Evening journal., 1897-09-23
A QUEER FIRE, THIS.
Dry Goods Store of E. w.
Wyatt Completely Gutted.
LOSS AMOUNTS TO OVER $4,000
FIRE EVIDENTLY Or GNCENDIARY
ORIG1N-BEFoRE THE FLAMES
WERE SUBDUED GREAT DAMAGE
WAS DONE--FAME HOSE COM
PANY PUTS OUT THE BLAZE.

PANY PUTS OUT THE BLAZE.
A singular fire occurred yesterday
afternoon when the large dry goods
store cf T.. W. Wyatt al the northwest
corner of Second and Orange streets
was completely gutted.
The blaze was confined to the second |
story of the building and It Is supposed !
TO be of incendiary origin
Shortly before o'clock Mr.. Wyatt
said he had occasion to go to the see
ond-story for some goods which had
been called for by a woman purchaser.
He returned with the goods and about
twenty minutes afterwards one OF the
women clerks noticed smoke issuing
from the entry leading to the second
story. There being no fire In the build
ing nothing was thought OF the matter,
and work Of waiting on the customers
went on. When the store had been
partly filled with smoke Mr.. Wyatt and
one Of the clerks rushed upstairs only
to be driven back by dense volumes of
black smoke There were several pur-
chasers in the store and these made
their escape Mr. Wyatt tried again to
force his way up the stairs, but the
smoke blinded him and he was COM
PEELED to give up the attempt.
BY this time the streets were throng-
ed with people and az least fifty men
and boys rushed into the store TO carry
cut the goods, but the presence OF Ser
geant Bailey and Officers Ward and
scott prevented this.
ALARM TURNED IN.
A still alarm was sent in to the Fame
al
was the result, the companys house be-
ing about twenty-five yards away. The
firemen lost no time in getting into SER
vice. but before the stream had been
turned on the1ames shot out the second
story side window and for time the
whole place seemed likely to be a prey
Of the flames. The firemen were about
to force water into the store
with the assistance Of the engine.
when cooler heads prevailed and "A plug
stream was rescrted TO. That proved
effective and a line of hose was run into
the front entrance Of the store, and IN
few inmates the flames were subdued,
but not before the place was flooded
with water
SAVING THE GOODS.
After the flames and smoke were sub
dued several bystanders entered the
store and put oilcloth over the stacks OF
dry goods and notions. The majority OF
the gCcds were soaked with water and
!, are ruined, The goods On the sheiyoi
were saved.
The light dress goods and the mor'
expensive goods were also saved. Th'
goods in the second. story, where thu
fire started, are a complete loss. Con
siderable damage was also done by The
force Of the water against the show
cases.
OF MYSTERIOUS ORIGIN.
Mr.. Wyatt, in conversation with al
Evening journal reporter yesterday af
b terncon, said that there was no fire II
the store and he IS at a loss to know
how the fire started. The secOnd-storl
b is divided into two rooms. The one in
the north end OF the building had beer
visited by Mr.. Wyatt only twenty min
, utes before the blaze was discovered
? while the fire was confined to the room
in the south end Of the building. Thi
} room Mr. Wyatt says he did not ente
, at all.
z Il is said that Mr.. Wyatt lighted
match in the room in order to see tn
2 sort Of goods he wanted, and, in return
3 ing with the goods, threw the match OF
the floor. but that Is not probable. a
the rooms are excellently lighted b,
four windows facing on Orange street
THE LOSS BY FIRE
+, Mr.. Wyatt has the place insured TO
I, about $4,000, but the real value of tn
, store and contents is put at $4,000.
HOW TO CLEAN LACE CURTAINS
Why send your lace curtains out q
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one-half the time it takes when yO
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cut tearing or injuring them in an
way Read what scmc CT the first ladie
Of the city say about our work:
Telephone, COL.
- / have had my lace curtains cleane
! several times by Manhattan Laundr
and perfect satisfaction was given.
Mrs. John p. Wales
am more than pleased with the Lac
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Q Mrs. DeHaven Morris.
|. The six pairs of curtains you cleane
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II Mrs. William Lawton.
My lace curtains are beautiful
cleaned and are just right to draI
nicely. Mrs. William B. Clerk.
: THE HELENA's GOOD SHOWING.
The gunboat Helena, Commander "
u T. Swinburne commanding, returned
y New York from her final trial trip ye'
y terday. She had made circuit OF Lon
Island, and in the tests that determine
her conditions in cruising service
r said TO have proved to be all that Wa
required Of her.
It 80 CENTS TO BALTIMORE AND RI
. TURN VIA THE MOST RELIABLE
PENNSYLVANIA LINE.
Next Sunday. September 26. speci
a trains will leave Wilmington at 4.SS al
is 9 o'clock a. m. Tickets good on reg