The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-03
A BLOCK IN BALTIMORE.
IMMENSE DESTRUCTION BY FIRE OF
BUSINESS PROPERTY.
The Lives Of Seven Brave Firemen
Known to Have Been Lost-Esti-
mated Value Of the Property Con-
sumed, sl,6oo,ooo.

BALTIMORE, Nd, Sept. AT an early
hour this morning fire broke out in the toy
warehouse of Price, Hilgenberg & Co., No.
107 South Sharp street. Before the fire.
men could get to work an explosion of fire.
works wrecked the building and caused
the flames to spread with alarming rapidity
to the drug-house of ]. r. Winkleman q
Co., on the north, and the hat-house Of
M. S. Levy & Co., on the south. Scarcely
had the liremen entered the ediiice occu-
pied by the drug-house when the inside OF
the building seemed to suddenly drop in.
A terrific explosion followed and the inn
mense building collapsed. The entire fire
department had by this time reached the
scene, and MS the attention of the men was
concentrated on the building under which
their comrades were buried the flames
had a chance TO spread, and spread
they did with frightful rapidity.
In an increditable short space OF
time the entire block, running from
Lombard to Pratt street, was a seething
mass Of flame. At the drug-house the
fremen worked bravely. Holes were cut
through the pavement and every effort
was made to reach the imprisoned men,
but they were buried under great mass
of brick and iron, and fierce flames were
roaring around the spot. Awful groans
came from the pile, which seemed to make
the tiremen put forth superhuman efforts,
and after more than an hours work, il
became evident that some OF the men
were alive, and that they were being
roasted to death. John Kelly, of truck
No. 2, managed TO crawl out from the
rubbish, and Of the men who entered the
building he was the only one TO escape
with his life. He was cut and bruised,
but his injuries are not serious.
The names of the men known TO have
been buried in the ruins are:
George Bowers.
Thomas Wygner.
John A. Combs.
Perry Ryan.
Harry Walker.
George kerins.
Hiram McAice.
The first four we're Of No. 9 Hook and
Ladder company, and the others belonged
10 No. Z Engine company. IL is certain
that these men have lost their lives and il
may be that others were with them when
the crash came.
The firms that were completely burned
out are: Wyilis, Bruster x Co, wholesale
shoe dealers; J. H. Winkleman q Co.,
drugs; Tab Bros, d Dominick, hard
ware; Prior X Co., toys NJ. S. Lely 4
Sons, hats; Dobler, Nudge x Co., paper,
and llirshburg, llollander & Co., paints
and glass.
The row Of buildings was one of the fin
est in the city. none Of the warehouses
being less than five stories high, nearly
all Of them having been recently erect
cd. Among the buildings partially
burned was the Maternitc, on Lombard
street, and its inmates were removed only
- with great difficulty. The total loss will
probably reach 81 500, 900, and il is pretty
well covered by insurance, most Of which
is in small policies in out-oi-town COM
panics.
The intense heat prevailing several
times drove the iiremcn from the building
where the bodies Of their unfortunate
comrades were lying under tons of brick
and iron, but they persisted In the search,
and shortly after noon the iirst body, that
Of Wagner, was brought TO light. Neal
the spot was the body Of Harry Walker
standing erect, as II packed in. Near hin
was found what was left Of George Pow
ers, but no other bodies were found until
nearly q O'Clock, when that OF Gcorg,
Kerins was uncovered. The bodies wor,
terribly dsfgured, the flesh being burned
oil in many places The search is being
persued tonight with the aid OF elcclri,
lights. In the hardware store OF 1abl
Bros. 4 Dimmock there were store,
large quantities OF cartridges, and as they
exploded several men were slightly in
jufed by the flying bullets.