The daily gazette., 1883-08-02
A TINDER- lE FIRE.
A FIRE THAT Bio FAIR TO BE
DESTRUCTIVE.
GOOD WORK BY THE FIREMEN.
A Fire Starts in Bullock's Box Factory
and Threatens the Destruction OF an
Entire Row--Jhe FlRmes Subdued.

Il
| liam W. Bullock, at the northeast corner of
| Front and Madison streets, was observed to
be on fire about O'Clock this morning, amt
was not only completely Quilted but for
awhile seriously threatened the safety of
several adjoining properties. The box
/ factory is a two story frame building with a
large one story addition running back
/ to Christiana street, and is the cor
ner property OF a row of two and three story
| frame houses extending from 615 to 827
| West Front street, inclusive. No. 6l5 is
ow ned and occupied by Charles Harper,
and adjoins the old Western Maj ket; No.
| 617 ia owned by the estate of BENJAMIN
| Taylor and is occupied b, George w.
| Lnkuus, No. 619 is oWnsd AID occupied by
Daniel Maier, baker; No. 621 is owned
and occupied by Jacob LLOYD; No,
| 623 is owned by A. NJ. Quimby
q Co., and occupied by Fred Hook; No.
| 625 is owned by Alex. White and occupied
by David Myers, shoemaker; and No. 827,
Bulleck's box factory, Is owned by A. M.
Quiinby a. Co. The entire row was built at
least 40 years ago, and the dry timbers,
| thoroughly seasoned, burned like tinder
When the fire was discovered the alarm
was sounded from box "a at Front and
Justison streets, but when the engines ar
rived the entire interior of the box factory
was mass of flames. The anjoining house
was also burning fiercely while the rear of
Peter Galvin's house, No. GA Christiana
street, was on fire in several places, and
presented an alarming appearance. In ad-
dition, some lumber In the yards of the
Delawars Lumber Company, on the opposite
side of the. street, was also smoking in
threatening manner.
The first water applied was plug stream
from the Weccacoe, and by the judicious di-
,f
was turned towards the houses further up
Front street, which had not yet commenced
to burn, although they were in great dan
ger. This checked the spread of the flames,
and when the engines got into service the
fire in Galvin's house was extinguished,
and the flames confined almost entirely
to the planning mill and the two houses ad-
joining, Nos. 625 and 623. Mr.. Lloyd's
house, No. 621, and also Maier's, bakery,
No. 6l9, were seriously threatened, but the
persistent application of heavy streams of
water prevented their destruction.
The burned buildings were badly Quilted,
and in addition the residences of Fred Hook
and Jacob Lloyd were flooded with water,
entailing a severe loss. The furniture from
these houses, and also most of that
from Myers, adjoining the planning mill,
was removed across the street, and, of
course, sustained considerable damage by
the transfer. Peter Calvin dumped his
furniture into Christiana street, when the
destruction ofaahis house was threatened,
and the residents Of the row of houses on
the north side of Chrihtiana street also put
their furniture on the sidewalk, and pre-
pared for baety AiSht. VI Their fOare
not groundless, as a slight breeze was coming
from the southwest, and for u while
it looked as if the fire would
spread like whirlwind. For
tunately the breeze died out, and this,
coupled with the energetic and well-direeted
efforts of the firemen, put the flames under
complete control. The fight was stubborn
one, as the flames got under the weather
boarding of the building No. 623, invaded
and for awhile threatened to spread
from this house to Maier's bakery.
Under the circumstances IL was
great triumph for the fire department to
keep the fire down as well as they did.
The losses are hard to estimate. The plan
ing factory buildings were worth probably
81 900 or 81 200, but they contained nearly
$40, 900 worth of machinery and $1,000
worth of stock, all of which is probably
ruined. Mr.. Galvin's loss will be 5000 or
$500, and $500 each will doubtless cover the
loss on the houses Nos. 621, 623 and 625.
Messrs. Lloyd, Hoch and Meyers lose con-
on which the former, however, has an iDsur-
ance, as well as on his house. The loss
on all the houses will be covered by insur-
ance, and there was also an insurance on
Bullock's machinery. Daniel Maier, baker,
at No. 619, also had about $50 worth offlour
destroyed by the water which ran into his
cellar.
It was nearly daylight before the fire was
finally extinguished, and heavy shower of
rain relieved the fremen of their duty.
The fire created great excitement In the
neighborhood and drew large crowds of
people from all parts of The city.
Incendiarism is not suspected and the i'm
preston is that the fire originated from the
furnace under the boiler of the planning
mill This establishment has long
been source OF dread to the
people living in the neighborhood, and they
we've not at all surprised when their fears
were at last realized. The frame shed used
as the planning mill was erected in violation
of city ordinance, and when the city author
tiles nterposed promise was
made to sheath the structure with
corrogated iron. The sheathing was
placed upon section about 20 feet
long, on the Madison street side, and no
efforts we're ever made to render the corner
reasonably safe from fire.
The adjoining residents would be much
pleased If in rebuilding the owners are pro-
hibited from patching up the present build.
ings, and compelled to erect brick struct-
ure.
nS
Arrests for July.
Chief of Police Hawkins reports the fol-
lowing arrests for the month of July
nruniy kG drunl nd dianrdprly 40. assault