Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-20
OFFICERS FOR loH5
FIERY FLAMES.
Ecsuucuve Confiagration In Philadel phia
several Lives Lost.


IBy telegraph To the Dispatch
PHILADELPHIA. February ia
destructive fire broke out this morning
on Chestnut street between Second and
Front streets. The locality is devoted
entirely to large warehouses and bust
ncSs-houses. The fire spread rapidly
and extended from the Corn Ex-
change to Letitia street-about half
a block of very valuable buildings.
The Corn Exchange National Bank. on
Second and Chestnut streets. has caught
fire and is burning in the upper stories.
The flames have crossed Chestnut
street. and many large houses on the
other side are in imminent danger.
The fire originated in some manner
as yet unknown in the tive-story brick
structure No. l2j Chestnut street, oc-
cupied bv Stevenson 4 Co.. Getz 4
Stratton, Richard A. Blythe, and Gar
sed = Co.. all dealers in cotton and
wool. After the fire was discovered
and the flames burst from the windows
the front of the three upper stories fell
ont and crashed down into the street.
The loud noise thus made caused the
rumOr that an explosion also occurred.
bat it is not yet known whether
or not there were any explO-
Siyes in the building when the wall
fell. A lab0rcr, whose name is said
to be John Mckay. was engaged in re-
moving a safe from the adjoining build
ing. He was buried by the falling
bricks and instantly Killed. A horse
attached to a hoSe-cart was standing in
front Of the building. and was also
killed. The fire spread to the buildings
on the east, and Nos. l23 and l2l
Chestnut street were envcloped in the
flames. The former building is occu-
pied by Irvine {. Beatty & Co., dealer,
in worsted yarns, and the latter by
George II. McFadden Il Co.
80 far as is known now two men have
been killed at the scene of the fire
John Mckay, or Mccormick. driver
Of the hose-cart. and }. 6. Blyer, aged
eighteen years. At ll:l5 4. NJ. the
firomcn are confident that they have
the fire fully under control and that it
cannot spread further. The losses will
be heavy. but no estimate can yet be
made. 4 rough estimate is that it will
not be less than 100000.
s250.000 BLAZE IN CHICAGO.
CHICAGO. February IA fire is
raging with great fury in the Grannis
Block on the east side of Dearborn
street, just south Of Washington. The
fire started at 5:45 o'clock this evening.
and half an hour later it was found
necessary to turn in a general alarm.
Twelve engines and stand-pipe are
playing on the flames, and immense
crowds Of people are watching it. The
apparent destruction Of one of the finest
ofiice-blocks seems certain. 1t is i'm
possible to estimate the loss.
AT the time the fire was discovered
the employees in the various offices were
preparing to leave for the night. and, as
far as learned, all escaped safely. The
fire is said to have originated at the
bottom of the elevator shaft, where
during the past week new boiler has
been put in and other improvements
made. In the Grannis Block are two
banks-:he Continental National and
the National Bank Of Illinois. The
vaults were all fire-proof, and the, only
inconvenience will be the delay while
waiting for the safes to become cooled
off so as to make access to them pos
sible.
The building is for the most part occu-
pied by lawyers, architects, and insur-
ance agents, many of whom will lose
everything contained intheir Offices. Two
Of the most valuable law Libraries in
the city are totally destroyed, besides
valuable papers which the occupants OF
the offices had not sufficient time to put
into the vaults.
The Grannis Block was erected three
years ago by W. &. ID. Grannis, presi-
dent Of the Union National Bank Of this