The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-05
CITY INTELLIG ENCE
[For Additional City Intelligence see 1afd Pa gel
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES,
Several Persons Injured -ConHagra-
ton at Point Breeze Gas Works
Loss over Fifty Thousand Dol
Iars-FlVe Alarms Of Fire
Yesterday.

A series Of fires occurred yesterday, and no
less than five alarms were sounded from the
Central Station. Several of the hres were quite
destructive, and the aggregate losses will proba-
bly reach fifty thousand dollars. The year has
not opened very auspiclously IN the matter OF
fires at least.
Yesterday afternoon, about "a o'clock, a fire
broke out In the extensive coal sheds at the
Point Breeze Gas Works, bordering on the
Schuylkill river, in the extreme southwestern
limits of the city. Owing to the distance OF the
works from the built.up portions OF the city.
and the horrid condition OF the roads, 1t was
with the greatest difficulty that any fire appa-
ratus could be hauled to the scene, and the few
that reached the place did not arrive on the
ground until the fire had worked great destruc-
ton. The coal sheds, where the tire originated,
were four in number, having depth of 200 feet
and width of go feet They ran east and west
were open at both ends and the sides, being
kind of frame work, with slate roof, aud sup
ported by Orders They we're located directly
to the west of the retort houses, on the Schuyl-
kill At the west end of the sheds is a tower,
to which the coal is hoisted in cars, by means
of hydraulic pressure, The cars then run along
a track on top of the sheds, through which the
coal ls dumped The north shed, where the
fire originated contained about 25O0 tons OF
coal. The next shed was empty, while the
two adjoining contained about 10, 900 tons. The
fire was discovered in the north shed by the
Superintendent, and before he had barely
time to summon aid, the whole pile of coal from
one end of the shed to the other, a distance of
three hundred feet, was in blaze. 1t was most
remarkable indeed, the fury with which the coal
ignited. The flames communicated TO the wood
work of the adjoining shed, and the roofs ofboth
were soon burned OF. The coal was purchased
of the Pennsylvania and West Mountain Com
pany, and is supposed to have ignited by spon-
taneous combustion, in consequence OF the
recent inclemency OF the weather, by which 1t
had become very much dampened. Soon after
the fire broke out it became evident that the
employees around the grounds could not eXtln-
guish the flames and an alarm was at once
| given to the Central Police and Fire Tele-
| graph Station. Steam engines were at once
notified, but it was long time before any OF
| them could reach the works. The steamer of
| the Western Hose Company stuck fast in the
mud on Maiden lane, below the railroad short
distance. After an hours labor it was eXtri-
Gated, when eight horsee were attached and
even then it was impossible to proceed at a
faster pace than smart walk. Other appara-
were obliged to turn back. Towards even
| ing the muddy roads became frozen,
and travel then was rendered lar more
difficult. Altogether, only four steamers had
| o'clock last night. The Two north sheds were
entirely destroyed, the southern ones, with their
| contents, being saved Had Il not been tor the
fortunate fact, however, that the second shed
| was empty the whole four would have pershed,
| Located to the northwest of the sheds stands the
| lime kilns, which being on very low ground
| along the river front the tops only extended up
| to about the foundation OF the coal sheds. These
| lime.kilns were covered with frame sheds, and
the latter were partially burned off. The kilns
are about one and half story in height, and
were filled with lime, which Is always in burn
ing state, being used in the purifying OF the gas.
| These kilns, together with the lime sheds, stand
isolated, and in no way connected with the main
| buildings.
About o'clock the flames were seen issuing
| from the three-story building on the Schuylkill
| river adjoining the gas works. 1t was owned by
| Mr. Lippincott, and used as Laboratory for
the purpose or making "Pharaoh's Serpents.n
| The entire main building was destroyed. A
building adjoining, used as the engine-room, was
saved. but nothing but the walls of the main
building are left. We were informed that Mr..
Bowers occupied the building, but that gentle
man informs us he did not. We learned since
that the Messrs. Wyatt occupied the building for
the manufacture of the serpents. The workmen
left the laboratory at o'clock, and it is strongly
conjectured that the fire was the act of an incen-
diary. The fremen turned their streams upon
| the building, but it burned very rapidly. AT lO
| o'clock last evening" the steamers of the Phia-
delphia Engine, Delaware, Western Hose, and
Reliance were in service, throwing water upon
the burning coal. Mules were then being sent
up the roads to bring other steamers which
were stuck NJ the mud.
The roof et the dwelling-house at Twenty.
second and Green streets was slightly damaged
by fire, about O'Clock yesterday afternoon. The
flames originated from sparks falling on the roo
from burning chimney.
A stable on Wood street, between Twentieth
and Twenty-frst streets, belonging to Mr.
Bloomer, was slightly damaged by ire abou
halfpast O'Clock last evening. The tiremeL
here turned out in force, although the Poin
Breeze fire was not yet extinguished
About o'clock yesterday afternoon the Ches
nut street fire again broke out A number o
fire companies came upon the ground, and seve
raj streams were directed upon the kndlin9
ruins.