Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-28
SENSATIONAL FIRE.
THE HEART OF PHILADELPHIA
WRAPPED IN FLAMES.
The Central Theatre. the Times Building,
and Many Other Structures Burned
Great Excitement.
tBy telegraph TO the Dispatch,

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April 27.-Tho most
sensational fire that has visited this city
in years broke out shortly before o'clock
tonight on the stage Of the Grand Gen.
trail Theatre, and before it was cotton un-
der control nearly sl.Oo0.O0O worth OF
property had been destroyed. including
the MASSIVE eight-story annex building
occupied by the Times newspaper. There
was panic in the theatre, and over
fifty persons. mostly occupants Of the gal
leries. were hurt. none however. seriously.
In ail hftv-two persons were cared for at the
two hospitals near the theatre. Everybody
was outside the burning structure within
two minutes from the time the fire started.
The widest excitement prevailed on the
streets. Ballet girls. in gauze and tights,
rushed bareheaded around almost oil Of
them in hysterical condition. The FIRE
spread with marvellous rspidity. and by
the time the fire apparatus reached the
scene the theatre was mass OF flames.
THE TIMES BUILDING.
Looming up above the rear Of the thea
ire was the Times annex building. occu-
died on the seventh floor by the editorial
force and on the eighth by the composing
and stereotyplng forces. The CITY depart
ment of the Times was in the rear of the
building, the windows of its rooms over
looking the rear of the theatre. One OF
the reporters saw from window the
flames shoot through the roof of the
theatre. and his cry of alarm warned
everybody in the room. Assistant-City-
Editor Wilson grabbed his assignment
book and started for the elevator, fol-
lowed by all of the editors and reporters.
SUCH GITTIs' DOWNSTAIRS"
Nobody thought of stopping to secure
clothing or other property. the main idea
being to get to the street, seven stories be-
low, as quickly as possible. Every body
got out safely. The scenes in The COM
posing-room. where about seventy-fve
people were at work, were of the same
character. The printers rushed from their
cases. not stopping TO get any OF their be-
longings. On the sixth floor was the illus
tratiDg department of the Times and also
the rooms of the American Press Associa-
tion. The fifth floor was unoccupied.
The first. second, third, and fourth floors
were occupied by De Kosenko d Hether-
ington, art metal workers, whose plant
was one of the most valuable of its kind
i'll the country.
The TIMES BUILDING GOES.
The wind was blowing in direction to
carry the flames from the theatre 10 the
newspaper building, and IN few minutes
The entire interior had been gutted at that
hour. The west wall ana q portion of the
east wall fell, the former crushing In
large portion of the one-stcry power
house of the Philadelphia Traction Com
pany, which contained the two immense
engines, recently put in position, which
propelled the company's street-cars over
the lower section Of the city. These
engines are covered with bricks and
Debris to IA depth of twelve feet, and 1t will
be several weeks before the cables can be
operated. The east wall crushed the four
story building occupied by Hamilton IL
Dlesinger, manufacturing jewellers, and
portions of several buildings below 1t on
Eighth street between SAMSON and Walnut
streets. The front wall filled SAMSON
street with bricks and stone and damaged
the bindings opposite.
NEW PRESSES RUINED.
4 In the cellar were the new presses Of the
Times. the pride of Owner Frank Nc
LaugnlIn. These are ruined beyond re-
pair.
On Eighth street. from SAMSON to
Walnut, were eleven buildings, each
having several tenants and oil occu-
pied on the first floors by store
keepers. Three of these were COM
pletly gutted, and the others were all
badly damaged. Adjoining the theatre on
roof of this was burned. and the building
soaked with water. Next was the build
ing of Idgqdrfs Sunday Times. Its root
was burned. and the composing-room, on
the top floor, filled with water. The
presses and other property were covered
with tarpaulins and escaped injury.
AN HIsroRIo BUILDING THREATENED.
Above the Grand Central at Ninth and
Walnut streets, stands the historic old
Walnut-Street Theatre. This house was
well filled, and there was great danger that
IL would catch fire. The Performance was
postponed, aud the audience quietly dis
missed.
On the north side of SAMSON street the
principal loser is James :. Earle. dealer In
high-class pictures. The rear room of his
building. which extends from Chestnut
street, was damaged by fire, and much
water was thrown on his stock.
THE CONTINENTAL HOTEL
occupies about one third of the block
bounded by Eighth, Ninth, Chestnut, and
Samson streets. 1t was feared that this
well-known structure would catch fire,
and the wind was carrying flames from the
Times building directly toward it. A con-
siderable portion of the fire department
was detailed TO protect the hotel, how
ever, aud their efforts were successful.
Colonel A. X. Mcclure, editor of the
Times lott his invaluable political library,
which he has been collecting during the
past fifty years, and winch can never be
replaced.
The blaze was visible in all parts of the
city and thousands flocked to the scene,
completely blocking the streets in the
vicinity.