Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-09-07
THE SHARP STREET DISASTER.
Baltimore Sun, 3rd.

The fire in the wholesale bust.
ness locality of South Sharp street,
between Lombard and Pratt streets,
Yesterday, by which seven fire
men lost their lives and fully a
million dollars worth of property
was destroyed, is most distress
ing and lamentable disaster. DC.
curing at four o'clock in the morn
ing, in the large wholesale toy
warehouse of Prior Il Co., No. 1O9
South Sharp street, the cOnfiagra.
ton destroyed seven large business
establishments in the same block,
and extending to Pratt street, be.
tween Sharp and Lombard streets,
damaged more or less large num-
Der of other business places. The
labOrs of the fremen were well
directed, CALAMITY rendered and
would have quickly mastered the
flames but for the unfortunate
casualty involving life which neces.
sarily to a great extent turned
their attention from the fire to the
rescue of their comrades. These
were nine members of engine com
pany No. ! and hOOk-and ladder
company No. ., who had gone into
the establishment Of Winkelmann
4 Co., wholesale druggists, No.
lOj Sharp street, for the purpose OF
more efleciually operating on the
fire in the adjoining hardware
house of Tabb Bros. q Dimmock,
No. 107 Sharp street, and were at
work on the third floor, when there
was an explosion IN the hardware
establishment which threw down
the dividing wall, and buried the
firemen in the ruins of the drug
house. Only two of the nine men
escaped with their lives, and one Of
these with severe wounds. OF
course such casualty demanded
every effort to the rescue that could
be afforded, and IN the meantime
the fire, which had then been burn
/ ing about four hours, continued to
spred. 1t was ten o'clock in the
morning before the cOnflagratiOn
was under control. All the engines
of the city, with two of the chem
ical engines of the Belt, were in
active service until four o'clock in
the afternoon. The water supply
was abundant, the large main from
the Gunpowder river supply pass.
ing through the locality, but If at
the critical time during the prog
ress Of the cOnflagration any de-
mand had been made upon the fire
department in another quarter Of
the city it could not have been re-
sponded to satisfactorily. The ex-
perience of the department. again
demonstrated the importance of a
firebOat to make the service as
efficient as 1t ought to be under all
circumstances. We have in the
heart of the business centre a water
front, from which not merely wharf
and warehouse property near at
hand could be protected by a fire
boat, but much other property one
or two squares distant from the
harbOr. Ii is claimed that a harbor
freboat at Light and Pratt street
wharf could have done good ser
vice at yesterdays fire, and would
have relieved one or two engines
for reserve duty. The fire, oc-
curing at the opening of the busy
season, has given setback to
number Of firms engaged In many
different branches Of trade. Some
of the sufferers include large and
important paper, hardware, dry
goods, cloth, hat, drug and chem
zeal and other concerns who have
extensive business connections
with this and other cities of the
country. Their distress, though
entitled to consideration, may be
repaired and their losses relmburs-
ed. but for the loss of life there is
no recompense. The gallant fire
men who were so suddenly cnt of,
died in the service of their fellow
men. To the families they may
leave The sympathy Of the whole
community will be extended, and
1t ought to be done in form as
substantial as it can be made. All
the circumstances attending the
distressing event are calculated to
stir the generous impulses of the
people, and there ought to be no
hesitation or delay about the steps
which should be taken to relieve
the distress of those who are de-
pendent while we bestow deserved
honor on the memory of the gallant
dead.