The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-01-27
Has Philadelphia Been Visited BY Such a
Fire as that of Yesterday.
AMlLlION WORTH OF PROPERTY BURNED
All The Damage Was Caused by Tiny
Spark from an Overhcntrd fsnISer's
oven only One WnmuinaE
er's store ON Fire Several Times
Mhny Wholesale Houses Burned.

basement OF the siXstory iron building,
lSG9 TO 1917 Market street, burned over
and Juniper street and Market and
tlibert streets, destroyed or gulted
sixty buildings and consumed properly
valued at about million dollars.
Many small storekeepers lost their all
and several thousand working peop.e
were thrown out of employment The
damaged buildings were generally fully
insured.
THE WORST IN A GENERATION.
The fire was the worst that has been
experienced in Philadelphia for a gene
ration. The scene of the destruction
was located In the very heart of the
city. Many of the properties destroyed,
especially on Thirteenth, Juniper and
Silver streets, the latter a small! thor
oughfare running between Market and
tlpert streets, were small, oid-fashion
ed dwellings houses and, aside from the
loss To their tenants, their destruction
VIII probably be to the ultimate good.
II 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
Whsre the fire ragged the iercest, Is 10
Gated the famous general store of eX-
Postmaster General John Wanamaker.
WANAAIAKER'S ON FIRE.
Though on fire time and again. and
while the frontage on Market street was
badly damaged, the store was saved
fire, but separated from 1t by the great
width OF the street ana pavement at
this point, is the great pile 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
While there were a number of minor
casualties among the firemen no one
was very seriously hurt. but one death
is chargeable to the fire. John A. Felt,
a bookEeeper in the employ of a husi
ness firm in the vicinity, dropped dead
from heart disease produced by the eX-
element attending the fire.
HOW IT ORIGINATED.
The building al 1909 and 1917 Market
street was occupied on the upper floors
by the umbrella manufactory of Hi:sh
Bros. They also occupied the lower floor
OF 1909 as salesroom. Dennetts eating
cafe occupied two other rooms on the
ground floor. and the western room of
the building 1917 Market street was oc-
cupied by Hanscom Bros, grocers. The
Hanscom Bros. used the basement Of
their store as bakery and In this base
ment two bakers were at work this
morning. Their furnace was overhea ed
a little spark flew out a blaze followed
and almost in an instant the two work
men were stretched half conscious on
the floor by the overpowering smoke.
I'he smoke curled its way up through
the floor and porter at work sweeping
out the room dashed into the street
calling fire. policeman At The corner
rung in an alarm and then went back
10 the pulIdlnS TO investigate The fire.
a BRAVE RESCUE.
Some one bethought themselves of the
two bakers and two young men en-
ployed In the establishment bravely de-
scended through the smoke and dragged
the half sufocated men out The fire
engine was on the scene Two minutes
atter the alarm was struck. but the fire
was already bursting through the floors
IT was n fearful morning to figh, n
lire. The thermometer was near zero
and the first line of hose as ii was un-
reeied. burst and covered everything
surrounding with water that turned 10
Ice the moment 1t struck. The flames
gained on the hremen. and alarm after
alarm was runs in until every engine
IN the city was hurrying TO the scene
thousands OF workers on their way to
thelr places OF business were attracted
by the fire and streets In the vicinity
speedily became impossible from the
curious and surging throng The police
forced the crowd back by mighty ef-
1orts and the fremen were abe TO work
10 better advantage.
DANGER FROM LIVE WIRES.
The trolley cars were brought to n
they are run began 10 snap in the
vicinity OF the fire and hang down into
the street. threatening death to all who
came In contact with them. The cur
rent however. was soon turned off and
inns danger was averted. The flames in
me meanwhile had eaten their way up
through the Hlrsch building and hrok @
through the roof. Hirsh Bros employed
about 500 hands mostly girls, but as few
OF mem mad arrived al work when tn {,
nre broke out those that were there
easily made their way to the street be-
fore the flames reached the upper
The strong wind carried burning
brands TO the roofs of the surrounding
houses.
THEIR LIVES IN THEIR HANDS.
The firemen worked under the most
discouraged conditions. the hosemen
ana iadderman taking their lives in
their hands as they crawled cautiously
up the Ice coated rungs of their ladders
dragging after them their lines of hose,
which were !ncased In n solid covering
OF zee, The streets around the flre were
coated with ice and neither men or
n