The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-01-29
OSSOVER S1,5OO,OOO
Sixty Buildings Destroyed by Phila
delphia's Great Fire.
MANY PEOPLE VIEW THE RUINS
Mr. Wanamaker Now Places His Loss at
100000 with No Insurance---Change
Of the Wind Probab bly, Saved
Much other Property.

Philadelphia, Jan. 27.-Although the
weather continues extremely cold thou
sands of people have visited the ruins
of yesterdays great fire, the most de
structive confag eation, in fact, that
has visited the Quaker city in years.
Several engines played streams OF
water on the ruins all last night and
to the ruins great icicles are formed
and the streets and sidewalks in the
vicinity are coated with waves of ice,
forming somewhat fantastic scene.
Although the Wanamaker store es.
capped serious damage by the flames,
the destruction being confined 10 the
clock tower and part of the roof, great
damage was done by water, and Mr..
Wanamaker places his loss at Sl00, 900.
He carried his own insurance. The
whole block on the north side of Mar
ket street from Thirteenth to Juniper
and from Market to Filbert
streets is in ruins, and the es-
timated total loss of $500, 900 is
probably conservative. Outside of
John A. Felt, who fell dead from
excitement while assisting in remov-
ing goods from store. no lives were
lost, although there were several mar
row escapes. The two fremen
who were injured by falling
walls are not very badly hurt.
1t is now known that the fire started
in bakery which was operated by
Hanscom Bros. in connection with
their grocery store and which was
located In the basement thereof Hans
com Bros. occupied portion of the
lower floor and basement of the six
story building leased by Hirsch Bros,
extensive umbrella manufacturers, and
the flames were first seen by an en-
ploye of the latter firm. The Hirsch
building, which was totally destroyed,
was owned by the H. G. Gibson estate
and its approximate value was $780,
600. The property is partially COW
cred by insurance The various prop
critics in the block that were either de-
stroyed or badly damaged, no struct-
ure escaping injury, were, in addition
to the Hirsch building, as follows: Hill.
lan's drug store, ]. Nicolays & Co.,
confectioners; Sterner & Hall, cigars
and tobacco; H. D. Roberts 6 Co., and
the Mizpah restaurant; Blum Bros,
cloak manufacturers, Marshalrs res
taurant, Wells hat store, James Dick
son, heaters; Alfred Goodwin, stained
glass; Showell & Fryer, grocers; Jacob
Miller, mems furnishing store; Jarblis,
cigars; McCune, pictures; E. Pitber,
notions and stationery; S. S. Shull,
drugs; A. Heines, bakery, and the
Cafe de Blumberg, 1s and 90 North
Thirteenth; Budd & Kite, jewelers.;
Huber & Weber, opticians; ]. H.
Stoll, jeweler; w. f. Steif, wall pa
per; Foley, oyster house; Gallagher &
Lougheim, leather; Furlong's saloon;
the building 1904 Filbert street, oc-
cupied by dozen tenants; the seven
story building, 1906 to 1910 Filbert,
the frat floor occupied by the Colling
Carriage company, and the upper floor
by the Dunlap Printing company
Other property in the block, which ar,
not numerated in the above, also suf-
fered. A dozen business places ON tn,
east side Of Thirteenth street and be
tween Market and Filbert street.
were damaged, principally by smoke
and water. Mayor Warwick said this
morning: This has been one of the
most awful visitations of fire we have
had in years. Such work as our fire.
men have done has never been excelled.
At one time the Wanamaker store was
in danger Of destruction and if that
had gone, there is no estimating what
the result might have been. The
downfall of the wind was a merciful
occurrence. With a high wind continu-
ing the confagration might have
spread over a great area" In all sixty
buildings were destroyed.