The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-30
GREAT FIRE In DELAWARE AVENUE.
A Block of warehouses Destroyed.

Shortly after ~ o'clock last night a fire
broke out on Delaware avenue below Vine
street, and the flames, before checked, wrought
great destruction TO property. The fire was con-
fined to a block of six buildings standing by
themselves on Delaware avenue, and extending
back to Water street. They had front Of five
stories on the avenue and four on Water street,
and we're old and substantially built structures.
The flames first made their appearance in the
commission house of William B. Johns & Co.,
No. 2S7 The fire originated among lot Of
Dnachinery in second story, aud spread with re-
markable rapidty, the whole building being
enveloped almost before the few companies that
arrived could get into service.
Another unfortunate fact was, that on reach
ing Third aud Arch streets, number of compa-
nies were informed that the fire was out Market
street, and believing the information to be true,
they turned their course in an opposite dtrec-
ton. Before they had proceeded many squares,
the dense smoke followed by an Illuminated
sky, led them to the scene of the conHagration.
The steamer of the Spring Garden Engine Com
pany was considerably injured by beingrun over
the landing at the foot of Vine street.
The flames extended both north and south with
| great rapidity. Adjoining Messrs. Johns q Co.,
on the SOUTH was the warehouse OF Budd &
| Comfy, commission merchants. The upper por-
| ton OF this building was completely burned out
and the lower portion deluged with water, play
ing havoc with the large stock of grain and flour
| on hand.
| No 1888, to the south of this again, was occu.
| pied by John @. Davis, rag merchant, and shared
q similar fate. The flames upon reaching this
| building burned with the greatest stubbornness.
and batlled the combined exertions Of the fire.
men to stop the progress of the fire, The burn
ing in this building caused dense and suffo-
eating smoke, which considerably interfered
| with the operations of the fremen.
| The damage to the north of Messrs Johns d
Co.'s, the building in which the fire originated
was not so great Adjoining on the north was
! warehouse No. 239, occupied by Tomlinson &
| Hill, commission merchants, and like the other
| buildings extended through to Water street.
The upper portion of the building was occupied
| by j. Shindler Sons, sallmakers The build
ing was completely Quilted out and flooded with
water, and the loss will be heavy.
| No. 24l is occupied by Brown & James, COM
mission merchants, and shared fate similar to
| the other buildings,
No. 243 is occupied by ]. W. Porter & Co.,
| flour and grain merchants, and Nos. 2i5 and 247
occupied by Thos. b. Lancaster Co., commits
| sion merchants The latter establishment SUI
! fered badly from water. The fronts of all the
| BUILDINGS on Delaware avenue are fire proof.
although some of them have been subjected to
such an intense heat as to lender necessary their
| removal.
During the progress of the fire a number OF
| tremen received serious injuries from falls, etc.
| Unfortunately number of the hatchways in the
different warehouses had been left open, and
| several iiremen were precipitated thro ugh. w..
A. SpIskeY, member of the Vigilant Fire Com.
pany, fell through the batchway at Messrs.
| Johns x Co.'s place. and broke both legs, He
was conveyed to the Hospital.
All hatches found open during the progress OF
a fire subject the occupants OF the premises TO a
heavy fine, which goes to the Association for the
| Relief oil Disabled Flremen.
The fire burned with the greatest stubborn
ness, and reminded one OF the terrible conhagra-
| ton which occurred in this immediate neighbor.
| hood in the summer OF 1850.
The FIRE at that time was attended with fearful
| pODspOupucps Several nsiOOg sunnOspl In
| be saitpetre, took place. A number of lives were
lost at the time, and the affair caused gloom
over our city equal to that which followed the
| great coal oil Confagration at Ninth and Wash
ington streets in the early part of last year.
| Tomlinson Hill were heavy sufferers by the
| fire last night. Their store ex.ended from No.
239 N. Water street to No. 244 N. Delaware
| avenue. Among the articles destroyed were 1900
| barrels Of -four, 1900 bushels of wheat, badly
| damaged in an adjoining store, 500 bushels oi
corn 10 tons of mill feed, 200 bushels of rye, and
| u large amount of miscellaneous goods. This
store is on the site of the great conhagraton in
July 1850. The firm is insured in the following
companies: es:-Reliance, of Philadelphia, $4,000;
Mutual, Of Philadelphia, $4,000; NIAGARA, OF New
$500. $500 '4OOO' No''n American 0i Ne" h0rN'
Ressrs. Budd Co. were insured as follows:-
International, of New York, $4,000; County
Insurance, OF Philadelphia, $l0,OO0..
James & Brown are insured in the Delaware
Mutual $751;
lot OF ham, belonging to j. G. Curren & Co.
and George Raphael, In James & Browns, was
insured in the Delaware Mutual.
The following named parties suffered by
| water:-
No. 236 Delaware avenue, Stephen Cox & Co.,
dealers in iruit and produce occupied the first
floor.
No. 23s, Whisky Inspectors Office on second
floor.
No. 242, S. Williamson, W. W. Fesmire, anC
M. @. Paul, Commission merchants.
No. 244, Champion & Souder, country produce
dealers. ..t.
No. 246, Austin & Wood, country produce
dealers.
No. 24s, H. A. Mickle, commission merchant
upper stories are occupied by Il. F. Shannon
sailmaker.
These parties all suffered more or less by
water. The total loss by the fire win be heavy
reaching over 100000, which is generally GOV
cred by insurance.