The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-02-22

a SIX Hundred rhoasama Dollar Fire -
Philadelphia = firemen Caught Undss
Railing Walls aud One of Them An'ea
A Handsome sum raised 90 me spos
sor the Dead Mans Family.
PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 1.-THE most de-
structive fire which has visited this city
for long time broke out shortly before
noon yesterday in the basement Of tho
large buildings Nos llls asd iiit Walnut
street. and the whole place was destroyed.
nothing but the front and rear walls being
left standing. While the firemen were AZ
work portion OF the front wall fell IN
ward killing one man and seriously in
turing two Others The following are the
names 81 the killed and injured:
George showers. aged thlrfy-six. OF
Nineteenth and Wilbert street; hoseman
OF engine company No. 4; instantly Kill
ed and his body buried beneath the debris.
Abraham Lacey. hoseinan Of company
No. IS; badly bruised about the body and
limbs. but no bones broken.
william Buscard. Of engine company
No. 4. badly bruised about the side aud
leg.
The Are broke ont under the drug store
OF =. b. Morgan. located on the first floor
Of che Walnut-street front, and in very
short time had burned through TO the
roof.
The first floor and basement We're occu-
pied by r. b. Morgan rs retail drug
store. and the remainder q the building
by Messrs. Wreth 4 Bro, rs a laboratory
for the manufacture ~ chemicals.
The fire had gained a firm toothold IN the
upper portion 81 the premises before the
fremen could be summoned, and owing
to the infammable contents Of every
room the flames gained upon them with
frightful rapidly.
Near the front % the building, next the
roof, was large water tank weiyhu
over fourteen tons. This was supported
by large iimbers resting on the main
walls. and as these beams were weak
cned by the flames, the whole thing came
down with crash. BY this time the
firemen had worked their way through the
large doorway on the first floor, and two
lines OF hose had been taken inside,
They were manned by six men. all OF
whom were standing inside the front
wall. As the large tank FELL portion 81
tho TOP ~ the front wall was torn loose
and fell inward with crash. The fall
was so sudden and unexpected that the
men inside could not be warned OF thell
danger. The whole Of the first door was
at once envelopcd in smoke from the burn
ing timbers. and a cloud Of dust. There
was q sudden dash from those on the out
side and dozen brave men. led by Director
Stokely and Lieutenant Usilton. rushed Z
the rescue. One BY one the imprisoned
men made their escape or We're dragged
out BY their rescuers, but as the smok'
lifted, Lacey was found pinned down 4
the floors by heavy timbers and mass .
bricks. A stream o. water was turned o.
10 the men as they worked. to save then
IRON the intense heat: and, after severa
minutes. which seemed like hours 70 thos
on the outside. Lacey was released AM
carried to the street. dash was made
Tor the spot where Showers had been scel
but 4 moment before tire wall fell, but tn
The SPOT was covered by a mountain .
bricks, mortar and heavy timhers. Al
attempt was made 70 reach hi body. bu
after working TOR some time. and not be
ing able 10 obtain sight o. him, he wa
given np for dead: and as those az wor
were il momentary danger Of being kill
cd tile search WINS abandoned for III
tims. His body was recovered about iiy
O'Clock.
In the hotel Stratfort in the same biocl
nearly all the rooms were vacated. an
ladies in their wraps and gentlemen
ovcrcoats gathered in the lower room
ready 10 make their escape as soon a.
was found 10 De necessary for their safet,
Among the guests IL the house We're
number ~ sick persons. and they wer
speedily conveyed 70 places Of safety
As soon As the body Of the dead ARENA
was recovered from the building, Pro
ia Costa started subscription for h
family. Ore hundred dollars was place
opposite The professors name. which wa
quickly followed by similar amount ;
Mayor FILTER. The mayor then took II
list and circulated il personally anon
his many friends upon the ground, al
when he handed il over 20 Police Surgec
Andrews, II footed up very handson
sum.
While Engine No. i. was dnshing up
tho fire. il struck handsome horse b
longing "a truck +, breaking its leg.
The total loss from the fire i estimate
Ak fully ssp0,oOo N which Mes-rs. Wye
A Bro lose over $4,000. The fire j. su
posed 10 have been caused by sulph
ignitng ia the cellar.