St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-01
THE FIRE DEMON.
Philadelphia Yesterday the Scene of
Disastrous CONGREGATIONS.
Powers Weightman's Chemical Works
Completely Destroyed With Loss
Of Over a Million.
The Streets Turned Into Rivers of Flame
Through the Bursting of the Oils.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 29.-Five fires occur
red during the night. Owing to the violence
of the wind, and the great distance between
the various alarms, the fremen found much
trouble in keeping the flames under control.
The most disastrous was at the chemical
works of Powers & Weightman, the largest
of the kind in the country, which were totally
destroyed. The loss at this place viii be over
81, 000, 000 The fire was first discovered
about o'clock, but the alarm was not re-
sponded to, becaue the only engines in that
fire district were already engaged in combat
ing a similar fire in the wool mills, at Second
and Lehigh avenues. One of the two
engines which answered the first call came a
distance Of nearly two miles from the store
of Coon Bros. d Co., produce commission
merchants No. 90 South Water street, which
was damaged $40, 600. About the same time
the Echo carpet mill at Lehigh avenue and
Palethorpe street. and three or four dwellings
adjoining were destroyed, involving loss Of
$50. 600 The other fires were not'so serious,
but the frequent alarms served to distract the
fremen, and to tax the department to its
fullest capacity. Every fire company in the
city was in the service at one time, with one
exception, at Frankfort, left as a precaution-
ary measure, to protect the great number of
mills in that section. At 2:15 a. m. gen
eral alarm was sounded, and the firemen re-
sponded as promptly as possible, but were
weary after working at one fire after another,
and the fires burning in various
sections of the city made their
work appear endless. They were
benumbed with cold but they succeeded in
keeping the neighboring buildings soaked
with water, as the wind enveloped them in
perfect storm of sparks and cinders. By g
O'Clock the chemicals seemed to burn with
such extraordinary fierceness, and the fire
was evidently spreading so rapidly, that the
residents of the neighborhood left their
houses, under the impression that terrible
explosion was liable to occur at any moment.
It was difficult to calm them and induce
them not to risk the lives of their children
by exposing them in such night.
At this time the entire square seemed TO
be vast sheet of flame, and soon after three
explosions of fusil oil occurred. The burn
ing fluid ran through the streets, and the
fremen called upon the citizens to help
to rescue the engines and the hose carriages
from the river of blazing oil. The oil soon
burned itself out, but the flames had spread
across the alley way to the five story brick
building, stored with large quantity of
combustible materials. The building,
with all its contents, was entirely
destroyed. Up to O'Clock the flames steadily
triumphed over all opposition, lighting up
the entire city, while the neighboring streets
were blocked with panic stricken residents,
removing their goods to places of safety.
From 5 until noon, the progress of the fire
was confined to the burning infam-
mable matter, within the confines already
described. Some of the neighboring houses
had their roofs and fronts damaged by the
fire and falling walls, but thorough drench-
ing with water during the night prevented
| their total destruction.
1t has been impossible, so far, to obtain
from anyone connected with the firm, any
idea of the value of the machinery or stock
| The general estimates, however, vary from
| $1,000 900 to 81, 100000, and put the insur
ance at $500, 900, of which S215, 900 is in this
city, and the remainder in New York an(
eastern and foreign companies.
The members of the firm will make NJ
statement as to the loss or insurance. 1t ha
been ascertained that ON one portion of TIT
property destroyed there is an insurance O
$500, 900, distributed among large number
of foreign and home companies. The tota
| loss WILL SIcdIl1 cACCcu huC VI 1uSul
ance. The firm state, it is impossible t.
form an estimate of the loss, owing to thu
large number and varying cost and characte
of the articles under manufacture. Amone
the principal articles are quinine and NOR
phia, iodine, bromide and chloroform. Thi
was the largest establishment of the kind il
the country, and dealers in quinine in New
York, to-day put UP the price from $1.35 tt
S1.55 per ounce.
| OTHER BLAZES.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich, Feb. ga fire il
Traverse City this morning burned Hasken'
book store, the United States express office, ant
Western Union telegraph office. Loss, $10,-
600; partially insured. Nothing was saved
AMEsBURY, Mass, Feb. 29.-The UnioI
block and two adjoining buildings burned
to-day. Loss, $4,000.
Lorraine, o., Feb. "a fire this morn
ing damaged the Joel Hayden Brass com
panys works to the extent of S35, 900; full.