The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-10-09
FLAMES AMONG
MOROCCO
Buildings Of Garrett and Bari
Baird & Co, and Jonas &
Co. Damaged.
TIKI Loss Will REACH 100000.
A Fireman Killed by a Falling
Wall - Flames Had Their
Origin in the Boiler Room
OF the Garrett & Barr
Factory.

Wilmington had It's largest fire last
night and TO. day the ruins are still smould.
ering II was in the morocco factories OF
Garrett & Barr, on East Second street be-
low Walnut; Charles Baird 81 90, on Wal
mt street near Second and Washington
Jones SEQ, on Walnut street near Front.
These properties wore damaged to the OK
tent of s3Oo,oo The fire was responsible
for the death of William McNeal, menu
Dor of the Washington Company, who was
crushed under falling wall.
The flames were discovered at u DO
o'clock by Edward Harrison and were
then slowly burning out the boiler room
in the Garrett and Barr factory. The
alarm from box No. II brought out only
the district engines but the tiremen see.
ing that they had t!g work on hand sent
in Il second and third alarm. Thon the
entire department went to work on tho
burning building, but tho material was
greasy and therefore excellent food for
flames It cracked and its tmbers fell
despite the streams which were thrown
on tho building by tho fire companies.
1t is large four story brick building run
ming back for some distance to an alley
which runs in off Front street and along
the rear of the other factories
This building was soon enveloped IN
flames and ii was not long until the lire
of saving 1t. They were located in the
alley alongside the building and on the
roof of tho smaller building in tho rear.
The flames spread across this alley to The
building Of the Rnrd Company The
Washington and Wcccacoe Companies
were fighting tho small building and
were ordered to leave to work on the
Baird Building.
just as the Washington men were pre-
4 In, n,,I
small building fell, carrying with tia por-
tiOn of the wall, which debris caught
William McNral in the alley. Fircmcn
rushed to his assistance lit the risk OF their
own lives and brought him from the wreck.
His amo,l lifeles5 body was carried to the
patrol station and from there to tho Della
ware Hospital but before the arrival tho
man was dead. His head had been crush
ed
After tho flames had communicated to
the Baird property they crcpt along the
roof and in five minutes had reached the
Jones property Then the buildings were
in flames and themen had Il struggle before
them. In the meantime the flames were
burning like furnace IN the rear of the
Baird building. The flames from the Barr
building prevented the lircmcn from reach
ing the flames through tho alley leading
off Second street ami therefore the men
could not reach tho fire in the rear Of the
Baird building, All that could be done
was to flood the building.
Fireman climbed to tho roof Of the build
ing and directed their streams into the
seothing mass but 1t was Intellectual The
fire continued to spread through the
upper stories of the building just rs though
there was no water being played upon lit.
The situation and the shape of the build.
ings made it the most difficult fire to fight
which has occurred for many Years The
factories which were burned occupy Pc
culiar position and one which is hard to
explain The Baird and Jones' factories
are situated ON Walnut street and adjoin
| each other They both run back from the
| street for some distance, and in addition
| to the main factories each has an L-shnped
annex. Tho Garrett u Barr factory Is on