--The report of
B. J. Johnson, Inspector, in regard to the recent fire at
Dibrell's Warehouse, states that the damage on 44 hhds. of tobacco amounts to $134--that is to say, to the owners $58, and the
Inspector's bill of opening the same, and assessing, $76. An investigation of the cause of the fire was had, and a report has been made to the
Governor by R. D
Sanxay,
Commissioner, and
Lewis L. Barnes,
Chief Engineer, in which they state that they found the third story of the jail occupied by federal prisoners, the room having a fire-place and a coal fire; on the second story the prison-room has a small stove, the pipe extending through the window and over the warehouse shed.
From the various statements they could draw no correct inference; but were satisfied that the fire originated from the second or third story apartment of the jail.
They recommend that the stove-pipe should be conducted to a chimney flue, instead of through the window, and that the
Federal prisoners be removed to some other part of the jail; and for the better security of the large amount of property in the warehouse, they deem it advisable to close the windows adjacent thereto.
The Governor has recommended to the General Assembly the propriety of making all the
Tobacco Warehouses in the
State entirely fireproof.
The State is an insurer of the tobacco against loss by fire, and receives only ten cents upon each hogshead — a sum totally inadequate to compensate for the risk.
The matter is regarded as too important, and the consequences too serious, to be left to the capricious of individuals.
All the warehouses are at this time filled with tobacco, and the loss of any one of them would entail a heavy burden upon the Treasury of the
State.
