The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-08
GREAT FIRE IN PITTsBURG.
DevastatIBE Con fin 1aGratlOn-IIocomotJve Works
BurBed-26 Families Homeless.

BurBe d-26 Families Homeless.
The Pittsburg Chronicle of last evening says
About fifteen minutes past 3 o'clock this
morning fire broke out In small frame
stable on Chestnut alley, near Third street,
South Pittsburg, which resulted in one of the
most destructive conflagrations which has ever
visited the South Side. The alarm was given
promptly, but owing to a deficient supply of
water the flames spread with fearful rapidity,
and were not checked until nearly the entire
block, bounded by Third street on the west
Bingham street on the north Carson street on
the south, and small private alley on the east
was in ashes. Included in the buildings burned
were twenty dwelling-houses, occupied by
twerty-eight families, and the extensive loco
motive works of Messrs. Smith e. Porter, which
was a structureI three stories in height, having
front of forty feet on Bingham street and eX
tending back to Chestnut alley distance of one
hundred feet.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
How the fire originated has not been ascer-
tanned, but it is supposed to have been the work
of an incendiary. The loft of the stable was
filed with hay, aud as soon as the flames
reached it, the fire burned with great ferceness.
The building was Immediately adjoining Messrs.
Smith 81 Porters
LOCOMOTIVE WORKS,
and in a very few moments the flames had COM
municated to that establishment which, being
entirely of frame, rendered the almost super
human efforts of the watchmen and employees
to save the building of no avail. The firm had
taken every preeaution to fguard against fire,
and had also provided hose to be used in such
an event. All these precautions, however, failed
TO prevent the total destruction of the
building, together with ell the valuable
machinery, finished work, stock, and tools. 1t
impossible to give an inventory of the m iterials
on hand, but the firm had made preparations for
an extensive trade during the present year, and
consequently had their establishment we'll filed
with ssock. The boiler-room, blacksmith shop,
ETC., were on the first floor. On the second
floor was the finishiDg-room, and on the third
were the pattern shop and wood department.
Some twelve locomotives, nearly all of light
weight, were in various stages of completion,
and one was SO far completed that arrangements
had been made for shipping it to Wilkesbarre,
it's destination, in day or two. These engines,
together with q large stock of valuable patterns,
were all destroyed, as was also the machinery,
as stated above. The total loss is estimated by
the firm at $4,000, on which there was an in
surance of about $4,000.
THE SPREAD OF THE CONFEDERATION.
The heat from the burning works was, of
course, intense. The large, high building was
a mass of flame rendered the more intense by
the quantity of oil that saturated much of the
wood work. From this burning centre the fire
spread in all directions simultaneously, and
dwelling-houses fronting on Third street, on
Bingham street, and on both sides of Chestnut
alley, opposite and above the locomotive
works. took fire almost at the same time, and
apparently without the immediate agency of
sparks and brands, but from the mere neigh
borhood of the flaming mass near them. The
utmost CONSERVATION prevailed on all sides.
| Twenty dwellings were in flames, and not less
| than twenty-eight families deprived of homes,
! and much of their household goods were in the
! streets, together with other families whose
| homes were in imminent danger.
| LOSS AND INSURANCE.
| 1t is impossible, yet to ascertain, in exact
| figures, the amounts of loss and insurance. The
| loss OF Messrs. Smith & Porter is estimated at
| about seventy thousand dollars On this they
| bad $50 COO Insurance, distributed among the
| following companies, $2500 in each company
| Western of Buffalo, ". Y, Narragansett, OF
| Providence, X. l., Liverpool, Lohdon, and
| Globe, International of New York, Pacific OF
| California, Corn Exchange, of New York. Cleve-
| land Insurance Company, North American OF
| Philadelphia, Hartford of Hartford. Conn.,,
| Hanover of New York, and the Delaware
Mutual, of Philadelphia.
The losses and insurance of the owners of the
rest of the houses and the tenants of the
| buildings could not be ascertained, but will
probably reach $150000.
| INCIDENTS.
While the fire was in progress the wall Of
| Mrs. Cunninghams house, on the south side oil
| Chesnut alley, fell outward, and Captain James
| Conway, of the Mechanics Hose Company, who
was standing directly under it, had barely time
to escape being crushed beneath the falling wall
One woman, who entered one of the burning
| houses to help carry out some of the furniture
heard the cries of little child in the upper
story. She hastened up there and found n bah
| lying in the bed Snatching the little one in he
arms, she had barely time to escape with 1t before
| the flames cut off her egress.
| ---~-1------
NEW YORK LYNCHERS.