Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-01-30
FIRES IN PHILADELPHIA
FLAMES DESTROYED PROPERTY IN
THE HEART OF THE CITY.
Loss NariOusly Estimated From One
to Two and Onc-Ha!f Millions,
Accuracy Being Impossible.

Philadelphia, Jan. pa tiny spiral of
smoke curled out of the cellar window Of
Hanscomb Brothers grocery store, a big
building at 1917 Market street, at $50
O'Clock this morning. A few hours later
one of the most valuable blocks in the
city had been consumed in raging flames.
1t was the block bounded by Market
thirteenth, Filbert and Juniper streets,
IN the very heart of the city.
A few steps to the right looms the mas
slVe city hall, around the corner stands
the Pennsylvania railroad terminal, and
directly across the way John Wanamak-
ers great store stretches from street to
street. So fierce the flame and so
strong the wind which aided it's destruc-
1--WE work that even this building, distant
the width of Market street, was saved
almost by a miracle from total destruc-
ton, and Mr.. Wanamaker tonight places
his loss at 100000. The total loss is vari-
ously estimated at from 81, 1000, 600 to S2 500
600 but in the chaos and confusion now
existing it is Impossible to secure accur-
ate figures.
The flames We're first discovered by
John Wagner, reserve policeman. Be
fore the engines reached the scene the en-
tire rear portion of Hanscombs store anu
Benefits $ big restaurant were ablaze A
second alarm WAS sent in. and q few mo-
ments later general alarm. Immediately
adjoining danscomb Bros. on the west
was a five-stoTy building occupied by Blum
BROS, manufacturers of ladies' cloals.
Ihls was soon Il mass of flames. The
water seemed almost TO freeze before it
touched the buildings. The next building
on the west to be eaten up was that occu-
pied by George Marshall as a restaurant:
then came the hat manufactory of G.. Il.
Wells, and the rear of the wholesale gre
Gerry of Shovel & Fryer 1925 Market
street.
While the flames We're sweeping west on
Market street, the umbrella manufacs0ry
of Hirsch Bros. the largest in the world.
which adjoins the restaurant caught fire.
Il he lnf1ammable ma ature of the immense
stock OF light silks added to the flames.
and in half hour the building was a
mass of flames. On the east of the HirSch
building, between 1909 and 1901 Market
street, were the following tenants: ,Iiz@
pah restaurant: Sterner & Ball. cigar fac
tory; a. Nickolakly confectionery, ana
the big drug store of H. Hillnlan, No 1901.
the upper story Of which was occupied by
Potter Bros. as a photograph gallery.
Jumped -tcroSs the street.
North of Hir5ch Bros, Immediately
across Silver street, stood the new seven
story building of Dunlap Bros This build
ing extended from 1906 to 1910 F'ilbert street
and was 100 feet deep. The first floors were
occupied by the Collins Carriage Com
pdny. The flames swept through this
structure, quitting it completely. The
small buildings of Silver street, which |
runs west from Thirteenth to Juniper |
were all gutted. The shop of Contrac. or
Lewis Havens caught fire from the rear
Of Blum Bros, and three ffremen We're
caught by a falling wall, Frank Piper, en- |
gine company No. 80 was the only man Sc
riously inquired.
Wanamakers Store AbIaze.
At S:15 a. m. fire was discovered in the
lower floor of John Wanamakers big dry
goods store. A Stream of water from ole |
of the water towers was run up the burn
ing structure but the supply of water was
either too small or the apparatus defect
i've as the stream did not reach the
flames, which caught in the tower which |
contained the handsome clock and chimes.
AT o. clock the entire tower collapsed. the |
clock falling through to the first floor.
Two lines Of hose were then gotten on top
of the gigantic structure, and the flames
which threatened to destroy Philadel-
phia's most famous store We're soon under
control. The fire had been confined entire
ly to the Market street front, and the loss
sustained by Wanamaker principally
in the destruction of the clock and chimes
and breaking all the large plate glass win
dows on Market street. The roof was
ablaze at one time, and it seemed rs
though the whole structure was doomed,
but the hose opera ted by the employees CT
the big establishment kept the fire within
bounds.
Another Street Crossed.
Up to this time the flames had been con
fined to the block bounded by Filbert
street on the north Thirteenth on the
east, Market on the south and Juniper on
the west The wind was blowing from the
west and carried the flames right into the
rear of the buildings on Thirteenth street.
The first building there to catch fire was
that of Jacob Miller, gents furnishings.
Fifteen other shops and stores on North
Thirteenth were gutted. The flames ate
their way almost directly northwest from
the rear of Blum Bros building, cutting
the rear of Showeli & Flyers big grocery.
The rear part Of 23 TO p North Juniper,
used as law offices and private residences,
was completely burned out.
While the fire was at its height flames
were discovered on the window sashes of
the big city hall. The city hall fire depart
ment ran a line to the roof and in few
minutes had the structure free from all
danger.
The walls Of Hirsch Bros factory col
lapsed soon after o'clock. The other
walls left standing resemble huge iceberss.
other Fires.
Between 3 and a. fire broke out in
the fve-story building occupied by G. II.
BunnelI, wholesale stationer, Chestnut
street. Loss, $4,000
Shortly before o'clock fire started In
the big carpet store of John and James
Dobson, Chestnut street BY hard work
the flames were confined to the sixth story,
but the water soaked through to the base
ment. Loss, 100000.
List of Heaviest Losers.
The heaviest losers are Hirsch Bros,
who suffered for about Si00, 600. They had
an immense stock OH hand. Walter
Hirsch, a member Of the firm said that
the stock was fully covered by insurance.
Hirsch Bros. occupied the top floors Of
the building which extended from 1909 to
1919, inclusive. The building was owned
by the estate of Henry G. Gibson, the
Well-known dstiller, and was valued at
about 100000.
Baum Bros. lose about $50 coo on stock:
Hanson Bros, 125,000 on stock. DennettS
restaurant stock and fixtures, $4,000:
Stern & Ball $50 600; Mispah's restaurant,
$1,000; Iillman Drug Company, So 600;
MarshalTs restaurant, $4,000; George b.
Wells $25 GOO: Showell & Fryer, 100000;
James Goodwin, stained glass $15ooOo
James Dickson. heaters and ranges, $500:
Dunlap Bros, 5000, 600; E'uertong's, $4,000,
John Wanamaker, 100000; Nickolackys,
S15. 900; A. McCune & Co.. sac, 900; S. II.
Hull, drugs, 81, ,OC0; Budd Il Kite, $1,000
The loss on the small buildings will
reach into the neighborhood of $1,000 ,OGO
Nearly all the sufferers from today's fire
are fully projected e. BY yL insurance. ..--
WILLIAMS BLOCK, CHICAGO, BURNT
Seven Firemen and Two Spectators