The San Francisco call., 1897-01-27
Merchants in Philadelphia
Lose Heavily by a
Big Fire.
John Wanamaker Saves His
Establishment by His Own
Private Brigade.
Intensely Cold Weather Interfers
With the Efforts of the Firemen
to Check the Conf grafton.

4 PHILADELPHIA, PA, Jan. 26.-One OF
the most destructive Eres that have visited
this city in recent years broke out shortly
before 7 o. o'clock this morning in the whole
sale and retail grOcery-store of Hanscom
Brothers, 1917 Market street. This firm
occupied a portion of the large building of
Hirsch g. Brothers, umbrella manufac-
turers, which extended from 1909 TO 1917
Market street.
The flames spread rapidly throughout
the building and to the ad dioining proper
ties, all of which we're occupied by mer-
camille establishments. The location is
in the heart OF the city, and diractly op-
posite the Hirsch building was the exten-
sive and famous establishment of John
Wanamaker, and within a few hnnered
yards stands the spacious City Hall.
In addition 10 the thousand or more
employees of Wanamaker's, which include
several hundred girls, there were many
thousand other toilers at The time moving
toward their respective places OF business,
and the result was that the streets in the
vicinity soon became choked with i'm
rnense surging crowds. The proximity of
the CITY Hall also added TO the crowd the
great army of city clerks and other
officials.
Mavor Warwick, Director of Public
Works Thompson and other executive
officers at once began the direction of the
police and fremen. The weather was In
tensely cold, and this in a measure de-
tered the efforts of the fremen in check
ing the flames. The Wanamaker estab-
HshmenJ was at one time in flames on the
Market-street front, but detail of fire.
men was quickly put to work on the
building and soon checked the progress of
the fire there. The entire block on the
south side of Market street from Thir-
teenth to Juniper and from Market to
Filbert is practically in ruins.
The FIRE started in a bakery which was
Operated by HanscoLn 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 build
ing used by Hirsch Bros, extensive um-
brella manufacturers, and the flames were
first seen by an employe of the latter firm.
Two employees of the bakery, dazed from
the effects of the smoke, were rescued and
taken to a drugstore which was subse-
quentIy destroyed. The Hirsch building
was also occupied by Dennett's restau-
rant, where thirty mattresses were en-
ployed. all OF whom escaped in safety.
Hirsch Bros. utilized a portion of the
lower part of the structure and all of the
upper stories as salesroom and manu-
factory. nearly 500 hands, large per-
centage of them women and girls, being
employed
Owing to the early hour, however, but
six workmen were in the place and thew
left before the fire became general. The
intensely cold weather and a high wind
was barrier to the tiremen, and although
six alarms were sounded, and about all
of the city's fire apparatus soon appeared
on the scene, the flames spread with
alarming rapidity. In half an hour the
whole block OF business establishments
from Thirteenth to Juniper and Market
to Filbert streets were in danger of des-
truction. The tiremeu worked heroicallv
but their efforts were futile. The spray
from the streams OF water fell on them
and froze. huge lcicles were formed on the
walls and roof of the burning structures.
At8oclock it was clearly evident that
the block was doomed, and some atten-
tion was turned to surrounding property.
AT this time the wind carried the blazing
emhers across to Wanamaker's store and
the clock tower was soon ablaze.
The fire engines did not have sufficient
force to send the water to the tower, and
alter burning some minutes it fell. The
fire then communicated to the roof, but it
was held in check, and in omparatively
little time was practically extinguished.
The Market-street front OF the store was
badly damaged.
Ate O'Clock, while the flames were at
their height, Chief Of the Fire Department
Baxter sent two engines to the vicinity OF
FiIbert and Juniper streets, and several
lines of hose were run into Silver street, a
small thoroughlare between Market and
Filbert streets, and directly in the rear OF
the Marketstreet properties. The dremen
stationed there did efficient work to pre-
vent the flames from spreading to the
building occupied by the Dunlap Printing
Company and the Collins Carriage Com
pany. The crowd saw the walls totler,
and cried for the fremen to run for their
lives.
The brave and ice-covered workers
started 10 run. but two of them were
struck by the debris and severely hurt.
The Market street front of the Hirsch
building fell at about $3.50 o'clock, but no
one was hurt. The flames ragged hercely
until II o'clock, when they were under
control. The Hirsch building was owned
by the Henry G. Gibson estate. The
streets in the vicinity were covered with
ice, and the trolley and other wires IN the
vicinity were broken down. The efficient
police regulations, however, In keeping
the crowd at distance prevented possible
accidents by contact with W. res.
Mr.. Wanamaker carries his own insur-
\ ance. When 1t was feared that his estab-
iishment would also be doomed, 600 OF the
employees were organized into brigades
and under Mr.. Wanamaker's personal
direction they began preparing for the
worst. The fire was confined to the roof
and tower, however, because OF the cour-
ageous work of the firemen.
The lunchrooms in the establishment
were thrown open to the fremen and The