The Morning herald., 1877-01-02
Looal Meters
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.
ExS OLD ~DE1 HIvE DUxHED..
1sp esSy 49,. Rsrtiy Covered ~ 1"s'''-
sass-Wss. Bright 1stS's~s.s He Lose
0sSoo, 49, Ne Lsssrssse.
Last evening, about 8 O'Clock, large
M byoke out In the large building on Or
40, ssrsss, between Fifth and Sixth streets,
known By the Eams Of the "Br- Hivr," OIL
assount ofits bsing occupied BY 80 man!
Ai1srs1t 1rms.
The building 10 owned BY VIM. Bright,
ana was occupied BY On .Do~ney, turner snd
Scroll sawyer; Isaac Pyle, sash aud blind
naksr; FORBES & Bro, wheel makers;
Abbott \ Mckinney, machinists and cot
ton-lsp manutasturers; Smith 4 Breen,
whsasen erits; John W. Gheen, sash, door,
81 blind maker; Mitchell d Wilson, car
psutsn; John g. Hirsell, die maker;
1nor Taylor, wheels aud hubs; Mr.. Hard
>astls, cabinet maker; and in the building
adjsining an extensive axle manufac'or!
vas carried on, ran BY the same engine,
snS owned BY Charles Schmit. On the upper
eide Of the "Dee Hive" is the malt house OF
". O. Ford, partially occupied BY Douohoe
D Robinson, bottlers.
In the afternoon, binding snsw storm
had cot in, and BY the time the irs broke
cut had fallen to dspth Of nearly twelve
inchas.
The flames spread rapidly, and throwed
IL lurid glare all over the city. The sigh
wss grand; the flying sparks and the falling
snow seemed to vie with each other, max
Ing dght ofdazzling spleudor. Had T.
nsk been that the roofs were covered with
snow there would have occurred 10 this
city one of the most destructive hres that
Wilmington has ever been visited with, and
NO doubt, would have destroyed millions
ofdollars worth Of property.
The H1RAlD Office, which 10 not
quite . square away from the seene
of the fre, would have been consumed. The
brave flremen were relieved in turn as they
succumbcd to the severe weather-some OF
them being nearly frozen in their exertions
to got the flames under subjsction; the
water freezing on their hands and clothing.
There seems to b conflicting accounts
concerning tho origin of the nre. Mr.. Rob-
ert Rogers, the engineer, says that he and
another gentleman were In the engine room
Immediately before the fire broke out, and
were preparing to 60 homo when the alarm
Of IRE was given; remained in the engine
room until forced out by the flames the
IRE seemed to he In the part Of the building
next to the alley, on the Fifth street side.
Mr.. Abbott, of the nrm of Abbott d Nc
Kinney, said that be remained At the shop
until the IRE broke out, which was about
eo'clock and WAS preparing to 60 home. The
flames appeared to issue from the shops OF
Nv. Gheen, or the engine room, could not
exactly state which. In the alley-way were
three wagons owned by the arm. The one
On the inside WAS ablase.
Mr.. Bright, however, thinks that the nre
originated in Mr.. Gheen's shop, as there
Vas . stove there, which may have beer
overturned, and from 1t caused the ligh
wood and shavirgs to ignite.
The wind WAS blowing from the north.
west, causing the flames to have a south
ward movement. Below this building, OF
Orange street, ts row Of dwellings mum.
bered respectively 5os, occupied by JOSEPH
Valentine; sos, by Joseph Ginder; 5o7. b,
Mrs. Earnest, and 5to by Mr.. Collins. Th,
flames sped onward in its path of destruc'
ton to these dwellings, causing their occu.
pants to tumble their furniture pell mel
into the streets which was piled up alont
residepces on Fifth street in the driftin,
snoW, The roof of 500 was burnt of AM
received severe damage by water, as alet
did No. 5O7, but not 80 badly 40 No. 500
the Others were damaged BY water.
The houses Immediately opposite Of
Orange street, No. 5l4, owned by Leonarl
Hammond, Nos. $40 and 5l2 by ssmue
Miller, No. sic by Charles Schmis, wer
injured by the heat from The flames, scorch
inr the shutters, causing the paint to nee
of. An application of water Dad the etfec
to save this row Of buildings.
kr. Bright, who owned the BUILDING
estimates his loss at $4,000, on which ther
was NO insurance.
John n. Holland, carpenter IN tn
employ of Mitchell & Wilson, loses bis toe
shest and all hts tools.
John W. Gheen, loss unknown, suppose
70 be insured.
Abbott Il Mckinney, between 5000 an
500 no insurance.
q. N. Downey, loss unknown.
Donohue l. Robinson, loss 5000 full
insured.
Isaac Pyle, loss $500.
Forbes q Bro, Smith b Breen, ].
~ CT L. ~