Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-01
PHILADELPHIA FLAMELIT
FIVE CONFLAGRATIONS RAGING
AT ONE TIME.

FIVE CONFLAGRATIONs RAGING
AT ONE TIME.
A Chemical Works Covering a Whole
Block DestrOyed-An Explosion in the
Midst Ofthe Fire, and the Streets Filled
with Burning Liquids-Hundreds of
People Panic Stricken and Fleeing.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 29.-Five fires oc.
Cured during the night in this city. The
wind blew almost gale, and, owing to
this cause and the great distance between
the various points whence came the
alarm, the ti:emen found much trouble in
/ keeping the flames under control, The
most destructive was that at the chemi-
cal works Of Powers & Weightman. the
largest of the kind in the country, which
! were totally destroyed. The loss at this
! place wilkbe over 81 ZOO, 900.
| ENGINES ALMOST UNOBTAINABLE.
! PHILADELPHIA, Feb. %, P. M.-Tbe
! chemical works comprised a number of
brick buildings covering the entire block
bounded by Ninth, Parish, Brown and
Knox streets. The fire was first discov-
| cred at 12:40 o'clock this morning, but the
| alarm was not responded to because the
only engines in that fire district were al
| ready engaged in combating alsimilar fire
at the woolen mills at Second street and
| Lehigh avenue. One of the two engines
which answered the first call came from
| Washington avenue, distance OF nearly
TWO miles. One alarm after another was
struck, and at 2:l5O'clOck general alarm
was sounded. The fremen responded as
promptly as possible, but they were
weary after working at one fire after
another. and the fires burning in various
sections of the city made it appear that
their work was endless. They were be-
numbed with cold, but were successful in
Keeping neighb0ring buildings well soaked
with water, as the wind enVelOped them
In perfect storm of sparks and cmders.
| THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD PANIC
STRICKEN.
BY B O'Clock the chemicals seemed to
| burn with such extraordinary fierceness
ana the hre was evidently spreading so
rapidly that residents in the neighborhOOd
left their houses in alarm and sought
refuge IN the houses of their neighbOrs.
These people in turn fled as the fire pro-
gressed, but the police, fearing that the
flight of so many people would result
seriously, eXerted themselves to keep
them IN their houses.
FEARS OF AN EXPLOSION.
So many, however, were under the i'm
preston that a terrible explosion was IL
able to occur at any moment in some part
OF the works that it was difficult to induce
them not to risk the lives OF their child
ren by taking them out on such night.
IL was believed, even by the firemen, that
If the flames reached the building at 9th
and Parish streets, which was said to be
packed with explosive chemicals, the
city for many squares around would be
shattered.
THE EXPLOSION.
At this time the entire square seemed
to be one vast sheet of flame, and soon
after O'Clock an explosion Of fusil took
place. The burning fluid ran through the
streets, and the tiremen called upon the
citizens to help them in rescuing their en-
glnes and hose carriages from the river of
blazing oil.
NEW FUEL FOR THE FLAMES.
The oil soon burned itself out, but the
flames had spread across an alleyway to
flve-stOry brick building known as the
chemical department, stored with large
quantity of combustible material 1t was
In this building that bismuth, mOrphia.
potash, soda, and other preparations were
made and stored. The building. together
with all its contents, was entirely de-
strOyed.
THE FURY AND ITS SEQUEL.
SIGa0llX
umphed 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 O'Clock until noon the
progress OF the fire was simply that of the
gradual destruction Of all the infiammable
matter within the confines already de-
scrlbed, and there was no fear of it's
spreading.
FALLING WALLS.
The walls kept crashing down from time
to time during the early morning, but as
this was not unexpected and the streets
having been properly rOped off no one was
hurt. Some neighbOring houses had their
roofs and fronts damaged by the fire or by
falling walls, though the way in
which they were drenched with water
during the night prevented their total de-
structIOn. That portion of the building
still standing is covered with ice, and
though the fire was still burning in the
ruins at noon, there was no danger of
another outbreak Of the flames.
ESTIMATES OF THE LOSSES AND INsUR-
ANCE.
1t has been impossible so far to obtain
from any one connected with the firm any
ldea OF the value OF the machinery or
STOCK, either In detail or round figures. !
The general estimates. h8Wever, vary
from 100000 to 81, 800, 900. From other
sources it is learned that the buildings.
machines and stock were insured for over |
100000, OF which $215,000 was in home !
companies.
THE EFFECT ON THE PRICE OF QUININE.
AS result of the burning of Powers & !
Weightman's chemical factory and ware |
mousse New York dealers in foreign qui- |
nlne to-day put up the price from 81 35 to
81 80 per ounce.
THE OTHER FIRES.
The other fires in progress when the |
alarm was turned in from the Chemical |
Works are mentioned below:
The store Of Coon Bros. & Co. produce !
commission merchants at No. 80 South
W ater street, was damaged to the extent
of $4,000.
About the same time the Rehoe carpet
mill, at Lehigh avenue and Palethorpe
street, and three or four dwellings adj !
of $4,000.
The other fires were not so serious, but |
the frequent alarms served to distract the |
nremen and test the department to its |
fullest capacity. Every fire company in !
the city was in service at one time with |
one exception, the company at Frankfort. |
1t being left there as a precautionary |
measure 10 protect the great number of |
mills in that section.
hA@AA ANho oOA4o Al ANOIHkk flkEs
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 20, II P. NJ
Another fire broke out about 7 O'Clock |
this evening in Rogers lamp, oil and |
crockery store, at No. 422 South-second |
street, said to have been caused by an ex-
ploslon of coal oil. The flames spread |
rapidly, and Philip B. Kelley and his wife, |
Emma, who occupied the third floor, found |
their escape cut off, and jumped from a |
window to the pavement, Mrs. Kelly re- |
ceiying fracture of the skull. from which |
she is not expected to live, and her hus- !
band having his right ankle fractured. |
Both were removed to a hospital.
SEVEN STORES AND MANY SMALL. BrrTID-
INGS.
WILMINGTON, N. c., Feb. 29-SnAcial |
adyices from Laurinburgh report thRfi |
there this morning destroyed seven stores |
and lot of smaller buildings. The prin- |
cipal sufferers are II. F. NorthrOp, L. A. |
Monroe, DR.. Fry, D. A. McAllister. F.
Crouch. Il, j. Black and L. A ParLnr