Daily Republican., 1886-01-11
Philadelphia Fires.
EIGHT MANUFACrORlEs' BURM-
ED-ONE MILLION DOLLARS
OF PROPERTY LOST.
1000 HANDS OUT OF WORK.

Il
One of the most destructive fires which
visited Philadelphia for q long time broke
out shortly before four O'Clock on Sunday
morning in one of the buildings of the
Arrott Steam Power Mills Company, at
the southeast corner OF Coral and Adams
streets. 1t was first discovered in the
Jdrying room occupied by Firth & Foster
Brothers. The building was believed to be
hreproof, but by an oversight of the srchi.
tect window communicating with the
stairway was left unprotected. The
flames worked their way through this
Iopening and 10 q few minutes had gained
la large store room above. From this
Il room q number of shutes for conveying
lgoods radiated to other buildings, and
in very short time flames were bursting
from the windows in other portions Of
the block.
The first alarm was struck at Eve min
utes before and two others were sent in
Iquick succession. The firemen took the
most advantageous positions and worked
with will, notwithstanding the intense
lcold and high wind which blew back the
Isprsy into their faces, much of It having
been frozen In it's passage through the air.
The alarm attracted the attention of
the people in the neighborhood and soon
Ispread. Men, women and children,
many Of them employed in the mills
left their homes and steod for hours in
the cold watching the progress of the
flames. Many of the men mounted to.
the roofs of neighboring buildings and
watched the huge cinders as they were
Whirled through the air and extinguished
them as they fell by water from buckets
(which were passed to them, or by piling
snow upon the blazing embers. But for
this work, which was faithfully performed
Iduring the time the fire was raging, in
the face of the bitter wind, no calcula.
ticu can be made Of where or when the
fire would have been checked.
The plant known as the Arrot Mills
occupied the block bounded by Coral,
Adams, Taylor and Emerald streets, and
lconsisted of eight fve-story brick build
ings. These structures were leased to
various manufacturers, and, with the ex-
Iception of one, were entirely destroyed.
Soon after the fire had gained posses
sion OF the buildings, fronting on Adams
street it was discovered that the building
at the southeast corner of Adams and
Letterly streets, occupied by Robert
Beatty, had caught the flames, and not
withdrawing several streams of water
were turned on 1t, the flames spread,
until 1t and the one adjoining, occupied
by William Beatty, were gutted. When
the roofs of these buildings fell in the
walls tottered and crashed outward into.
the streets, filling the air with sparks and
c!nders and with q binding shower of
dust. Fortunately, the fall of the walls
was anticipated In time to allow the fire.
men TO leave the ground and remove
their hose and ladders, and no one was
slinjured and but little damage was done.
For time 1t was feared that q row Of
dwellings on the opposite side of Coral
street would take fire, and considerable
!. alarm oausaA, hat thA ivr.4Aas ----es.a
. assured that everything would be done
. to protect them, and they did not remove
% their effects, except In few instances
D when few of the more perishable or
= lcherished articles were carried to the
oil houses OF friends, out of all possible g
r reach of the fire. The 1remen suffered
severely from the cold and exposure, but
u several families in the neighborhood
threw open their houses and dispensed
hot coffee and eatab es to all who called.
l. Fortunately there was plenty of water,
70 and with the assistance of the citizens
% and through the great protection afforded
70 by the snow on the surrounding buildings,
II the fire was confined to the building In
(which it originated and those Immediately
Iadjoining, with the exception of the Beatty
'eI mills. The fire was still smoaldering in
d the ruins last evening, and two engines
u remained on duty in case 1t should break
IT out again among the charred and highly
goods which still remained
Iunconsumed.
1t is impossible TO divide losses among
tthe various occupants. but the total
v damage Is estimated at fully 5000, 900, on
q which there was an insurance of $50, ,00C
2 on the Arrot building and $3.50, 900 on
"a the contents.
dl The following is believed to be list ol
!. lall sustaining damages as tenants of the
n Arrot Mills: Joseph Grier, spinner and
0 manufacturer of ginghams Firth ~ Eos.
3, ter Brothers, dyers and fnishers; Thomas
/, Henry, Dr., q Co., manufacturers Of
ltI cotton hosiery yarns; Henry Grant, yarr
1t manufacturer Stead X Miller, manufac.
Il Iturers of upholstery goods and carpets
!, land the Jane Smith Woolen Manufac
n turing Company, manufacturers oi
Ill wooden goods.
I'll Twelve hundred hands employed IL
n the various factories are thrown out Of
,s employment, and it is feared that many
e of the families will suffer, owing to thu
B. Ienforced idleness of their protectors and
Il Ieare-takers. 1t is believed that many 4
not all the firms will secure other quar-
y ters and resume business until the build
70 ings are restored, but the best that can b
t. done will necessarily take time, as all tn
O machinery and stock as well as tn,
IeI manufactured goods on hand have beer
70 destroyed.