Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-07-26
20 firemen and MS many policemen
rushed into the building,
ALMOST DAKED ALIVE.

20 firemen and MS many policemen
rushed into the building.
ALMOST BAKED ALIVE.
II was an awful risk. The walls of the
Knox Building were tottering. At any
moment they might fall and crush the
smaller, Adams Building under them, In
a moment the rascuers emerged from
what was thought to be death pit.
In their arms they dragged the bodies of
three injured tiremen. They had been
hurt by bricks which had fallen when
they had been shut in. While they were
inside, the heat had been so intense that
they were almost baked alive. Their
uninjured comrades were also scorched
and siuged All were dragged back to
the opposite sidewalk.
Two minutes after the party came out
the upper floors OF the Knox Building
sank, the walls trembled, then fell with
a crash. Only the seni.tower, which
made the office corner of the building,
was left standing. Two of the walls
fell out into the street. The other two
simply crumbled, piling up great masses
Of red hot brick and burning timbers.
HoRRrD SPECTACLE.
The scene of ruin and destruction was
indescribablc. The charred flesh OF the
brave firemen who LOST their lives at the
post of duty, the burning carcasses Of
horses, the ashes and smouldering
remains of the entire household effects
of many residents in this city, the silver
ware and valuable pictures of others,
and the sealskins and winter garments
of many ladies of fashion and mortar
which had composed the walls of the
buildings.
UNDER CONTROL.
With the fall of the walls, the fire
was practically under control, but tho
flames were hotter than ever. IL was
now so hot that tiremen and policemen
began to succumb to the terrific heat.
1t was necessary to keep the hose play
ing on the residence houses all about,
and the tiremen, now completely ex-
hausted, had to be relieved every four
or five minutes. Eight two-story frame
houses on the north alley caught fire.
They were allowed to burn. Water and
hose could not be wasted upon them.
Their occupants had long since left them
and for 10 minutes bricks had been
crashing through the roofs.
Mitchells blacksmith shop caught fire.
No tiremen could go near enough to it
to play water upon it. Besides, although
| it was u two-story building, it looked
like mere toy house beside the great
| flaming embers and seemed not worth
the saving. Fire started from the roofs
of all the near dwellings. Ladders were
brought into use, and citizens and
policemen took the places Of the ex-
hausted french and kept the fire from
spreading.
The hay and light material with which
the buildings were filled made fierce
fire. The flames darted high into the
air and made the Capitol, several blocks
away, stand out on the hill against the
black sky like building painted in
fame.
WAsn1NGToN, July 25.-Later est.
mates indicate that the loss at the con,
flagration in Washington this morning
was over 100000.
| CORRECTED LIST OF INJURED.
The following were injured ard were
removed to the Emergency Hospital J,
G. Wilson, aged 35, assistant foreman
bones Of left leg fractured; James
Kelhar, aged SO, foreman, sprained
back; Lee Bell, aged 80, fireman, hand:
and face burned; James L. Hooker
aged SO, fireman wounded in the fore.
head; Edward Cahill, citizen, shoulder
broken. All of them will recover.
John o. Knox, one of the CHIEF
owners of the Knox Stable Co. says the
company's personal loss is about $780,.
900, and that the loss in the storage dc.
partment will amount to fully 100000
On the storage department the company
carriedtno insurance, the owners of the
goods looking after that themselves
Mr.. Knox thought the company carried
about $75, 900 insurance on its property