New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-28
THE DAILY CRESCENT.
Fire in PHILADELPHIA.

MANY PERSONS MISUNDERSTANDING Loss OF
L1FE.-About four o'clock yesterday afternoon,
n FIRE was discovered in the first story of the
extensive six story brick building situated on
the northwest corner of Afifin and Jefferson
streets, known as 'Hills Factory The
flames spread with great rapidity. A large
number of persons were at work in the building
about a dozen females being employed in the
fourth story. Astonishing to relate, to this
vast structure there was but one staircase, and
that was over one of the boilers A panic
seized those who were thus threatened with
death. A number escaped by quickly rushing
down the staircase. But the flames soon cut of
that mode of egress. A man named Mackel
jumped from the fourth story to the ground,
and broke his leg in the fall. Several girls,
frantic with fright, appeared at the windows,
and by their gestures indicated that they gave
themselves up for lost Ropes were thrown up
to the windows, and there fastened, Ladders
were also placed to aid the escape of the miser-
able beings.
During these arrangements the scene was
calculated to touch every heart. A large num-
Der Of women thronged in the vicinity of the
fire, and appeared greatly excited by the pros
pect of a terrible loss of life The fremen ex-
Several of the girls were taken down the lad
ders. They were scorched about the hands
and arms, however, and their cries were heard
above the noise of the fremen Four girls and
one little boy were saved by sliding down a rope.
Two Of the girls were sisters, Eliza and Sarah
Mcbride All Of those who escaped in this way
had their hands dreadfully lacerated by rapid
friction in sliding down the rope. The by
ISLANDERS reported that two or three girls were
TO OF bafv rIu
make implorng gestures, and then fall back
into the devouring flames One little girl, 81
younger sister of the McBrides, dared to attempt
the descent by the stairway, and, in spite of
the flames, which crossed her path, and although
she fell down several steps, she succeeded in
getting into the street, where she was picked
up and taken into a neghboring drug store
Her clothes were nearly all burned off, and her
arm and side severely scorched No less Ethan
eight girls, with scorched hands and arms, were
taken into the same drug store. Their names
it was impossible to learn with accuracy A
little boy named Donaghan had his arm broken
by fall from window of the burning build
ing. The wounded were all conveyed away, and
received prompt attendance.
In the mean time the confaEration ragged, and
the heat was so intense that the fremen could
scarcely approach the burning building. All
they could do was to attempt to save the sur
rounding property There were five boilers,
each Of ten horse power, in the basement. Mrs.
Hill had the presence of mind almost as soon as
the fire gained any Roadway, to direct man
to let off the steam By this foresight many
lives were saved, as the bursting Of the boilers
would have been fatal to the crowd near the
building Within an hour and a half the con-
tents of the factory were almost entirely con-
sumed, and the walls fell gradually, without
doing much damage to the adjacent property.
A row of two story buildings, fronting on Sixth
street, were somewhat injured in the rear and
most of the furniture of the occupants was re-
moved. Bnt the firemen succeeded IN keeping
down the flames in that direction.
The factory destroyed formerly belonged to
Mr.. John Hill. dyer, who occupied a building in
the rear, which was also included in the de-
struction More recently it belonged to Messrs.
Thurlow & Hughes. Their loss may be esti-
mated at about $4,000, which, as far as We could
learn, is not covered by insurance.
The first three stories were occupied by
Messrs. Keevy & Holdener, manufacturers OF
Kentucky jeans Their loss is heavy in ma
chinery material and manufactured goods.
The fourth story was occupied by Messrs.
Rowe & Phillips, weavers. 1t was from this
story the girls who were injured made their
escape The loss cannot be aseertained at this
writing.
The fifth story was occupied by Mr., William
Crooks and Jennings also had apartments III
the building The sixth story was entirely un.
occupied.
We are of opinion that the entire loss of pro-
perry by this disastrous confagration cannot
fall short of 100000; but some days must
elapse before we can give the precise amount
1t is almost certain that one or more persons
were consumed in the factory. Between the
number who were known to be employed there
tba hoy tn how
is wide difference. The number of persons in
iured by the fire or otherwise as far as we car
learn, is sixteen, of whom eleven are females
A member of the Independence Hose Company
and member of the Carroll Hose Company hac
each hand severely burned None of the in
iured are believed to be fatally hurt We trus
that no lives have been lost, but are yet left il
terrible state of uncertainty, Great and in
creasing anxiety prevails to know the worst.
=1-===------=
UTILITY OF TEA.-In the life of most person
period arrives when the stomach no longer di
gests enough of the ordinary elements of food t
make up for the natural daily waste of the bodl
ly substance, The size and weight OF the body
therefore, begins to diminish more or less per
ceptibly. At this period tea comes in as medi
cine to arrest the waste, to keep the body tron
falling away so fast, and thus enable the les
energetic powers of digestion still to supply a
much as is needed to repair the wear and tea
of the solid tissues. No wonder, therefore, tina
tea should be a favorite, on the one hand, wit
the poor, whose supply of substantial food !
scanty, and, on the other, with the aged and IN
firm, especially of the feebler SEX whose power
of digestion and whose bodily substance haF
together begun to fail Nor is itsurprising tina
the aged female, who has barely enough ofweek
ly income to buy what are called the commo
necessities of life, should yet spend portion
her small gains in purchasing her ounce of tee
She can live quite we'll on less common foo
when she takes her tea along with it; while 81
feels lighter, at the same time more Cheerful
and filter for her work, because of the indu
gence. Chemistry Of Common Life