Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-10-15
PROBABLE LOSS $1,000
The Largest COn1agration Seen in This
City in Two Decades.
WILLIAM M'NEAL FATALLY HURT
Was Struck by Fragments of a
Wall.

In fire Thursday night which dam
aged the morocco factories OF Garrett &
Barr, No. 314 East Second street, and
the Charles Baird Co. and Washington
Jones q Co., on Walnut street between
Front and Second, to the estimated ex-
tent of 500, 600, William McNeal, a
fireman. lost his life. The fatal ACCT.
dent occurred about an hour and half
after the fire was discovered and was
caused by falling wall from portion
Of the Jones factory. The exact cause
of the disastrous fire is unknown. 1t
probably began in the boiler room of
Garrett & Barr'H plant and thence ex-
tended with great rapidly to the other
buildings. A suspicion of incendiarism
has been aroused by a report that
about minute before the alarm was
,sni in, two men were seen to jump
The fence between Garrett Il Barr's and
tho dwelling house towards Walnut
street and run towards Poplar street.
The estimated loss is divided as fol-
lows: Garrett & Barr, $40, 900; Charles
Baird Co., $50, 600; Washington Jones
Co., 5000 The insurance may cover
the loss in each case. On account of
the fire about 140 men are thrown out
OF work.
The fire was the largest Will
mington has known in 20 years. 1t
was one OF the hardest to fight that
the fire department has ever had and it
was the first great fire that has oc-
Ii. Welde. First Assistant Michael
Sicily and Second Assistant John p.
Welch took charge of the department
last May. The first alarm was sent in
from box No. ID on Poplar street be-
tween Front and Second at 6. 81 o'clock
1t brought out the Fame Hose, Wash
ington and Reliance companies as well
al the chemical engine and the Della
ware truck. Although the fire was at
first in small compass it was seen to be
very dangerous, and second alarm
was sent in, followed by the general
alarm which called for the entire fire
department. And the entire depart.
ment was none too largo for the fire il
had to fight. Starting as it did back
from Second street in some portion oil
the Garrett II Barr factory the fire
spread towards Front, carrying the
flames into the Baird and Jones build
ings.
Unless ono is acquainted with the
locality the situation is bit hard to
understand. The morocco factories
occupy the greater portion OF the square
bounded by Walnut and Poplar, From,
and Second. At the southeast corner
of Second and Walnut streets is the ole
FELTON, House and a dwelling which
separates it from Baird's. Then the
Baird factory has frontage of 70 feet
on Walnut to gateway, and thence
the Jones factory continues towards
dwelling at No. 102 Walnut A
corner saloon completes that side of thu
street. On Front portion of tht
Jones plant is located and tho rest o.
the street to Poplar is occupied b,
houses, alleys and gateways. Or
Second, the FELTON, House and six othel
dwellings occupy the street back to tn,
Garrett & Barr property and beyond j
are other dwellings, some OF frame, t.
Poplar street.
The Garrett & Barr factory is th,
smallest of the three. 1t is four storie
high, built of brick with mansart
roof, and extends back to portion o
the Baird plant. The two buildings a
bush, who built them. The Bairt
building was erected about 80 year
ago. while Garrett & Barr's factory wal
Of later date. Garrett & Barr's engine
room, two stories high, lies between tn
factory proper and Baird's. Baird
entire plant includes the main Walnu
street front and two wings running
back, one almost to Garrett & Barr
and the othor beyond Garrett q Barr
and connecting with one story store
house within so feet OF Poplar
Separated from this longer wing 0
Baird's. by; wagon way is Jones
factory with two long wings and
large extension which fronts on From
street. The length OF this description
may give the reader hint of tn
extent of the fire which was 500
making Roadway in all three factories
The Baird and Jones factories wer
zach five stories high.
Shortly after the fire began an
while it was still in the Garrett
Barr factory, Robert Baird and one Q
the workmen for the Charles Baird Cc
went all through the Baird factory
There was no fire in the building the
hut as a matter of precautjon the
turned on the water in the standpipe
in the upper floors. Then they rt
turned TO the main floor and agai
went over the building. On the thir
tioor in the steaming room they stoppe
ana turned hose on the ire whIc
wae then working in through fran
section Of the Garrett Il Barr factor
to the Baird building. Robert Bairt
Robert RODGERS and George Parks wei
together at the time. But while the
were occupied with the fire on I'll
north side of the building somebod
drew their attention to, flames while
weie coming in on the south side {
the structure from the direction
J"nes'. This was very remarkable fl
Inc Baird wing lay between Garrett
Bars and JONES' and the direct pal
OF the fire would have been aero
balrd's before reaching JONES'. III
warning came in good time, howeve
and the three mon rushed by the ne
names to doorway which allowed
hate exit. When they were about o.
OF danger Rodgers became excit'
under an Impression, which was j
correct, that his son had been le
neaind and dashed back TO the steal
ihg room. Parks went after him al
dragged him away from the danger.