Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-02-04
A DISASTROUS FIRE,
TWO MILLION DOLLARS VANISH IN
A PHILADELPHIA FIRE.
American Baptist Publishing House
Asbes--T nintinEs Lost.

philadelphia. Pa. Feb. 3.-Chestnut
street above Broad was visited early
yesterday morning by one Of the
nrecest fires known for years, The big
seven-story building of Charles Halle
4 tine, Nos. l4l6 and lils Chestnut street,
and the adjoining fve-story structure
! OF the American Baptist Publication
society and the American Baptist HIS
7 tOr.ral society, No. 1920, We're totally
1 destroyed The buildings damaged by
hre ana water anu railing walls were
the four-story dry goods house OF
| Homer, LeDvntillie- 6. Co. Nos. 1il2
and lil4. and tho dwelling at l422 own
| ed by the Mistar estate and the Hotel
Lafayette at Broad ana Samson streets.
| on either side OF the main entrance to
| the Ha2etlene were the plano ware
rooms OF Hallet d Davis at lil6 and OF
Steinway & Co., ut iilS.
The two Baptist societies lost large
and valuable collections OF paintings.
books and curios. The detailed LOSSES
have not yet been made up, but com
seryatlve estimate places the aggregate
at close to S2000.0OO, 1t Is thought that
this is almost fully covered by ir.&ir-
ancc.
Tee were $50 guests in the Hotel
Lnfuy cite. which is in the rear OF the
destroyed building. Among those We're
Porter King, mayor of Atlanta, and
others OF his party who escorted the
Liberty bell and reached Philadelphia
yesterday. They are Albert Howell,
T. d. Neal. w. II. Block, John +. Ryan.
w. b. Bell, w. II. Culberson, W. A.
mock, NJ, l.. Tauburt. j. Daniel and p.
II. Haralscn. Olga Nethersole. the
actress hei Drothc-. Lou. r. Neither
sole. and Nudge Meadows and Maud
clayton of her company were also
guests OF the Lafayette While there
was considerable confusion. the guests.
barring a few fainting women, kept
cool heads and all We're removed In
safety. The Atlanta party was carried
in patrol wagon to the Continental
hotel, four blocks away. and the Meth
ersole party to the Metropole, oppos-
tie the Lafayette. Every other hosiery
In the city was thrown open for the re-
ception OF the disturbed guests. Only
the eighth and ninth floors of the hotel
were burned. although the back part OF
the building from the cellar was badly
damaged by smoke and water. 1t has
only recently been reopened after
thourough renoyating.
1t was shortly after o'clock when
Policemen Rice and Howard, while
patrolling their beats at Broad and
Chestnut streets. detected the smell OF
smoke. They Immediately ran to the
Hotel Lafayette and went from floor
to floor looking for fire. When they
reached the sixth, fierce blaze met
their sight. II was In the rear of the
Hazeltine block which reached dan
gerously near to the back of the hotel.
An altar. was struck Immediately.
but before the first engines could reach
the scene a strong west wind had car
ried the flames throughout the entire
building. A dozen lines OF hose were
turned on the Chestnut street front,
but the light wood and paper which
stocked the second. third and fourth
floors were easy food for the flames.
The upper part of the building was
known as the Hazeltine are galleries.
Many leading are students had studios
there and the collections stored under
the roof aggregated in value thousands
OF dollars
At o'clock the walls began to coll
Lapse and the flames spread on the
east to Homer. Lebontilller & Co, and
on the west TO the Baptist Publication
society. general alarm WAS turned
IN and the nremen directed most OF
their energies n preventing the de-
ptruction OF an entire block which was
for "A time threatened. The upper por-
ton of the Lafayette hotel was ignited
by sparks flying from the burning build
ings but the blaze was confined to the
eighth and ninth floors. The fire was
not controlled until long after day
break and lines OF hose are stili play
ing upon II.
Mayor King OF Atlanta. aroused from
his bed by the fire. refused 70 leave the
threatened hotei until he could know
that every member OF his party had
cscaped safely. Olga Nethersole was
one Of the clamest persons In the build
ing She saw most of her effects safely
removed before she left the hotel with
her little collie dog tucked In her arms.
Many or the other guests rushed from
her rooms IN their night clothes and
would have continued INTO the street
had assurance not been given that the