Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-08-04
FIRE CAUSED BIZ LIe nrNING.

The Total Loss About ssl5, 900, Fully Cow
cred by Insurance. The Fireinen Work
Promptly and with GnDd Judgment
The Fire Supposed to Have Been Caused
by Lightning.
Fire broke out in the handsome jew
elry establishment OF G. Il. Rudolph,
northwest corner Fourth and Market
streets, at 5.10 O'Clock Sunday morn
ing, and before tho fire was discovered
and subdued the entire building was
damaged by fire and water. The fire is
believed to have originated from bolt
of lightning which cut out the electric
light plug and continued down an iron
pillar in the middle of the salesroom
until it reached the floor below. Here a
piece of tile was wrenched from the
floor alongside the iron pillar, which
lends strength to the belief that the
building was struck by lightning. The
loss by reason of the fire will reach
$4,000 or upwards
1t was shortly after 8 o'clock Sum
day morning when House Sergeant
Lemucl Mari of police headquarters
sauntered across Fifth street at Market
He saw two men standing on Market
street near Fourth earnestly gazing at the
Rudolph building. The sergeant thought
he detected small clouds of smoke issuing
from the building and repaired at once
to the spot where the two men were
standing. The sergeant was scarcely
able to tell whether the building was on
fire or not. He met Officer Floyd
shortly afterward and few minutes
later the two signaled Police Sergeant
Chambers, who stood in front Of the
city hall to send in an alarm from box
12.
The alarm was promptly sounded, the
entire fire department quickly respond
ing. Sergeant Chambers then rushed
to the store and burst open the door.
The next to arrive were Chief Of the
Fire Department Dennis S. Shields,
First Assistant James L. Dickerson and
Second Assistant Alexander Il. Cloud.
Two streams were put inside the build
ing The police, in charge Of Captain
Evans, did effective service il roping
off the pavement in front of the building
and driving back the crowd.
The building was intensely hot, and it
was with the greatest difficulty that the
tiremen were able TO remain inside for
any great length Of time. The fire had
evidently been burning several hours,
and unable 10 ATTAIN any draught in the
almost air-tight building, had gradually
smouldered until the door was broken
open, when flames shot up as if in a
fiery furnace; soon'the entire interior of
the building was mass of flalaes. The
hose was continually kept on the fire
for about 10 minutes, although the fire.
men did not leave until o'clock. When
the hose was taken off the firemen
rushed to the upper stories of the store
and hurriedly raised the windows. The
heat was intense. The flames several
times broke out anew, but were quickly
eXtinguished. Some of the smoke filled
the upper floor of w. B. Cole s. Co. s
store. No. 403 Market street, but did
little damage.
A solution of the fire, as given by
Charles A. Rudolph Monday morning is
that lightning struck the electric light
plug in the top of the building, tore off
the insulation of the wire and ignited
the woodwork in the ceiling of the first
floor. The electric fluid then continued
down an iron pillar to the tile fool
below, where the floor was torn up al
the base Of the pillar by the lightning
The electric light safety plug was burned
out. The part of the floor near where
the lightning is supposed to have struck
is burned through.
When seen on Monday Mr.. Rudolph
was unable to give an accurate estimate
of the loss but agreed that it NIGH
exceed $4,000. About all the clocks
paintings and articles on the wall were
totally destroyed by the flames. The