Had the wind blown in the direction of the
Petersburg depot, that building would have been also consumed.
It is probable that the interior of the houses were nearly burned before the alarm was given.
The steam fire-engine was on hand, and demonstrated its claim as a great institution.
The above is the most considerable fire that has happened for many months.
