The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-02-25
RED BLAZES
Lick Up Several Business Houses In
the Wholesale District OF
Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA
Visited by Destructive Fire on Chestnut
Street.

live fire is now burning fercely on Chestnut
street, between Second and Front streets.
The locality is devoted entirely to large ware
houses and business houses.
The FIRE originated in an unknown man.
ner in the fifth story OF the brick structure
No. l25 Chestnut street, occupied by Steph-
enson Il Co., Cars IL Stratton, Richard a,
Blythe, and Garside & Co., dealers in cotton
and wool. After the fire was discovered and
the hsnses burst from the windows, the front
of tn upper stories fell out and crashed
down into the street. The loud noise thus
made caused the rumor that an explosion
had also occurred but il is not yet known
whether or not there was an explosion in the
building.
Wien the wall fell laborer, John Nc
ksy, vss engaged in removing safe from
fhe adjoining building lie was buried under
the falling bricks and instantly killed. A
horse attached 10 8 hose cart, standing in
front of the building was also killed.
The flames spread rapidly to the buildings
on the east, and numbers 12l and 123 Chest
nut street were enveloped. the former
building was occupied by 7. @. Beatty & Co.,
dealers in worsted yarns; the latter by
George n. McFadden & Co., cotton dealers.
So far as known two men were killed at
the scene of the fre-John Mckay or Nc
Cormiek, driver of hose cart, and j. p. Blyer
aged eighteen years
Losses are very heavy. A rough estimate
Ludl IQ6y Will uOL De less tQAQ - UUUUDU.
Nine large business houses are almost cOm-
pletely burn ed out and six others damaged.
Four others incurred losses which many
Thousands of dollars will not repair.
The burned buildings are as follows:
Stephenson & Co., florence c. Beatty Il Co.,
L. Lehlbach & Co., Thielsns Il Co., the Cam
Gen Wooden Works. and G. H. McFadden &
Co. This includes the buildings on the
north side of Chestnut street between Second
and Lititia, excepting the Corn Exchange Ma
1ioDal Bank, which at this honr is not injuT-
ca except in the rear but as the fire is still
burning it is in great danger.
Th, ire spread from the rear of this build
ing to the right and left, and two buildings
on Second street were badly affected. NJ.
Homer & Sons building, Al South Second
street, was totally destroyed, and Pitkn &
Thomas AZ South Second, damaged.
The first building to take fire on Letitia
street was II. II. n. Bennett & Co.'S, No. 81
The flames spread to Reddille & Weiss, No
80; Joseph ". sculls, No. %, and an empty
warehouse, No. 20. The corner building
then became ignited, completing the square.
Destruction of One of the Finest once
Blocks In the City.
CHtcAeo, Feb. ia fra is now raging
with great fury in Grannis block. east side
of Dearborn strest, Just south Of Washing
ton. The fire started at 5:45 this afternoon,
and half an hour later it was found neces-
cary to turn in general alarm. Twelve en-.
gines and a stand-pipe are now playing on
the flames, and an immense crowd of several
thousand people is watching the apparent
destruction of one of the finest of.
fee blocks in the city. It is impos-
sible now to estimate the loss. At
the time the fire broke out the employees
in the offices OF the building were preparing
to leave for the night and as far as learned,
all escaped safely. The fire is said to have
origins ted q. the bottom of the elevator
shaft, where the past week there has been a
new boiler put in and other improvements
made. The latest reports says the Il smes are
not yet out and already the loss by fire ard
water is very considerable.
One hour from the discovery of the fire, it
was plain the whole BLOCK must go. The
flames then burst through the roof aud
brilliantly illuminated the scene for
blocks around. Twenty engines were
now pouring enormous volumes of
water into the burning building yet the
10 suppress them. At SIS the roof fell in,
sending shower of sparks up, and rumor
that the walls were on the point of falling
scattered the crowd in all directions. TIE
material of the roof could now be seen burn.
ing on the fifth floor and the flames poured
out OF every window in front and above the
second story, and it was feared to be imp0s-
sible 10 save the Portland Block, on the cor
ner of Washington and Dearborn streets. On
account of the intense cold, it was difficult
10 employ the engines to the best advantage.
Occasionally pipe would burst, and it
would be several minutes before the water
could be brought again to play where
1t was most needed. The stand pipe
did good services IN drenching the adjoining
walls where there was danger of the fire
catching In GraDnis Block are two banks.
Tircu tha Coufirputal Nation al and fna
The National Bank of Illinois. The sudden
ness OF the IRE came near resulting disas-
trously 10 the valuable books and papers OF
both banks 1t was rumored that the vaults
had not been closed and that heavy loss
would eDsue. Inquiry, however, proved the
rumcr unfounded. The vaults had been
closed and the officers OF both institutions
said they were not at all anxious as to the
safety of their funds. the vaults were
all iTe-proof, and the only Inconvenience
would be the delay while waiting for the
safes 10 become sufficiently cooled of to
make access TO them possible Before 9
O'Clock every body about the neighborhood
of the Ere having offices in the building, OF
being employed there, had no doubt Of the
total loss of building aud contents, exec t
the valuables in the tre-proof safes. The
building is for the most part occupied by
lawyers architects and insurance agencies
many of whom will lose everything con
tanned IN the Offices 1t is now known tina
two OF tbs most valuable law libraries in thu
city are totally destroyed. besides vaIuabl.
papers which the occupants had not SUI
6cieDt time 20 put In the vaults.
GTannis block was erected about three
years ago bv w. @. d. Grannis President oil
1he Union National Bank, of this city, at {
cost of Sl75 600. The building was insured
for $4,000. It's location was most desira
ole for Office purposes. and the building
being arranged according to the most ap
proved plans as to convenience, its tenant
were for the most part prominent in thei
professions having Offices expressly ftte'
mp, which fact makes the estimates of furni
lure, etc, amount well up to So, 900. Tn
fire was practically under control at
O'Clock, and fears as to the safety OF adjoin
ing blocks were no longer entertained.