Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-08
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
THE FIRE OF THE FOURTH.

DestructIon OF bush g. SONS store
mousse with Its COntents-A sup
posed Case OF Spontaneous Conn
buIstion.
An alarm of fire about z 30 O'Clock Sun
day evening attracted general attention to
dense volume nf smoke arising from
George W. Bush Il Sons storehouse, on
French street wharf. There was hardly
perceptible current of air not rising to the
dignity of breeze, upon which the
smoke cloud continually growing denser
and darker, foated lazlly toward the
northeast enyelopinp the p, W. b.
depot and the region adjacent in sitting
cloud almost impenetrable to the sight.
The fire department resp oaded promptly
10 the alarm. az did also thousands of men,
women and children. who crowded the
tops of shedding aud fences, swermed over
the adjacent coal railway, despite rumors
of GOAL oil and Qunpowjer liable to explode
any moment, aud focked on the decks of
barges and RATS moored near by. Market
street bridge aud Weldins wharf, on the
south side of the creek, were also filed
with spectators.
For time il looked as II the engines
would be able to c0Dfine tho fire to the
upper story of the building, but about
half-an-hour after the fight between the
fire and water was commenced the flames
shot triumphantIy upward through the
roof aud nothing more could be done
after that but to prevent their extension.
Seen from the other side OF the creek
the sight at this time was one worthy the
pencil of Turner The violet sky, the
sluggish cloud OF very thick and
very black smoke, forming dark
frame around the flashing flames; to
the right of the picture II row of fire
engines sending each fountain of sparks
high into the ar below, tine water of the
creek, inky black save where the mirrowed
flames formed bridge of seeming fire
across which an occasional boat padded,
its occupants looking black and unreal in
the strange light.
About g. 80 part of tho roof fell in and
about an hour later another portion fell
with a crash that reminded timid speota-
tors of the gunpowder said to be stored in
the building. BY 10 o'clock the fire was
pretty well extinguished, though it con
tinued TO burn more or less all night
The storehouse WAS two-story frame
building, ebout 100 by 60 feet and was
filed with merchandise belonging to
different parties. The upper story in
which the fire originated was filed with
bsled rags belonging to Jessup Il Moore
and some broom corn belonging to Finck
~ Conrad. The smoke was first seen by
some boys who were in swimming and
who gave the alarm. The Waterman stated
that no went through the building about
. 80 p. M, and discovered nothing wrong,
though the fire must have been shoulder
ing tor hours.
1t is generally believed that the fire
originated from spontaneous combustion.
There was some talk of man being seen
leaving the building 10y the rear shortly
before the fire, but the part Of the build
ing where the fire evidt ntly started makes
the theory of incendiarism very doubtful
The barge Geat,Jy. which was lying at
the wharf and fortunately had not been
unloaded was moved to u place OF safety
in the early part of the evening.
The loss on the building is about - ,000
covered by insurance policies of vi 800 in
the Royal, of Liverpool 81 800 in the
Farmers Mutual, 81 325 in the New
CASTLE County aud s 800 in the Delaware
Fire Insurance. Company. There is also a
small insurance on the hoistirg machinery.
The Messrs Bush carried no insurance
on the freight stored in the building, the
loss Of which consequently falls upon the
consignees, the express goods having beer
all delivered Among tho losers are the
following:
Jessup IL Moore, about 600 bales Of
rags, damaged about % per cent OF theil
value; insured.
Joseph Bancroft & Sons, about S20t
worth of flour, badly damaged, und l.
barrels of Kaolin not much injured
Carey X Mari, 10 barrels of -four, badl,
damaged; loss, estimated, 800.
w. d. Pickles, 60 barrels of flour, badl,
damaged loss, estimated, 300; insured
for 5000
The -four belonging to these two partie
IN mostly of high grade and no damaged
w water and smoke as to be probabl,
=, 'urlhleas for bakers or household uae.
'ohn Ferry, 80 barrels of pitch, almos
uni, iured two or three tons of roofing
paper, badly damaged.
lam " Oonnor, LOCO pounds eurle'
hair slil dtlY damaged, - ..
Francis 81 Supple, % barrels OF vneea
undamage I; lot of salt supposed to b
Harvey A. .Sislet, $50 sacks of salt sup
posrd to be bs diy damaged.
George Finck, 10 bales of broomcorn
slightly damaged. Conrad bales o
broomcern, slightly damaged
Several boxes uf marble statuary, be
longing to Col. II S, M!Oomb, wsre i
the warehouse. having heen stored Their
for many months. II is thought that thi
statrary has escaped injury but bein
buried in the general wreck nothing ca
vet be learned about it.
EARLY yesterday morning, Harry Lap
with force of eight men set to work
erect ON the wharf temporary shed abou
30 by ~ feet for the transaction of Bush
freiehtine business during the interv'
which will elapse before the debris can /
cleared away aud the storehouse rebuilt.