The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-28
THE PHILADELPHIA FIRES.
Destruction Of the Steam Sugar Reanery-Im-
nense Lcss-Firemen Injured by
slfs the Falling Walls. gs,.

81 w tAl ~ ~ : SAA>Ao I" 'A~"' Isl 1907
from the Philadelphia Press, July al y
Our city was visited last evening with one 6f the
most destructive conaagsations which have ave; s *
years. A noble building, the scene Of industry
and the centre Of capital, has been leveed to the
ground 10 few short hours by the fire 6end, and
nothing now remains 10 mark the spot but totter-
Ing walls and mass Of smouldering rubbish.
THE SCENE OF THE FIRE. av Hih
The Pennsylvania Steam Sugar Refinery, stand
ing at the corner OF Grown and Race streets, Is
one of the oldest ~ 1t 10 one OF the largest manu-
factories of sugar in the city. For fifty years II
has stoed q lasting monument of busy industry,
afIording honorable occupation to hundreds and
employing In its operations immense amounts OF
capital aud labor. The building was magnih-
cent structure, $50 by 100 feet In dimensions,
standing five stories in height on Race street and
seven on Grown. The lower portion of the corner
of Crown and Race streets was used as an Office.
The rest Of the immense building was used in the
manufacture ofsugar from the crude material, and
in the storage Of the article thus produced. On
Race street, Immediately to the east Of the office
is an arched way leading to the boilers, and also
used for the carriage of the manufactured sugar.
At this point, about quarter to seven o'clock
last evening, the fire, which afterwards proved so
disastrous in its results, originated, 1t is supposed,
in alot Of wood lying behind the furnaces. The
flames soon spread throughout the entire struc
ture and in less than quarter of an hour the
flames were beching from every window in
manner defying description, and attracting to the
sounded and the Fire Department were soon on
the ground. His Honor Mayor Fox, together
with Chief Mulholland and large detachment of
police, were on the spot at an early hour, and to
protection of life and OF the surrounding pro-
perty. Gordon of policemen was soon
formed and the streets were cleared as
If by magic, the arrangements being of
most admirable description and largely assist
ing the Fire Department in their jealous and
untiring exertions to stop the progress of the de-
vastating element. The building was situated in
a manner the most admirably adapted to assist
the remen in reaching its every point, but the in
fammable nature Of the interior and its contents
defed all the efforts of the boys to extinguish the
flames or to stop their progress from story to story
and from one end Of the building to the other. All
efforts to prevent the devastating advance of the
insatiate flames proving unavailing, the attention
OF the fremen was directed to saving the sur
rounding property--a work Of extreme difficulty,
but in which they, most surprisingly and beyond
all expectation, succeeded.
At nine o'clock the fire In the refinery was well
under CONTROL and the progress Of the destructive
element was checked in every direction. A fire SO
astonishlngy rapid In Its strides and all-embracng
In its destruction has never been witnessed in our
city, and could scarcely be credited were the facts
not as stated. utf
The REFINERY.
The building, as above described Is complete
wreck, and Is total loss, nothing being saved but
the more valuable papers and accounts The
working hands of the establishment have been, all
told, leo. Twenty-Five of these were in the build
ing, employed at night work and in service as
watchmen and the like, at the time that the con-
fagration broke out. number of them were in
the fifth story and made their escape from this
height with extreme difficulty.
The establishment was in full blast up to the
time of the breaking out Of the fire, the business
season being at its height, and there being full
stock In the building of manufactured material and
that in progress Of manufacture. The, esta bsh-
hall, Borie & Co., composed Of the folio wing mem
bers:-Gilbert II. Newhall, Frederick G. Newhall,
II. l.. Newhall and John j. Borie. The building,
including the machinery, was valued at 100000.
The stock on hand, crude and manufactured, was
valued, in addition, at $500 900.
Upon the entire loss there is an insurance of
100000 in various companies, whose names at
present cannot be ascertained. There were ten
Harrison and Wiegand respectively, and well
known as safety boilers OF the most approved
construction. The building was purchased by the
firm some fifteen years ago, since which time it
just putting in q lot Of fine machinery, which of
course is q total loss.
THE FAILING WALLS.
At eight O'Clock the walls began to totter, and
at few minutes after eight the Race street wall
fell ont with terrible crash. At hafpast eight
the Crown street wall fell out into the street
with like crash, in6icting severe injuries upon
o number Of the fremen standing around. The
left standing of the building but the strongly
braced corner-wall and a portion of the wing.
His Honor the Mayor, observing a number Of
men standing near q wall which was al
their arrest as the safest way TO assure their
safety. A few minutes afterwards and the wall
tumbled over on tho very spot from which the
reckless fremen had just been forced. The Mayor
availed himself of the kind offer of Dr. l.. II. Adj
Ter to attend with medical aid the wounded men,
Of whom large number were constantly being
carried from the burning building, and this gen.
teman was thus enabled to render efficient service
to the sufferers.
THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY.
The large brick building at the northwest cor
ner of Fourth and Race streets was at one time in
imminent danger from the flames, but by num-
Der of welldirected streams came Off with but
slight damage by fire, although the loss by water
to the various occupants Of the structure very
heavy. The first floor of No. 202 was occupied by
the United States Paint Works, under the firm Of
William Waterfall Il Co. This firm escaped with
but slight damage, and that by water. No. 2O4
is occupied by Ignatius Kohler as a German pub
fishing house and book store. This gentleman
also occupies the second floor. The water was
commencing to drip through at the time we
left, and tue loss by this destructive element
cannot be computed until the amount Of the dam.
age is seen. No. 2O6 is occupied by Bamberger &
Eilerman, liquor dealers. Their damage by fire
and water is considerable. The insurance patrol
were early at work here, and rendered efficient
aid in saving much valuable property from de.
struotion. No. EOS is occupied by Altemus & Co.,
bookbinders and dealers III stationery, who carried
on their business in The store on the first floor
and in the fourth and 9th stories. Their loss by
fire and water will amount to $4,000, which is
fully covered by insurance. No. pa is occupied
by Michael Daily for tho manufacture and sale Of
matches. The loss by water is naturally very
heavy, upon which there is no insurance. No. ZIG
is occupied by Teal 4 Brother in the manufacture
and sale OF furniture. The back of the building
was destroyed. entailing a loss Of 1000. In
cured in the Fire Association aud the FRANKLIN.
No. 2ls is occupied by G. II. Blittersdorf for
the sale Of cutlery. The back building was
slightly damaged by fire. Loss $780, The bakery
of Charles Christian No. 220, was slightly injured
by sparks falling Oh the roof. Nos. 222, occupied
by Henry Eggling ZIG, Miss Ecksten 22S, Mr..
Swartz; 1872, Frederick Brecht; 230, Mr.. Stone,
were also damaged, by their roofs taking fire and
by water. A number of other houses in the
vicinity also suffered more or less from the same
cansea On CrnNn slraat The dwelling nccunied