The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-14
FIFTH edition,
A DEsTRUCTIyE rIRE. !

|
Stubborn Blnse-sniyth Post Room,
I, Over Third Street market House, nnm-
aged by wnter.
4 As Officer Gam was passing Third
and King straets at $50 O'Clock this
morning he noticed fire on the third
noor OF the large building No. a, 9 and
y Fast Third street, occupied by the
Jumes bradford Company. manufAo.
turerS OF paints and dealers IN oils
varnish, alcohol, etc. The officer Inn
mediately struck an alarm from box
No. OIL. at Third and King streets.
About the snmdA time some one
struck an alarm from box No. rs. at
second and Shipley streets. The fire.
men called ny the first alarm arrived
promptly, and 1t was but few min.
utes until tie Reliance Company had
thalr engine in service and stream Of
water on the burning building. At
this time the liainea We're rolling out
OF the windows onths third and fourth
noore. and as, owing to the combusti-
bic nature OF the contents the fire was
seen TO be serious second alarm was
sounded from box No. 81 by Assistant
Engineer Cloud.
a fow minutes later third or gem
eral alarm, calling all tho CON paiies
was sounded by Chief Engineer shields
from box No. IS. This was shortly af.
ter o'clock, and by $50 o'clock every
company was at the place and In ser.
vice. vast amount OF water was
thrown INTO tho upper stories of the
building. which. however, only seem
ed to add fury to the flames, which
roared and threatened destruction to
tho surrounding property. BY the aid
OF the ladders OF the Delaware Truck
Company, number Of iiremen reach
Cd the roof of the market house ad-
joining, and with axes bursted O hole
III the east wall OF the bradford build
ing, through which several streams of
water were directed On the burning
| mass.
In the meantime other tiremen were
directing their attention to the back
| building and were doing all in their
power TO subdue the flames at that
point. 1t, however, proved one OF the
most stubborn fires that the iiremsn
have had TO contend with for some
time, and Just as 1t seemed that Ii was
under control in one place the infiam.
Unable matter would catch again and
break out In half Il dozen new places.
The iireInen, however, worked like
heroes. but 1t was fully one hour aud
a half from tho time the first
alarm was struck until the flames
could be said to be under control.
There was vast amount OF water
poured into the building, but fortu.
HutS ~ biio IIabieS were COHllneu 70 inc
thlfd and fourth floors, where they
originated. Had the lire reached the
Cellar It would proved ono of the
most disastrous conilagrationS that
ever occurred in this city.
Through the efforts OF the firemen
the names were confined to the Brad
lord building, with tho exception that
at ono time the roof of the marker
house caught and the skylight was
destroyed. The iiremsn did not cease
work until nearly eight O'Clock, when
every veatige of fire was extingulshed.
THE otI3IN OF THE FIRE AND THE loss
The fire originated in tho paint fac
tory on the third floor of tho rear
I building and was no doubt caused by
spontaneous combustion, as there was
no fire OF any kind III that part of tho
building That 1t was burning for
some time before ii was discovered is
shown by the fact that gentleman
who was passing along Fifth street, ut
MARKET, about :. Do o'clock this morn.
( ing discovered u smell of burning oil,
Which lie endeaYored to locate but
failed to do so.
This same smell was detected by
several others, some of whom were
quiGs u distance from tho place, This
goes to show that the flames must
have been smouidering for several
hours before they bursted out. IL Is
impossible at this time to give an &C.
cutate statement OF the loss, which
however is stated by ono of the firm to
be from $4,000 to IS, 600 en- stock,
HE rear building is almost destroyed
ana Will have to be torn down and re-
built and the total loss will probably
reach 535, 900, which is thought to be
fully covered with insurance.
! he names OF the companies or the
amount OF the insurance in each could
not lie ascortdtnod, as the books and
papers had been removed to Mr. Brad.
lords house while tho lire was raging.
Nearly all the policies expired at noon
To-day, but 1t was tho intention to TO-
newell them this morning.
SOLDIERS oNeE. lIREMES Now.
Several OF the members of Smyth
Post, No. l. q. A, H., are also iiremen,
anu members of the ltaiiance Fire
Company, This company WIS the
irSt at the lire aud tho iirst to
get in seiylce, bur as soon az
the old soldiers found that The head,
quarters of Slnyth Post were endan.
Eeied, they burst open tho doors of
tho room and commenced to remove
the conlaltS.
Tue handsome set of silk flags pre-.
sented 10 the Post some years ago by
the Indies. with e guns belonging to
the gu iris the iafSs oil painting coat
oil arms OF the State OF Delaware, with
tile sword belonging to Con. Sinyth,
and number OF relies and mementoes
| which could not DO replaced. were htlr
ricdiy removed to tho REPUBLICAN
building and Harry kienlB's saloon,
No. log East Third street, where they
were cared for until removed by mem.
bers OF the Post about noon to-day.
Among those most active in removing
the articles from Tho Post room were
iichard Heritage, Nathaniel Moore
and Nathan Simmons. who are emil
nently deserving of the thanks OF their
comrades. The principal damage to
tho property of the Post Is caused by
water, but is fully covered by insuls
ance.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The fire caused considerable damage
to the electric wires In front of the
building and gang OF work men were
busy all OF this morning repairing
them.
Benjamin Gam. of 1913 King street,
and Wilmer 4. Taylor, of the firm Of
Taylor 81 Fullerton, No.302 King street,
u opened their house and furnished tho
iiremen with un abundance OF hoy.
coffee and eatables.
While responding to the aiflrm tho
Water Witch 0ompsnyis- ehgine upset
while turning tho corner OF Second
and Orange streets. The engine was
badly damaged but tho driver escaped
unhurt.
No surgical operation necessary for
the cure OF piles when Old Snul's Pile
Ointment Is used. A few applications