Delaware State journal and statesman., 1865-02-14
The Great Fire in Philadelphia.

0Aodb Flto III EnllOuelpulu.
Thc Philadelphia Fress. Of Friday. gives the
following particulars and incidents Of tho great
fro which courred in that city on Wednesday
OF last week, at Ninth mud Washington street:--
III regurd 10 the number Of human beings
burned TO death, it may bo safely stated to be
e9dt two bodies, daughters Of Mr. and Mre.
Ware. were supposed TO be in the ruins. Search
was being made for them, but up to the time We
left the place Of desolaiion last evening no re.
mains had been found
THRILLING scEsE.
Tue hremeu MS body, the police aai citizens
present NJ the conhlgratian aud particularly in
the early part Of IT, worked with almost super
human energy 10 rescue inmates Of the burning
nn ! threatened dwelling houses. or those scenes
We oan present one which is full of thrilling in
.erest Messrs McGurk, McGonigle, and Sam
uel McMenamin Fleetwood, members of the
Moyamsnsing Hose Company, rushed into the
building ll36 and rescued oil therein Fleet
wool. whose namo deserves 10 bo written upon
the scroll Of fame, rushed into the building 90
cUpied by the unfortunate Ware family At this
thu the bdrning oil, Kissing and seclhing, came
pouring down the street, aul tho house, from
which eleven persons had been scutd but a
moment before, was licked up by the red fiery
tongues of the dem Of Destruction At th q
time tho bravo Fleetwood was bearing ia his
strong arms tho body, il is supposed, Of Mrs
Ware or ono Of her daughter. His companions
were driven hack BY the approach Of the burn
lug element--tho increasing heat and ct cling
smoke Almost at the eamo moment tho burning
oil burst lh ough the rear part of the house, and,
flowing through tho enny, all chance of escape
was gone. This brave hremau endeaVOrsd 10
fight his way out, still holding the woman in his
arms. He reached the frcn'-door step it was
moment OF horror; he lo4ped from tho step,
driven by the flow of burning oil through the
house, but the flames closed around him n
grOan and a shrek escaped the lips Of the vic
tins, aud both fell in death. Ills companions
endeaVored to rescue both, but it was i'm possible.
The crsped remains of them we're found but a
few feet distant from each other We saw the
charred body Of this brave young man 10 the
basement Of the old Southwark Hall Il could
scarcely be realized az the remains Of a human
being; but black as il was, il WAS worthy of
grave Of distinction aud n monument OF fame
for that ir'il, crisped form once contained i0nl
that made he young ma" noble.
ANOTHER soesR.
1t was at a time when oil the buildings were
In iames that another soene occurred, not 70
melancholy as foregoing, but still it is interest
ing The Perseverance Hose Company had IA
heavy stream on the rear Of the burning tena-
ments. The occupants had already Aed far
safety. Presently n young Iri ,hman dashe
past the fremen and ran into the burning house
"COme out of there" shouted the "Persy"
boys 81 are you crazy 90 But no reply was heard.
In a moment after this the rpof fell with u great
crash, and the iremen bacsed II was thought
the man had fallen q victim to his own rashuess
Bnt from amid tbs FIRE and smoke, hs ehirt
sleeve on fire, be rgrcased II ON tho burning tcne-
ment Nth something under hi4 arm.
"llo III got it" exc'a M, d he, In re-
cents N ed with the rich Irish oguc
Got WhaiH" shouted the fl tman.
" The bible me father give me before he died, !"
replied the enthusiastic man, as he disappeared
from view.
ANOTHER SAD scKsE.
A Mrs. Ilarkins, who lived in one Of tho houses
that fell an early prey TO toe fimes dipd very
sudden y. Size had prepared supp for her hus.
band and family, and shortly after this COM
planned Of feeling unwtil. She laid herself down
on settce, after having cleared the tab e. and
died within an hour She knew that desth wa
approaching, and calling her family tf four or
Eve little children gaye htm advice Death
stepping in so audjenlyS rs this, taking AWAY
the hest iriend that child can have On earth, an
atiliclion so deep, that con only he appreciated
by these who experienced such lose, need not
be dwelt upon. The family wcr0 comparatively
strangers. They have otl.Eel 10 tho ucigbbor.
hood long. Mrs. Smith, VINO lived next door,
was kind enough TO interest herself ia sympathy
for the I'LL ctcd. remained with tic uuiheI ess
family. IL was a house ol voc. Tie death
chamber Of the mother, the sorrow.striukon hus-
band and weeping children around, was finally
disturbed by tho reports which sounded like
dull, heavy explosions Reports followed one
after another, and presently red gnrO burqt
forth, and CLEANED through the cracks oil the
rear doors and window. In moment tho mp
palling truth flashed all around them that tho
coal oil Immediately in tho rear OF the house was
on hte. The reports thit had attracted some
attention for short time were those Of bursting
barrels Of OIL
Mrs Smith l0d left her husband and family.
Her hrst lmpu SO was IN awaken them Rush
ing INTO her own dwelling. and picking up n
sick child, aron ing hcr hu.hsnd aud cnildren
escaped through the n Nc do,s. The children
bccame nluInst per.shei l he snow nnd water
that yei filled he street.
NJ hersirs got his children out Of the house ;
they were suddenly picked up BY persons on
the street lie tetuiheh and picking up th,
dead body Of his wife. lyd to the Street, ner
hair beng slightly slnged by the bursting fire
struggling lik, volcano 10 give full vent 10 it's
fury, TIE dwelling OF Mr Ilarkins aud Mr
Smith were in less than three minutes enyelop-
Cd 10 flames.
WHAT PROPERTY WAS pEsrRoYEp.
We learn from Fire Mar hal Bsckburn the
following summary Of properly destroyed:
Forty dwellings,
Two factories,
Seven stables,
0no wagon house,
Ten miscellaneous structures,
Twelve frame sheds
0ne brick Office,
One coal yard,
One large coal shed,
One coal oil storage shed,
which, with ouhOusss, &C., will make total OIL
about l0e structures
The dwelling-houses we're occupied by poor
people, or persons who had only sufficient
means 10 afford them a comfortable living The
NEST Of these people lost every erything-furniture
clothing, trinkets, So Il is estimated that At
least 100 families have been rendered house
less
Tho whole loss will not fall short Of $500, 900.
The loss on the coal oil is estimated at s75 600 /;
that of Daily Porter, coal yard, at 81 900 /;
and TINT of Mr.. David L. Hey, mauufac tu rer,
at $4,000. The GOAL oil is said to be fully in
sured in Now York companies. Messrs, DAILY
4 Porter, and Hey, are partially iusurel. or
the total loss only about oneihird is in4ured,
and the insurance is principally upon lha rcqi
estate. The Fire Association aud the Franklin
Insurance Company are the heaviest losers. A
number OF The f'mi les lost their savlrRi rang
Ing from s6 to So 0C0 Many lost SlO0, an
several as high as from $500 to $500.