Morning journal and courier., 1890-07-14
BIG BLAZE AT PHILADELPHIA.

ahhe0 Uy bh0 WAn0-A
 Beautiful Effect Produced by she
 Burning of Wall Paper ColorlnE
 M iaterials-The Total ana Individ-
 ual LOsses-The Eatire Fire Depart-
 ment at the Scene.
 PHILADELPHIA, July 13.-One of the most destructive fires that has occurred in this city for several years broke out at 4 o'clock this morning in the turning and blaming mill of H. T. Atkinson at Tenth street and Susquehanna auenue. The wind, blowing from the southwest, carried the flames soross Tenth street to the east side and Kim sons lumber yard also caught fire. While the fremen were fighting the fire here the wind veered around to the southeast and the flames, fed by sheds and dry lumber, which surrounded the blaming mill, were carried against the extensive wall paper manufac- turing establishment of Carey Brothers, which was separated from Atkinson's mill property by 8 narrow street. In anticipa- ton Of this. about @ dozen of the employees who had been summoned stood with hose in hand ready to put water upon the blsze, but as soon as the fire gained an entrance to the building it spread with such startling rapidity that the men were com- pelled to drop their hose and dee for their lives. The upper floors were filled with paper which had been printed and spread on racks to dry, and thus burned almost like powder. Long flaming sheets were caught by the wind and carried blazing through the air distance, in some instances @ half @ smils or more. Inside of half an hour from the time the flames attacked Carey Brothers establishment that magnificent building was e complete mass of ruins.
 The building extended from Tenth to Eleventh streets, a distance of 300 feet, and from Nevada to Colona streets, 1s0 feet, and was fve stories high. The Nevada and Colona street walls fell, leaving the east and west walls standing Scarcely any attempt was made by the fremen to check they realized their efforts would be of no avail. They devoted themselves to saving the property which surrounded it. Rows of small houses, occupied mainly by sm- ployes of Carey Brothers, stood to the eest and north of the blazing structure, and it was only by almost superhuman efforts that these were saved. The fronts of all of them were scorched and blistered, and tho furniture in those on Nevada street were soaked with water. When the north wall tell the bricks piled up against these houses and the frightened occupants made their escape from the rear, and women and children half dressed ran through the streets or-strioken. Thousands of people sur rounded the burning property and gazed at the gorgeous effect produced by the burning of the coloring materials used in the manu- fracture of wall paper. Meanwhile the plain ing mill had been completely destroyed by the flames. The fremen succeeded in quench- ing the flames in the lumber yard, after it's contents had been partly destroyed. No such complete destruction by fire has been seen here for years.
 Carey Brothers estimate their loss at $500,- GOO, the building costing $200, ,0o0 and their being worth $300,00 Their insurance is $200,000. Mir. Atkinson places his loss at between $75, ,000 and $s0, 900 on his blaming mill property, stable and lumber yard. His insurance foots up $26, 800. Dwelling houses on Nevada street were damaged to the extent of SC, 900 and other small losses to surround ing property will aggregate $5.000 more, making the total very near $800,000. The origin of the fire is mystery. Ii who was making his rounds. He i'm. mediately turned in an alarm and Carey Brothers watchman, who saw the hamsl about the same time, also turned in ar alarm. A third alarm was sounded, bring. ing nearly the entire city fire department te the scene. When the first engine arrived Atkinson's mill was burning in severa
 
 that the fire started In the brick stable owned by Atkinson, situated to the north of his mill. It is rumored that several mer were drinking and oarousing in the stable and that the flames broke out after they had departed. The fire marshal is making an in vestigation and until he reports nothing car l be definitely stated as to what caused tn, | fire.
 Carey Bros.' factory was probably the mos | complete establishment of its ki1d in th, United States. if not in the world. All grade of wall paper were manufactured, from tn, cheapest to the finest The storerooms wer, packed with goods intended for the trade O | the coming fall and spring. About 200 meI | and women were employed by Carey Bros | The firm considered that their building wal about as near freproof as 1t was possible tt make it. The stairwsys and elevator shaft were solidly bricked up, and iron doors sep
 arated the rooms. A complete fire brigad
 was maintained, and 1t was portion of thi
 brigade that stood ready to battle with tn
 flames the moment they should make tbei
 appearance.
 The following risks among others wer
 placed on the factory: Btna of Hartford
 $5, 900; Hartford of Hartford, $5.508; Mer
 chants of Providence. $2.50o; New Hamp
 shire, $3,500; Orient of Hartford, $2,500
 Phoanix of Hartford $5,000, Providence
 Washington of Providence, $2,5e0; Pruden
 tial of Boston, $2,600.