The Morning herald., 1878-03-27
PHILADELPHIA'S GREAT FIRE.
A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROPERTY
DESTROYED.

MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF PROPERTY
DESTROYED.
Between the hours OF nine o'clock Monday
night and two o'clock this morning about
one million dollars worth of property in
the Sixth ward was destroyed by fire. The
confagration was one of those old.fashioned
affairs such as 1t is happily the fortune Of
Philadelphians not to be called upon TO wit
pess more frequently than once In genera.
tion. 1t was the hardest nights work the
members of the paid fire department have
ever had, for 1t certainly was the fercest
and swiftest cont1agration that they have
yet been called upon to grapple with. In
ali, nearly two score Of buildings, many of
them dwellings, were consumed.
The fire broke out few minutes after 9
o'clock in Autographed establishment, at
the go outheast corner of Fourth and Cherry.
located In block of seven fve>st nv, iron
front stores, known as the Ketterltnus
block, which were erected eight years ago
on the sits of the old Zion German Lutheran
Church. The flames spread with marvel
ous rapidity, and fed by the combustible
nature OF the material IN Mr.. WampoIe's
store, adjacent, soon envelopGd the entire
building A strong March wind famed the
flames, and bore them to the adjoining
buildings In the Ketterlinus block.
SO brightly was the sky Illuminated that
people from localities as distant as the
regions of the Navy Yard, Kensington and
West Philadelphia were attracted from their
homes by the bright glare. When tha fire.
men reached the ground they found their
force inadequate and the fire beyond their
control. Ascend alarm brought reinforce
ments. and finally the whole department,
including the companies from all the
suburban districts, were summoned to the
scene. Nevertheless at 10 O'Clock the
confagration was at the mercy of the wind,
and was spreading itself on eych side to
such an extent as to give promise of another
Chicago disaster.
So intense was the heat that few minutes
later portion of the iron front of the
Kstterlinus block gave way, crashing into
the street, almost against the fronts Of the
buildings directly opposite. As the walls
came tumbling down the loud crash
resounded for squares around as distinctly
10 clay OF thuaier, and myrlads of sparks,
rivaling any pyrotechnc display In their
effect, swarmed upward from the burning
mass and alighted upon the roofs OF
surrounding property. Some clnders went
flying eastward as far as the river, striking
terror among property owners and tenants
Water was carried on the roofs of houses ia
bucketsful, wet blankets were hung out,
and all the other amatuer devices for
averting the flames were employed
The wind was restless and unsteady, and
consequently panic pervaded, by turns, In
every direction around the burning district
Householders became alarmed for their
personal effects, and began to carry or pi ch
them into the streets for safety Women
and children who occupied the domiciles oi
the adjacent courts were almost frantic with
excitement. Many of them had been aroused
preciptately from their slumbers and run
into the street unclad, and crying. It was
scene of terror never to be forgotten by
the throDgs who witnessed it, and were
almost powerless to.lend aid.
Finally Boreas settled bimself for the
eastward, and the confagration made In
thst direction. The courts and alley to the
east of Fourth street were in imminent
danger. Five or six three story dwellings
in Loxley's court we're considerably dam.
aged. Some of the eastbound sparks DID
not descend until they had arrived at Second
street.
About thirty factories, stores and dwell
nngs were burned to the ground, and other