St. Paul daily globe., 1889-02-11
Firemen Caught Under Fall
ing Walls, One Of Them
Being Killed.
A Million Dollars Worth OF
Standard Oil Consumed at
Constable Hook, NJ j.
Burning Oil nluminates the
Kill Won Kull and Lower
New York Bay.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 10. The ex-
tensive establishment of John Wyeth
& Brother. manufacturing chemists, at
14l2. 1414 and 1416 Walnut street, was
completely destroyed by fire to-day.
The building was completely Quilted,
and the loss will be between 100000
and $500, 900. nearly covered by lnsur-
ance. The fire created the greatest eX-
citement in the neighbOrhoOd. FAM
lilies hastily packed up their most valua-
BILE possessions and moved to safer
quarters. The guests of the Hotel
Stratford were alarmed, and many Of
them moved out. The firm of Wyeth 81
Brother occupied the whole of the large
double marble front building at 14,2
and 1414 Walnut street, except the front
part of the ground floor, (which was leased
by Frank f. Morgan, who conducted
a retail drug store. The brown stone
front building, 1416, was also occu-
pied by Wyeth, the ground floor being
used as an extension to the saleSroOm
and offices on the second floor of all
these buildings. On this floor also was
was the stock room, where the goods
manufactured were stored until sold,
and in the rear part was the packing
department. The third and fourth
floors were devoted to the manufacture
ing department. The cellars were used
for storing the raw material. By the
time the engines arrived the fire had
gained tremendous headway, and, al
though the building was provided with
iron doors and the best devices known
for preventing the spread of fire, in less
than forty minutes the whole double
building was 80
A MASS OF FLAMES.
from Walnutsstreet to Brighton street,
about $50 feet in the rear. A breeze
from the west carried the brands toward
Broad street, and many fell on the
Hotel Stratf0rd, to the great alarm of
the guests. The place was surrounded
by firemen, who placed ladders against
the caves of the adjoining houses, and,
swarming up with lines OF hose, soon
had several streams Of water playing
upon the building. Several explosions
occurred, causing the firemen to run
for their lives. Shortly after 2 o'clock
the roof of 1904 Walnut street, the annex
of the Stratford hotel, was discovered
to be on fire, creating immediate alarm,
excitement and hustle throughout the
hotel. The fire apparatus of the house
was Immediately put into service
and the guests began packing up their
belongings. The damage by fire was
wholly confined to the upper stories OF
the annex. the lower floors, with the
curtains, carpets, furniture and CLOTH
ing of the occupants, being damaged
wholly by water. The fire originated
in the front part of the cellar OF No.
1412. Its origin is mystery. The
theory generally advanced is that two
combusuible chemicals somehow came
into contact and started the fire, which
spread rapidly through the crowded
cellar. During the progress OF the fire
the central portion of the double build
ing fell, burying several 6remen.
George Showers was taken out dead,
and Abraham Savery and William Buz-
zard injured, the latter quite seriously.
Wyeth & Co.'s loss on buildings, ma
chinery and stock will aggregate $780,
600. on which there is an insurance OF
over 100000. George c. BOldt, the pro-
prietor Of the Hotel Stratford, estimates
his loss on furniture, carpets, bric-a-
brac, ETC., at $4,000, covered by insur-
ance. Morgan's loss is $4,000, insur-
&nce not known.