The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-08-05

The most destructive fire within the limits of
Philadelphia since the great conlagration of
1850 that destroyed 800 buildings, ragged last
night, not stones throw from the Delaware
front, close by our heaviest shipping ware
houses; and before the flames could be subdued
the large bonded warehouse known as the Patter-
4 son Stores, containing many thousand barrels of
whisky, was a mere shell OF tottering walls.
THE WAREHOUSE.
in the year 1854, Mr.. John Allen. famous
builder, was called upon to erect n series of
Stores for Colonel William c. Patterson, who is
probably one of the most astute business men in
1.-THE community. Every care was taken in the
y "details, and the buildings were pronounced to
q be and were always referred to as the fire proof
Istores. The buildings were nine in number, sit
ruated on the east side of Front street, extending
east to Penn street, and having also n front on
Lombard street, from Front to Penn. They were
designated by letters from to II. They extended
along Front to Lombard street 300 feet and
along the latter $50 feet. They were of brick,
with iron columns on the first story. They were
five stories high on Front and six ON Penn street.
kthe grade descending from the former
street. The walls of the buildings were eighteen
inches in thickness throughout, and each build
ing was distinct from the other to great extent.
The partition walls were solid from the cellar
foundation upwards, and the connections were
by arched doors; but each one OF them had solid
iron doors. always closed. Every window was
protected by iron window-shutters and these
were invariably closed at night. The build-
ing the northeast corner OF Front and
Lombard streets was used on the lower floor
as business Office for Colonel Patterson, and
i it contained the boilers of the establishment,
while the upper stories were also stored with
whisky. In former days Athese stores were
used principally for the storage of sugar, mo-
Masses and cotton; but since the close of the war
vast amounts of whisky have been placed in
4 them by the United States Government and Il
number of individual firms. The number of
n IL l-aVNt In bond in
house is variousy estimated at from twenty to
forty thousand barrels seven thousand barrels
being taken in yesterday in bond.
Il On Lombard street, twenty feet east of Front
&street, the boilers were located. The machinery
used in the building consisted of powerful ee-
yators to hoist and lower goods; consequently
the boilers were of much power. They were
located beneath the pavement, or, rather, in the
vault. The fire-roOm connected with the offices
by steps. At the time of the going into effect of
the late revenue law, requiring all liquors to be
guaged by II certain time in June last, there was
50 600 worth of liquors in the stores. Some
of this had of course been withdrawn, but addi-
lions have also been made from time to time,
and it is safe to estimate the value of the liquors
I'm the stores last evening at that amount at
peast.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The singular incidents attending the breaking
out of the conllagration were first noticed shortly
before o'clock on Wednesday evening. At
}that time Mr.. Underdown, Mr. Haas and seve-
were startled by loud, rumblng noise. like
"A the clamor of many heavy teams over the cob
q ble-stones, coming from the whisky warehouse.
= This building had been closed, as usual, at
p NJ, left in charge of the fireman and engi-
Il neer and all work suspended. These gentle
4 men, attracted by the sight OF passers-by run
"a ming in all directions hastcned to Lombard
81 street. They arrived in time to see the gable
# end of the Lombard street front, extending
81 from Front to Penn, with one mighty surge,
n crumble into fragments and topple over into
4 the street. Almost in moment the upper three
Fl stories were a shapeless mass OF bricks and
II mortar. AS this wall fell many barrels of
whisky piled up in these upper floors, descended
with heavy thuds striking against the outhang-
81 ing joists, while streams OF the liquor flowed
from the bung-holes upon and into the debris:
Quiet had scarcely been restored ere terrible
E report was heard from the dismantled building,
III followed instantly by a bodily upheava of the
81 lower stories yet standing; and scarce had the
Il gigantic power torn out the foundations, ere the
III force of gravity brought the many tons Oi
material to the highway, blocking up Lombard
"A street for two hundred feet with a runous mass
"a fifteen feet high. The southern compartment
No. 425 South Front street. was thus totally de-
tstroyed in less time than the pen can describe
Ne thrilling horror of the scene.
n BURSTING OUT OF THE FLAMES.
W few moments prior to this last explosion o
NJ bright flash was seen among the debris; and as
81 hundreds of barrels of whisky now falling burst
out and showered streams all around, cuRn9
i'm a hundred spots. The volatile vapor of the
M exposed whisky acted as myriad of torches, and
ere the alarm reached the Central Police Station
M at two minutes before z O'clock this whole
compartment was mass of flames. All the
M available force Of the Second Fire District was
W speedily on the spot and steam fought fire with
IN passionate ardor. For ninety minutes ii seemed
as If the tames could be throttled and eXtin.
gushed, but then the fiery element gained the
control.
THE SECOND COMPARTMENT.
W AT $50 the intense heat caused by the burning
OF the rubbish and contents of what was tht
W corner store so heated the centre walls of In,
+ second store that it took fire. Water was throw
upon the second store and streams continued I,
be poured upon the debris of the corner store
and for time 1t seemed that the efforts to sub
due the flames were successful. These hope
were soon blasted, however, for the fire brol0
gut in all portions of the building. Soon por
tiOn Of the wall on Lombard street, triangular il