The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-03-27
fierce west Side FIRE
Three Men Burned by an Explosion
Of Bcnzlne In Il Cellar.
GOOD WORK or THE FIREMEN
Checked tho Progress of Flames and
Prevented Entire Destruction OF the
buildings - Amounts OF losses
and the Ins surnncc Carried.

| uuu Viz uiuhSS SoiiiSAs
BY the eXertions of the fire companies
the handsome buildings at Main avenue
and Jackson street, West Side, were
yesterday morning saved from total de-
| struction.
| The fire originated in a cellar of the
building occupied by Johns Bros, hard
ware dealers. A pile of oakum packing
| had been left in Il corner, and one or
| the employees of the store. after light
| ing lamp, threw a. match into the IN
| flammable material. Sometime later
the fire was discovered and an alarm
was sounded about 10 O'Clock, which
was responded to by the Columbia and
Franklin companies.
The fire, however. made such head
way that a special call was sent to the
Hook and Ladder company, and after
It was discovered that the neighboring
stores We're in danger a second alarm
was sounded, which brought up the
Chemical engine, the Eagle and Nay
Aug companies.
In the meantime the fire had crept
into the cellar belonging to b. G. Nor
gans drug store, and smoke filled the
|
the general store of ]. f. Eynon & Co.,
on Main avenue, and the next building.
occupied by Mrs. Decker as drug
store.
Above Mr.. Morgan's store DR.. r. M.
Senderling occupied a suite of rooms,
which were filed with smoke, issuing
from the basement Mrs. Senderling
was overcome and had to be carried
out.
Explosion Of Bcnzine.
BY noon the store of Messrs Johns
had been reduced to a wreck and the
floor gave way, but by this time the
flames had been controlled and the
fire companies were preparing to leave
when Chief Ferber and few of the
men went to the cellar where the fire
originated to ascertain If the streams
of water had finished their work. one
of the fireman lit match and threw II
into the water. Instantly an explosion
was heard, and flames rushed through
the windows of the cellar, over the
sidewalk. The explosion was caused by
the benzine which had escaped from a
barrel and was floating on the water.
Chief Ferber gave orders to the men
to withdraw Immediately, but three of
them Marvine Steinback, of the
Franklins: James George, of the Phe-
nix chemical engine, and Frank Nc
Donough, a plumber employed by
: Messrs. Johns, were severely scorched
by the flames in making their escape.
In order to reach the sidewalk they
were compelled to rush through the
: flames. A number of men We're in the
store above when the explosion oc-
) Cured, and had boarded up the dis
J mantled doorway, and. to make their
escape, had to break down the partition
and run the gauntlet of the flames; they
escaped more fortunately than the men
in the cellar, although they ran a seri-
Gus risk in being situated above the
: | flaming mass
= The wounds of the three men were
= dressed by DR.. Reynolds, and Engineer
= George was taken to the Lackawanna
, | hospital.
The remainder of the men taught gal
: lantly with the fire, but were COM
PEELED to devote their energies to pro-
2 tecting the buildings, as the streams of
5 water appeared to have no effect on
= the blazing oil. At Las p. m. the fire
5 was extinguished after almost four
hours incessant battling.
= Losses by the Fire.
The exterior of the buildings are prac-
: tically uninjured, the bulk of the DIM
are being to the goods and fixtures in
; side. The buildings in which Morgan s
drug store and Johns hardware store
are situated are owned by y. G. Nor
gan, who carries a large insurance with
the Cambran Mutual Fire Insurance
company. The new flooring and other
structural arrangements at Johns
hardware store will be the chief claims
upon this company.
e The loss upon the stock at the hard
ware store will, however, be complete,
$ as practically nothing was saved. The
stock was valued at $4,000 and is but
s partially covered by insurance.
In B. G. Morgan's drug store the chief
I loss will be the destruction of 81 .OOO
worth OF wall paper in the cellar, which
t was divided from the cellar where the
fire originated by a partition of thin
S boards, and also the complete loss OF
the contents of the stock room on the
t first floor Mr.. Morgan carries an in
surance of 81, 900 on his stock with the
), Mechanics, Aurora and Merchants
= companies, of which ID. j. Evans is
local agent
v Mr.. Morgan expressed himself as a
= very fortunate individual yesterday, as
the main body of the fire was separated
; but by the thin partition from consid-
c erable quantity of oils, varnishes and
other mfiammable goods, which, If they
n had shared in the conflagation, would
have resulted in the total destruction
/. of one of the handsomest structures on
the West Side. Mr.. Morgan also car.
p res an insurance on his stock of 81 ,00(
with the North British and Mercantile
~ company and $1,000 with the Pennsyl
g vania Fire company.
In Eynon and Company's Store.
?, Tn the store of G. f. Eynon and com
n pany, which is situated next to tho
hardware store, a large stock Of gro
v ceries, molasses, lamps, baskets, etc.
n was ruined by the flow Of water and O
considerable quantity of dry goods vii
It be rendered unfit for sale owing to the
v effects of the smoke which filled the
IS building. The loss will be covered by
an insurance of $l,750 with the Frank
If lin company, and SLIGO with the United
d States Fire company.
/. At Mrs. Decker's drug store 1t Is an
l. ticipated that the loss caused by thu
,s flow of water will be covered by 800
a which is completely covered by insur
.r ance. Considerable damage was causet
10 to the furniture owned by Dr. +. M
h Senderling, who carries an insurance
!. of s., 200 with the Franklin company.
= A large number interested In thu
10 properties and goods threatened by thu
Ia fire complimented Chief Ferber upor
;. the creditable manner In which his de
. partment prevented the spread of thu
!, flames, and avoided what was fearet