The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-03-01
SIX FIRES IN PHILADELPHIA
A Night of Great Anxiety for Citizens
and Hard Work for Firemen.
The Extensive Chemical Works Of Powers &
Wightman Entirely Destroyed, Involy-
ing Loss of Million and Half.
A GREAT FIRE
Total Destruction of Powers s. Weightman's
Chemical Works.

Cnem1caI " OrkS.
PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 29-Five fires occurred
during the night. Owing to the violence of the
wind and the great distance between the vari-
Gus alarms the iremen 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 was totally destroyed. The loss
at this place is over 81, 0OO 000 The fire was
first discovered about l o'clock, but the alarm
was not responded to, because the only engines
in that fire district were already engaged in
combating another fire in the wool mills at
Second and Lehigh avenue, One of the two
engines which answered the first call came a
distance of nearly two miles The store of Coon
Bros. G. Co. produce commission merchants, No.
% South Water street, were damaged $40, 900.
About the same time the Echo Carpetrnill, at
Lehigh avenue and Palethrope street and three
or four dwellings adjoining were destroyed, in
volving a loss of So, 600 The other fires were
not SO serious, but the frequent alarms served
to distract the firemen and tax the department
to the fullest capacity. Every fire company in
the city was in service at one time, with one ex-
ception that at Frankfort left as a precaution-
airy measure to protect the great number of
mills in that section. AT 2:l5 a general alarm
was sounded. The fremen responded prompt
ly as possible, but were weary after working on
one fire after another, and the fires burning in
various sections of the city made their work ap-
pear endless They were benumbed with cold,
but succeeded in keeping the neighboring build
ings soaked with water as the wind enveloped
them in perfect storm of sparks and cinders.
By 3 o'clock the chemicals seemed
| 10 dive, Ean
and the fire was evidently spreading
so rapidly, that the residents in the neghbor-
hood left their houses under the impression that
a terrible explosion was liable to occur at any
moment. 1t was difficult to calm them and in
duce them not to risk the lives of their children
| by exposing them to such night At this time
the entire square seemed to be vast sheet of
flame, and soon after ) o'clock explosions Of
fusil oil occurred The burning fluid ran
through the streets and the firemen called upon
the citizens to help rescue the engine and 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 a large quantity of com
! bushbe materials The building with all its
| contents, was entirely destroyed. Up to 5
o'clock the flames steadily triumphed over all
opposition lighting up the entire
with panic-stricllen residents moving their goods
| to places of safety. From o'clock until noon
the progress of the fire was confined to burn
| ing infammable matter within the confines
already described, and there was no longer fear
of it spreading. Some neighboring houses had
their roofs and fronts damaged by the fire and
falling walls, but thorough drenching with
water during the night prevented their total de-
! struction.
Tt has been impossible, so far, to obtain from
any one connected with the firm any value of
the machinery stock. General estimates,
however, vary from 81. 900, 900 to 81 500 000 and
put the insurance at $500, coo, of which $215, 900
is in this city the remainder in New York. East
ern and foreign companies.
Members of the firm will make no statement
as to the loss or insurance. 1t has been ascer-
tanned that on a portion of the property de-
stroyed there is an insurance of 1920, 000 dis
tributed among large number of foreign and
| home companies. The total loss will greatly ex-
coed the amount of insurance. The firm state
that it is impossible to form estimate of the
loss owing to the large numbers varying cost
and character of articles under manufacture,
among the principal articles of which are qui-
nine and morphia, iodine, bromide potash and
chloroform. This was the largest establishment
of the kind in the country, nddealers in foreign
| quinine in New York, to-day, put up the price
| from 81 35 to ST. 80 per ounce