Daily Republican., 1881-08-29
ASUNDAY BLAZE.
A tar Shed in Flsmes aud COmmn'
nicates 60 q, w. Weldln's Lamber

About half past Ave O'Clock yesterday
evening, q thick black smoke shot up
from the southern part OF the city I'M,
mediately followed by a sheet OF lurid
flame. The alarm bell indicated the
neighborhuod of Second and Shipley sts'
az the neighbOrhood most contiguous to
the fire and thither the engines, hose car
riages and the mass Of people hurrie I,
to find that the fire was in 9. Wesley
! Weldin's lumber yard at the South end
of Market street bridge over the Christi
ana. The blackness of the rolling bill
lows of smoke indicated the burning OF
something more combustible than pine
lumber and then it was ascertaine1
that the sheds and material used by
Robert Atkinson for gravel roofing
was where the fire originated
and ragged the hottest. The Fire en-
gines arrived on time and there beng
no fire plugs on that side of the city,
five of the engines located themselves
on Market street bridge and pumped
water from the Christiana. The low
tide in tho river prevented the engines
| from immediately drawing water from
the southern side of the creek though
one of them did succeed in planting 1t.
selt in an eligible location and did good
service. The pumping of fire engines
| located on the bridge made that struct-
ture tremble heneath the.hundreds that
| were pouring across il, and there wer"
many who considering it very unsafe to
cross for fear of impending danger rte
| p;l 'rhn b,l a nd
roofing material being OF "A very com.
| bnIlibe'character were soon consumed
| ard the flames then spread rapidly to
! the lumber piles contiguous belonging
to Mr.. Weldin ani Messrs. Hewes n
| Churchman. but the engines getting into
position several streams OF water wer"
poured simultaneously upon the fire;
if WAS soon under control and the fur
ther spread of the flames was pre-
vented in about halt an hour after they
were h.st discovered. The tirtnen
worked assiduously and did not stop
unti, they had torn down several stacks
OF lumber and thoroughly saturated
them with wafer to prevent further
trouble. Some Goa sheds i'll Mr.. Wei
dir's yard we're burned, and IA conSld-
erahle quantity o; lumber amongst
which Was some saginaw lumber which
bad lust been rnloadci. Some of the
lumber injured, can be used by saving
of the burnt ends, Sc thar none OF the
lumber stacks which were at one time
cnveloped in flames is a total loss.
Rob >rt Atkinson, is away from
th" city ut Doylesto"n, Pa, but II IS
believed that lie is the principal looser,
As he had a considerable amount of ma
teria on hand which is total y consum-
ed. Mr.. Weldin's loss will scarcely "S-
ceAu $500, and it is fully insured in the
following companies Guardian, Q;
London, &75 Hanover, OF New YORK,
500 The Farmers Mutual, of Will
mlngton, $500, and the New Castle
Mutual for $500. Mr.. Atkinson is in
sure,i in the Delaware Mutual, for Sllo,
The loss to Etulen urwes and George
W. Churchman may probably reachSioo
on which there is no insurance as
far as can be ascertained. Mr.. Weldin
is fully convinced that the fire
was the work ofan incendiary and in
this be is backed by the opinion Of
tne public in general. Mr.. Atkinson
was burned out in the same yard some
six or seven years ago.
Owing to the long distance The fire
men had to throw water and the unu-
sual pressure upon the hose several
sections burst and are rendered useless
until repaired at considerable expense
to the fire companies The tiremen are
all commended for their activity and
real in subduing the flames.