Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-02-16

FIFTY DWELLINGS DEsTROYED--PEoPLE RoA>-
TED ALIVE IN THE sTREErs-sHoCKING Loss
OF LIFE.
[From the Phiade pha Bulletin, February 81
The most terrible confagarati0n that ha,
occurred in Philadelphia since the great fir.
Of July, 1850, took place this morning
Before proceeding to narrate the horrors Of
the calamity. we will describe the locality
Ninth-street, below Washington, is lined
principally with three-story brick dwellings
that are occupied mainly by respectable
families of limited means, the houses rol.
ting, we should Judge, for from two hun.
dred to two hundred and fifty dollars yeaL
The first street blow Washington stree
is Ellsworth, and the next is Federal. both
of which streets had in that vicinity. about
the same class of dwellings, upon them as
those upon Ninth street On the soutl.
west corner Of Ninth and Washington
streets there is coal yard belonging to
Messrs. Daily and Porter aud immediate
ly west Of this upon Washington stree,
was an open lot upon which Blackburn
Co. had between 1000 and 5000 barrels o
coal oil stored, on account Of various OWL
ers. This morning at about half-past two
o'clock, fire broke out among this oil, and
the flames spread through the greater part
of it with almost as much rapidity as though
it had been gunpowder About 1000 bar
reIs of the infammable material were soon
ablaze, and spending up into the sky
huge column Of flame The families III tie
neighborhood sprang from their beds, and
without stopping to secure even singh
! article of clothing rushed into the streets
that were covered with snow and slush.-
Those that were most prompt to escape
from their threatened homes got off witt
their lives but those nearer the spot wLerr
the cOnt1agratiOn first commenced, and VIII
| were not prompt to escape from their hons,
es, were met by terrible scene. The blaz-
ing oil that escaped from the BURNING bar.
rels poured over into Ninth street and dow.
to Federal, filling the entire street with
lake of fire and igniting the houses upo
both sides of Ninth street, for two squares
and CARRYING devastation into Washington
Ellsworth and Federal streets, both aboy.
and below Ninth street An eye-witncs,
who was upon the spot when the oil pour.
ed out i'll the street, describes the fierce
body of fame as resembling a screw in il
progress it first whirled up Ninth street
and then the fiery torrent rushed down tL.
street for a distance of two squares, and
then back agaih at the caprice of the wint
destroyed all living things that came in If,
way burning dwellings, and their contenn
as though they were so much straw, Al
even splitting into fragments the payil
stones in the street with the intense heal
Fully five squares of houses, had they hee-
placed III row, were on fire at once, al.
the scene was one to make the StOuteSr
heart quail. People escaping from theu
blazing homes, with no covering but theD
night clothes parents seeking for then
children and terrified little ones looking fl
safety in the horrid turmoil were all drea>
full enough but there were still more t..
rible scenes witnessed. Hen, comen and
children acre Hterarly roasted 0lire IL Hs
streets. Captain JOS H Ware occupied tie
dwelling No. l12S Ninth street, the secoM
house below the coal-yard already DE-
scribed. His family consisted of himSel
wife, five daughters and two sons The
all got into the street Just as they left the.
beds, and they found themselves in rive
of fire. The family became scattered
Mrs. Ware had her youngest child girl H.
but five years Of age, in her arms Sh.
Il
the Moyamensing Hose Company, made
desperate effort to save them He had hold
of the unfortunate woman, but he was CON
PEELED by the fierceness of the fiery blast
leave her to her fate and seek safety fo-
himself in flight. Mrs Ware, her child an.
a daughter about fifteen or sixteen years
age, We're burned to death in the street and
50 horribly mutilated that their remains
can only be identified by the peculiar cir .
cumstances surrounding them. Captaig
Ware and his two sons escaped but thres
of the daughters are missing. Captain
Ware and his sons were all badly burned
There were six bodies in all recovered
they were taken to the second district sta
ton house. Three of the bodies have beer
recognized as belonging to the Ware fam
lily. One, the body of man supposed 10
be Mr.. James Gibbons, the proprietor Of
dry-goods store, l133 South Ninth street
There is also boy not yet recognized, and
a man whose body was found in Ninth
street, a short distance below Washingt1n
street. 4 fragment of red cloth, rcscm.
bling the lining Of a firemanS coat leads
to the belief that the victim was a fireman
1t is thought there are persons who have
perished and whose bodies are buried III .
der the ruins. A general alarm was struck .
upon the State House bell, and the iremel
from all parts of the city hurried to the .
scene of the confagration The streets
were in frightful condition from the snow
and rain that had fallen the evening pre-
vious, and the firemen, after reaching tn
spot, could accomplish nothing except I'll,
prevention Of the spread of the flames
Nearly every house from Washingto- !
street to Federal, distance of two squares .
is burned, with all their contents, nothing F
but the bare walls remaining this morning
The same scene of ruin is presented Oh
Washington, Ellsworth, and Federal streets
both above and below Ninth street. The
entire number of buildings burned is abo0
forty-seven,