From the Richmond Times-Dispatch, 9/22/1920, p. 1, c. 4

TREDEGAR WORKS SUFFER FIRE LOSS OF OVER $250,000
Main Machine and Pattern Shop of Great Plant Destroyed.
ROOF COLLAPSES SOON AFTER BLAZE IS DISCOVERED
Large Crowd of Spectators Gathers From All Parts of City

Fire of undetermined origin caused a loss of approximately $250,000 when the main machine and pattern shop of the Tredegar Iron Works, was utterly gutted at 11:30 last night.

A second alarm was sent out by Assistant Fire Chief Raffo within a few minutes after his arrival, when it was seen that practically all the fire apparatus from the central portion of the city was needed to prevent the flames spreading to other buildings of the Tredegar Company. Chief Joynes was soon on hand and personally directed the fight.

Half an hour after the blaze had broken out in the two-story, all-brick building, the roof at the north end collapsed, bringing an awe-inspiring burst of sparks and flames with it, which thrilled the thousands who had flocked to the scene from all sections of the city, despite the late hour.

The fire alarm was turned in by passers-by at 11:30. Six engine companies and one truck company were on the scene within half an hour and arrangements were made to relieve them with companies from the outer sections at a later hour.

Many spectators at the blaze came from as far away as Church Hill, where it was said the flames could be plainly seen.

The Tredegar Iron Works, which employs several hundred men in its machine and pattern departments alone, is headed by Arthur A. Anderson, Jr., J. R. A. Anderson is secretary-treasurer and J. R. J. Hobson, vice-president.

All the officers of the concern were at the fire soon after it broke out, but declined to make statements concerning the probably damage, beyond roughly estimating the cost of the building and its contents at a quarter of a million.

Much important business which is now under way, will be necessarily delayed, they explained. Stating that they have full insurance protection, none of the officers could hazard a guess as to the origin of the fire. Only the walls were left standing at 1 o’clock this morning, and the chances of an investigation by fire department officials or police holds slight chance of uncovering the cause.

The Tredegar Iron Works made shells for the Confederate army in the War Between the States, and in the world war had some of the most important contracts held by any Southern factory. It was the first concern in Richmond to enter the steel-making industry.

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