The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-12-07
a Big NEWSPAPER FIRE.
George W. Ghilds' Public Ledger
Burned Out of Home.
THE PRoPRIEToRs oURIos SAVED.
The Total Loss by tho Confiagration
Is 100000, of Which $15o,O0o
Is Sustained by The Ledger and
$4,000 by Tenants.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. THE Public
Ledger building, u massive six-story
brown stone front structure, on the
southwest corner of Sixth and Chestnut
streets and running through to Sansom
street, was damaged by fire last night
TO the extent of 5000, 900, of which $780,
900 is sustained by The Ledger and $780,
900 by tenants. The Ledger's insurance
aggregates $2d0, ,000-$t60,0 900 on the
building and $4,000 on the contents.
The other occupants are believed to be
fully insured. The collection of curios
in the private office of Mr.. George w.
Childs, The Ledgers owner and pub
Usher, which are inestims BILE in value,
were saved. The damage TO the build
ing is $l00, 900. About half of the struc-
ture was Quilted by fire and water. The
flames We're confined to the fourth floor
and all above and the portions below
were flooded.
Began In the Old Court House.
1t was shortly after o'clock when fire
was discovered in the old court house on
the southeast corner of Sixth and Chest
nut streets. and directly opposite The
Ledger building. A still alarm was
sounded and the flames were soon extin-
guished, Mr.. Childs watched the work
of the tiremen, and after the fire was
put out he left for his home. At this
time number of The Ledger's employees
were in the business office talking 3f the
court house fire and watching the Incl
dent scenes. AT $40 Miss Ewines
clerk. saw smoke coming through the
crevices of a partition in the west side of
the new publication office and gave the
alarm. The clerks and others hurrledly
spplied the chemical eNtinguishers, and
in few minutes tie fire was subdued
and apparently extinguished,
Ii was not long, however, before the
Binoke was again seen and this time the
flames leaped up the freight elevator
shaft, which is ten feet square, and
reached the new composing room, which
occupies the sixth floor, there being no
other outlet along the length of the
shaft. The fire had mysteriously started
in the basement of No. 60i Chestnut
street, which is part OF The Ledger
property. and which is occupied by the
Standard Type Writer exchange. There
was no rubbish in the cellar and no
plausible theory as to the origin can be
given. 1t is thought, however, that it
may have been started by careless work.
men.
Conipositors Hastily Retreat.
The flames soon enveloped the com
posing room, and the colnpositors. who
number about 40, beat a hasty retreat
DOWN the stairs and all escaped in safety.
On the floor of the composing room were
also the quarters Of the news editors.
This portion was completely destroyed,
o. was also the reporters quarters, on
tle floor beneath. Here the fire was
checked, but all below was dclugcl.
Soon after the fire started there was n
sharp explosion the cause Of which is
not known, and Business Manager Joel
J. Cook and u number of clerks We're
fOrGta into the street by the conclusion.
The books Of the office were removed to
tie prothonotarys Office in the court
hOuse -..-l a....-l ~ G1olt superintendent the
saIgoyal of Mr.. Cnilds' culins from his
Office adjoining the business headquar-
ters.
The Ledger appeared as usual this
morning. The facilities of every print
Ing Office in the city were offered 10 Mr..
Guilds and the offer of Mr.. Singerly, Of
Tie Record was accepted, For Il few
4 days the press work will he done Mt the
latter office, while the type setting is
d3ne at lhe i4edger's duplicate office on
Locust street, established some time ago
for inst such aa emergency. The editors
and reporters are temporarily located in
tie Drexel bailtting. The Ledger re-
tRins its eight pages, but the pages arc
necessarily reduced TO the size OF The
Record
The threee Hoo double pcrfeeting
presses valued at Se00,030, were dam
Ai7-+~qpe wtstel 10 the extent Of i91, 600.
Mr.. Ehil1s his morning sent his check
for $1,000 to Director Beitler, Of the de-
partuent OF public safety, to he used for
kke benefit Of the firelnell