The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-31

Loser.
John Jermyn's Coal Exchange, the
corner stone of Greater Scranton, was
visited by a fire yesterday morning,
which caused $l50,00O damages. The roof
of the structure was badly burned and
the building with its four large stores
and one hundred and thirty offices was
completely deluged with water.
The fire broke out about 415 o'clock
a. m. and was burning for quite
length of time before being discovered.
| Patrolman May, who was watching at
the New York bargain store. which
was visited by fire at midnight, first saw
the flames. He sent in an alarm from
box 26, corner of Washington and Lack
awanna avenues, this being the near
est station to where he was standing.
BY the time the .iremen reached the
| scene dense volumes of smoke We're as
cending from the roof and the flames
| We're commencing to show. Second and
third alarms were sent in, and soon
| there were on the scene the Chemical
Engine company. the Hook and Ladder
company, Crystal Engine Hose COM
pany. Nay Aug Engine company, Cen
tury Hose company, Eagle Engine COM
pany, Neptune Engine company and
Relief Engine company.
FIGHTING THE FLAMES.
By the use Of ladders from the front,
! the fire escape in the rear and by carry
/ ing a line of hose through the Raub
building on the north, the fire on the
roof was successfully battled with At
) o'clock it looked as if the building
was doomed, but the firemen succeed
ed soon after in getting the best of the
flames, and at 6 o'clock had them well
subdued. About $50 o'clock the fire was
entirely extinguished.
Owing to the fact that the roof was
very solidly constructed the flames
made only slow headway. 1t was a
most stubborn fire, though, and gave
the firemen one of the worst battles they
| have ever had.
The blaze started in the elevator shaft
| on the first floor and following the
| oil-soaked wooden girders quickly COM
municated to the roof. The firemen be-
gan their attack on the north of the
building and the south end consequently
was the most badly damaged, both by
| fire and water.
The hallway on the first floor in the
vicinity of the elevator was badly
| scorched, but until the fourth floor is
reached no further damage from the
flames is evident, excepting. of course
in the elevator shaft, where the wooden
girders are charred. The roof, and the
ceiling of the fourth floor will have to
I,
renovated as the plastering is loosened
all throughout the building and the
floors are badly warped.
THE TENANTS.
The list of office tenants follows:
GEORGE PHILLIPS & CO., Jewellers.
ATLANTIC REFINING CO., Oils.
FRANK II. CARROLL, Tailor.
JONES & POWDERLY. Attorneys.
JAMES J. O'MALLEY, Attorney.
JOHN ]. MURPHY, Attorney.
JOHN w. DUSENBERRY, Insurance.
TRAVELLERS INSURANCE CO.. Of
Hartford.
GEORGE b. RICE Insurance.
CHARLES l.. RICE. Insurance.
| FRANK Z. OKELL, Attorney.
GEORGE N.'OKELL. Agent.
GEORGE II. BlRDSAIL. Insurance.
CHARLES II, WELLES, Attorney.
AARON V. BOWER, Attorney.
JOHN TAYLOR. Stenographer.
WALTER +. GUNSTEr, Attorney.
PATRICK BLEWITT, Mine Inspector
LEMUEL AMERMAN, Attorney.
MICHAEL j. MARTIN, Attorney.
WALTER +. DAVIS. Attorney.
NATIONAL BORING & DRILLING CO.,
Samuel McEachen. President.
II. Y. PAINE & son, Insurance.
WILLIAM GRIFFITH.
WILLARD CULVER.
RANDOLPH NJ. STRATTON, Dentist.
JOHN a DUCKWORTH. Architect.
The store tenants We're:
p. M'CREA & CO., Carpets, etc.
MERCEREAU g. CONNELL. Jewelry.
ALPHONSO SAWYER, Millinery.
LEBECK q CORN, Dry Goods.
The third and fourth floors were al
most entirely occupied by the Colliery
Engineer.
The loss to the building is about $685.
Geo. Mr.. Jermyn carried only $4,000 in
surance. 1t was placed with DUR
Brothers, of Wilkes Barre.
LEADERS BIG LOSS.
Lebeck & CORN, propretors of the |
Leader store, were the greatest losers |
of all. They had a $4,000 stock, which |
is complete loss, they claim. They |
carried $4,000 insurance. p. McCrea |
e Co. valued their stock at $4,000 and |
aver that it is a total loss. They carried |
$1,000 insurance. Mercereau &c Connell |
and y. Sawyer escaped with compare
lively slight loss as only small guam
tity of water came through the north /
side of the building.
The Colliery Engineer people suffered |
to h. 9 I,n, In, ta,
soaked furniture and carpets and books, /
papers, instruments and supplies for !
their schools. Their insurance is $iO- |
coo. Luckily, this months publications |
had been gotten out, and thanks to the |
foresight of the Messrs. Foster, dupli- |
Gates of the blanks used in the school of |
mines are stored in abundance at an
other point. AS result great amount
of inconvenience and pecuniary loss is
avoided.
Frank r. Carroll. who carried on a
large merchant tailoring establishment
on the southern end of the second floor
is also great loser as his entire stock
was exposed and consequently drench-
ed. He could not be seen, but it is safe
to estimate that his loss will run up
into the thousands. All the other oc-
cupants of the building suffered more
or less from water. and altogether the
damage will easily run up to sl50,O00.
PIONEER OFFICE BUILDING.
The Coal Exchange was built in 1885
at cost of $4,000. 1t was the first of
the large office buildings erected in this
city. and its completion marked an
epoch in the city's building history. 1t
covers an area 1131ax167 feet and is
five stories in height.
Mr.. Jermyn said yesterday to Trib-
une reporter that he will commence the
work of rebuilding at once.
The Colliery Engineer proprietors
were negotiating yesterday for a new
lncn tinil md .ill ,,.orlx