The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1897-01-27
HAD A CLOSE CALL
Wanamaker's Great Philadelphia
Store Narrowly Escaped
Destruction.
Having Caught Fire From q
Fierce COntlagratiOn Across
the Street.
Property Amounting to Two and
q Half Million Dollars
Destroyed.

fHlEADELPHlA, Jan. El.-ln6 mOSU
disastrous contlagration that has visited
this city i'll recent years broke ont
shortly before Il. M. in the rear of
the basement of the big grocery store OF
Hanscom Bros, 1917 Market street.
and before the flames were gotten under
control, property amounting i'll value
to 81 SOC, 900 was destroyed.
The flames were first discovered by
John Wagner, Il reserve policeman, who
was passing the big building at 80
o'clock. He Immediately turned i'll an
alarm. Before the engines reached the
scene the entire rear portion of Hans
com 81 Dennett's big restaurant was
ablaze. Immediately adjoining Hans
com Bros. ON the west was 5-story
building occupied by Blum Bros, mall
ufacturers of ladies' cloaks. The flames
spread with almost lightning rapidity,
and Blum Bros building was soon Il
mass of flames. The water seemed
almost to freeze before it touched the
buildings, SO bitter cold was the
weather. The next building on the
west to be eaten up by the raging fire.
was that occupied by George Marshall
AS IA restaurant; then came the hat
manufactory Of George B. Wells, at
1923, and the rear of the wholesale
grocery of Showell q Fryer at 1925
Market street.
While the flames were sweeping west
on Market street. the umbrella manu-
factory of Hirsch Bros, the largest III
the world, which adjoined Dennetts
restaurant, caught fire. The intlam-
mable nature of the immense stock Of
light silks added fuel to the seethIng
flames, and in half an hour the beautl-
full S.story building, extending from
1909 to 1910 Market was mass of
flames.
On the north side of Hirsch Bros. ;
factory, immediately across Silver
street, stood the new 7-story building
OF Dunlap Bros, fancy printers. This
building extended from 1906 to 1910
Filbert street, and was 100 feet deep.
The first floors were occupied by the
Collins Carriage company. The flames
swept through this big structure and
gutted it completely. The small build
lngs on Silver street, which runs west
from Thirteenth to Juniper, were all
Igutted. The shop of Contractor Lewis
Hayens caught fire from the rear of
Blum Bros, and three tiremen were
caught by falling wall. Frank Piper
of Engine company No. 30, was the
only man seriously injured.
Wannamaker Narrowly Escaped.
At $40 a. III. fire was discovered in
the tower of John Wannanaker's big
dry goods store. The tower contained
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 had threatened to destroy
Philadelphia most famous store was
soon under control.
The fire had been confined entirely
TO the Market street front, and the loss
sustained by Mr.. Wanamaker was
principally in the destruction of the
clock and:chimes and the breaking OF
all the large plate glass windows OH
Market street. The roof of the build
ing was ablaze at one time, and seemed
az though the entire structure was
employees of the big establishment kept
the fire within bounds.
The wind was blowing from the west
and carried the flames right into tn.
rear of the building on Thirteenth
street.
When it was apparent that the block
originally attacked was doomed, squad.
of firemen, with long lines of hose
were detailed to try and save Wana
makers. This structure, with tht
goods piled up within its four walls
represented a money value of over $40,
0OO,OO0. Despite the efforts of the cit.
firemen, reinforced by Wanamaker
fire brigade, the high wind prevailin,
forced the flames across Market street
after they had been fought off for al
hour and half.
Fire Caught In the Tower.
The fire caught in the hight tower Oh
Market street corner. This supporte'
big clock and chimes which rang on
every half hour. Little patches Q
fame made their appearance along tn
edge Of the root Of the maia strnoturs