Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-01-03
A FLEECE ST. 1oCIs BLAzr.


I
| RurniuR 0f N warehouse sioreh
with Expl0sIves-An Awfui siAn"
| Associated Press Dispatch ~ special "fss'
| sr. LOUIS. jan. 1.-The immense BIZ
storied brick building OF the Richardson
Drug Company, on the northwest corner
| of Fourth street and CLARK avenue, Was
reduced to ruins In ~ minutes aitef
O'Clock this morning. The ouiiulnB
| fronted 100 feet on Fourth street anu ran
back on CLARK avenue 200 feet to .
| private alley. The back OF this was
| three storied substantial brick warehouse
used by the firm to store explosives and
highly oombustible goods and oils. Ina
building was built In 1885 and was COM
plete with all modern improvements.
The Are was discovered at ~ o. N.
and a general alarm was turned In DO
fierce was the FIRE TINT Eve minutes aiter
the alarm was turned in the buildings
across tho street were smoking and we're
about 10 burst Into flames. Every few
minutes terrible explosion wonid
detonate throughout the building aud
graceful curl OF the Are many feet In
hight and diameter would leap high into
the air and summon the reyeling Hoteis
OF Now Years eye 10 tho scsnn OF doHttuo-
ton.
Whom every pane OF BlAss was out Of
the building the tongues o. nFe leapeh
out, aud their heat made the narrow street
aheol for the gallant lrencn, who toilsd
with bursting. burning Goee to save the
property. their coats smoked and their
hands were blistered when exposed to the
glare and IaRny dropped the lines ard
sought tho shade oflan adjacent building.
The entire aix hoora were Allied with
comhustible goods, great portion OF the
stock being extremely inhamtnnble. The
frat floor was occupied by the accounting
department In which about 200 book.
Keepers clerks ard salesmen were em-
ployed and contained also some show
goods. The second floor was given up to
the sundries, Of which an immense stock
OF costly goods WAS carried. On the
third floor were the paints and oils, and
this story was also used for packing,
The tire seemed to get an early hold on
the third floor, and the flowing oils, drip
ping through the first two stories, sup.
piled fountain OF fire that played from
the basement clear to the roof, defying
Ill artificial efforts 10 check its costly
flow. Not enough lines of hose could
have been laid around the building to
have saved it, so speedy was the spread
Of the fire, and The few firemen who for
minute or two at time brayed the awful
boat, had but dozen streams TO combat
hslf.dozsn aeres OF blazing oils, molten
iron and flowing glass,
It was magnificent and an awful sight
from the first two minutes after its dis,
coyery until about 8 o'clock, when the
building collapsed and there was nothing
more to burn.
The building was erected several years
ago at cost Of $l5O,000. The corner
was occupied for some by paint and oil
firm before the Richardson Drug Com
psny moved up from North Second
street. Il was one of the largest whole
sale drug houses in the country
and its druaRlsts' sundries department
was the largest Ia the country
The Ehler aoute, No 900 South Fourth
street, occupied by this boarders, was the
scene Of panic The screamso Of fright
ened women and the men rushing to and
fro from room 10 room after their friends,
created much terror. All the occupants
were safely rescued.
The stock on hsnd In the burned build.
ing vas valued at S675 goo; insurance,
$3.50, coo The buildings occupied, in
ciudinga Unrestricted building in the
redr useo tuy storing explosives, we're
yqlned OF 800 200 fa5 origin OF this
Ore IL not knew