The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-03-01
THE EIERCEST FLAMES
THAT HAVE VISITED PHILADELPHIA
~. = y x. TT has A d. r 30 ~. .tl f. =
FOR Number OF Ytars-.Over ono Million aud
Half Dollah Worth Of Property Destroyed.
Five PjrtAia The paaksr CITY Try the
IH 4i BtaJlnk Powers Of the Fisemen.

PHiLADFLr,'iA, February 2o.-Five Gres
occurred during tho night, and, owing te
tho violence Of the wind and tho great dis
tance between the various ala'ms, tic
iremen found much trouble in keeping
the flames under control. The most de.
stFuctive waa at the chemical works 0!
Powers & Wivhtman, tho largest Of the
kind in the country, Which were totally
destroyed. The loss will be over 81, 100000.
The tire was first discovered about o'clock,
but the alarm was not responded to be-
cause the only engints In that fire diatrict
were already engaged in combating a
similar fire in the wool mills at Second and
|Lehigh avenaes I, 0ae; Of thestwo engines
which answered the fire call came dis
tance OF nearly two miles. The store Of
Coon Bros Il Co., produce commission
merchanta, No. 20 South Water street, was
damaged $4,000. niErgbl}i
About the same time the Echo carpet
mill at Lehivh avenue and palaihorpe
street anu three or four dwellings adjoin-'
ing were destroyed, involving loss OF S25,-
Q0O. The other fires were not 80 ssrious,
but the frequent alarm8 distracted the tire.
men and taxed the department! to its full
capacity. Every fire company in the city
was in service at one time with one excep.
ton, at Ffankford, left as precautionary
measure to protect the great number OF
mills in that section. AT 2:l5 this morning
y general alarm was sounded and tho fire.
men responded as promptly as possible,
but were weary alter working one lire after
another, and fires burning in various pats
Of the ciiy made their work appear endless.
They were benumbcd with cold but suc,
ceeded in keeping the nciehboring build
ings soaked with water as the wind envel.
oped them In perfect storms Of sparks and
cindels. '&h
PANIC STRICKEN PEOPLE.
By 8 o'clock the chemical works seemed
to burn with such Extraordinary ierceness
and the fire evidently spreading so rapidly
that residents in the neighborhood left
their houses under the impression that a
terrible explosion was liable to occur at
any momeSt. 1t was difficult to calm
them and induce them no. to risk the lives
Of their children by exposing them to such
night. at this time the entire square
seemed to be u ysst sheet Of flame, and
soon after 3 o'clock au explosion OF iusil
oil occurred. The burning fluid. ran
through the streets aud the fremen called
upon the Citizens to help rescue the engines
and hose carriages from the river Of burn.
ing oil. The oil soon burned itself out, bu:
the flames had spread across an al!eyway
TO fve.story brick building stored with
large quantity of combustible materials.
This building with all its contents Was en-.
tirely destroyed.
TIE CITY LIT UP.
Up to 5 O'clock the flames steadily tri.
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 5 until noon the progress
Of the fire was confined to the burning OF
intlammable material within the confines
already described, and there was no fear
OF itB spreading. Some 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. It has been i'm
possible so far to obtain from any one con-
nected with the firm any idea Of the value
Of machinery or rBtock. General estimates,
however, vary from one million to one
million and a halt dollars. 49,
The insurance is over 100000, Of which
s2l5 900 is in this city and the balance in
New York and eastern and foreign offices.