Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-27
C0NFLAGRATI0N,
WORST FIRE rHiLAnELrnIA HAS
HAD IN \ GENERATION.
WlyBglEER'S AT ONE TINE APLAME.
Z, L. saved, However, by Dint OF
Great Exertion--A Whole Block
Burncd over-Loss, ,50o,ooo-Tcr-
rfblc Weather.

N'N4lIaA Afiatsi AAAsfs sohhteAN -h-4N ii'
s,tf.b started at 6:i5 o'clock this morning
rom an oyerhoatod oven in the basement
~ the six-story iron building 1909 to 1917
Market street burned over the block
ho1raed by Thirteenth street and Juniper
street and Market and Fiibert streets,
s,stroyed or gutted sixty buildings. and
consumed property valued at a million
and half dollars. Many small store
teeprrs lost their all, and several thou
sand working people were thrown out OF
,rnloyment. The damaged buildings were
generally fully insured.
Tho FIRE was the worst that has been
e,rer.enced in Philadelphia in genera
tsr The scene Of the destruction was
l...ted tn the very heart of the city.
Many of the properties destroyed, espe-
..ly on Thirteenth. Juniper. and Silver
streets the last-named a small thorough
.re running between Market and Filbert
streets were small. old-fashioned dwell
...-housos. and. aside from the loss 10
t.r tenants. their destruction will proba-
ffv he TO the ultimate good of the city
If newer and more modern buildings are
erected on their sites. Surrounding this
section. though. are many wholesale
stores. and on the south side of Market
street. directly opposite where the fire
ragged the most fercely, is located the
famous general store Of ex-Postmaster-
General John Wanamaker. Though on
Ere time and again. and while the 'front.'
age on Market street was badly damaged,
the store was saved from destruction.
TO the west Of the fire. but separated
from il by the great width Of the street
and pavement at that point. is the great
nile Of white marble buildings used as
the city Hall. Beyond the cracking OF
some Of the plate-glass windows by the
intense heat. the hall escaped unscathed.
DEATH FROM EXCITEMENT.
While there were a number of minor
casualties among the firemen, no one was
very seriously hurt. but one death is
cbargeable to the FIRE. John a. Felt,
book-keeper in the employ OF business
firm IN the vicinity. dropped dead from
heart-disease. produced by the excite
ment attending the fire.
The building at Nos 1909 10 1917 Market
street was occupied on the upper floors
tv the umbrella mandatory of Hirsch
Brothers. They also occupied the lower
floor Of No 1893 as a salesroom. Dem
netts eating-cafe occupied two other
rooms on the ground floor, and the west
ern room Of the building. No. 1917 Mar
ket street. was occupied by Hanscom
Brothers. grocers. The Hanscom Bro
theirs used the basement Of their store
as a bakery. and i'm this Easement Two
bakers were at work this morning. Their
furnace was overheated a little spark
aew out. a blaze followed, and almost
in an instant the two workmen were
stretched half-consciOus on the floor by
overpowering smoke. The smoke CURED
It's wsv up through the floor, and por-
ter. at work sweeping out the ROOM
dashed into the street. calling hre'
policeman at the corner rang IN an
alarm. and then went back 10 the oulld-
ine TO investigate the fire. Some one
thought of the two bakers, and two
Young men employed in the establish
ment bravely descended through the
smoke and dragged the half-suifocated
men out. -,
The first engine was on the scene three
,..-itfas after the alarm was struck, but
the IRE was already bursting through lns
floors. II was fearful morning 10 hgnt
fire. The thermometer was near Zero
and the FIRST line Of hose, as it was uh-
Aa
surrounding with water. that turned 10
Zee the moment it struck.
EVERY ENGINE OK HAND.
The flames gained on the firemen' ana ana
alarm after alarm was rung in, unth
every engine in the CITY was hurrylns
to the scene Thousands OF workers On
t.e way 10 their places of business were
attracted by the fire, and the streets IN
Tho vicinity speedily became impassaDle
D., reason of the curious and surglns
.arora The police forced the crowd
hack bv mighty efforts, and got their
tra-rores up. and the firemen were able
f1 work 10 better advantage Inc tioi-
.ly-cars were brought TO a stahosllli,
ara the deadly wires by when they are
r.r began 10 snap in the vicinity OF the
f,. anal hang down into the street,
threatening death to all VINO came IN
contact with them The current, how
.r,s was soon turned off, and this
danger was averted.
vne flames. IN the mean while had eaten
r.r vav no through the Hirsch
luEng. and broke through the rooI.
Hr-.h Brothers employed ABOUT 0VJ
hands, mostly girls. but as Few OF theh
bad arrived at work when the hre Dioke
olf those that were there easily ildue
ueI way TO the street before the nailioS
a strong wind from the west Ianned the
f.. and carried burning brands OF
destruction 10 the roofs Of the suTrounu-
lle houses The firemen worked unuer
f.e most dscOuraging conditions, the
iosemen and laddermen taking their lives
lr their hands. as they crawled cautiously
ur the ice. covered rungs Of thelI
ladders. dragging after them their
Ules Of hose which were IN
esal I'm solid covering OF ice
The streets around the fire were coated
wth lce and neither men nor hoises
could maintain their footing, except by
f.e exercise Of the greatest caution. Ihe
fronts OF the surrounding buildings upon
which the water had been played pre-
sttad "a beautiful spectacle, as they
flashed back from their Icy walls the
f..s of the morning sun.
FIREMEN BENUMBED.
The nremen's rubber coats stinened
around them. and frequently some be-
nlmhed man was borne away Dy ms
comrades and hurried TO a hospital py
Ne waiting ambulances. peculiarly
f the fire as Il grew larger was the
great quantity Of smoke. This further
handicapped the fremen. This smoke
60 times would descend 10 the street IN
a almost solid cloud, and the firemen
were driven back. gasping for breath.
j. was seen that the Hirsch building
has doomed and the fremen turned
thar attention 10 saving the adjoining
Properties At first this too seemed
% 0e "a hopeless task. Building after
building along Market street crumbled
Beneath the touch Of the fiery tongues
o' flame enwrapping them, and when the