Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-27

Philadelphia, January 26.-The most
disastrous fire that has visited this city
in recent years broke out shortly be-
fore seven o'clock this morning, in the
rear Of the basement of the big grocery
store Of Hanscom Brothers, 1917 Market
street, and before the flames were got
ten under control, property amounting
in value to $2,5OO,OOO or more had been
destroyed.
The flames were first discovered by
John Wagner, a reserve policeman.
who was passing the big building at
$50 o'clock. He turned in an alarm.
Before the engines reached the scene
the entire rear portions of Hanscom'
store, as well as Dennett's big restaur-
ant, were in flames. A second alarm
was then sent in, and a few minutes
later a general alarm was sounded. I'm
mediately adjoining Hanscom's Broth
ers on the west was the five story
building occupied by Blum Brothers,
manufacturers of ladies' cloaks. The
flames spread with almost lightning
rapiditv and Blum Brothers building
was soon mass of flames. The wa
ter seemed almost TO freeze before 1t
touched the building, so bitter cold was
the weather The next building on the
west to be eaten up by the fire was
that occupied by George Marshall, as
restaurant: then came the hat factory
Of George B. Wells at 1923. and all the
rear of the wholesale grocery OF Snow
ell & Fryer at 1925 Market street.
While the flames were sweeping west
on Market street the umbrella factory
of Hirsch Brothers. the largest IN the
world which adjoined Dennetts res
taurant. caught fire. The inilammable
nature of the immense stock OF ilgn1
silks added fuel to the flames ana IN
half an hour the beautiful eighJ-story
building. extending from 1903 TO l5lo
Market street. was mass Of flames. On
the east of the Hirsch building, between
1909 and 1911 Market street were the
following tenants: The MiZpah res
taurant. 1907: Sterner & Ball, whole
sale and retail cigar factory. l"V2:
wholesale and retail confectionery OF
A. Nickolacky. 1903 and the big urus
store of II. Hillr n. at 1901, the upper
story OF which was occupied by POlJei
Brothers as a photograph gallery
On the north side Of Hirsch Brothers
factory. Immediately across SILVER
street. stood the new seven-storY Uuliu-
ing of Dunlap Brothers, the only print
i,o firm in the state with capacity
for printing the big blanket Australian
baIIOts The building extended from
130G 10 1910 Filbert street and was Ioo
feet deeD. The first floors were occu-
MED bv the Collins Carriage Company
The flames swept through this hlg
structure and burned j, out ne
small buildings en- Silver street. when
runs west from Thirteenth to Jumper
were ali burned out.
The shop of Contractor Lewis HaN-
ems caught fire from the rear oi BIu1I
Brothers. and three tiremen We're
caught by q falling wall. FRANK flpeI'
of engine company No. 80. was The only
man seriously injured.
At sis fire was discovered III lhe
tower of John Wanamakers big dry
Goods store. A stream of water from
ono of the water towers was run up
IN the burning structure. but the sup
plv of water was either too small or the
anaratus defective. as the stream would
not reach. The tower contained
handsome clock OF chimes. At nine
O'Clock the tower collapsed. jhe clo'A
falling through to the first hoor. "o
lines of hose were then gotten on Top
of the gigantic structure, ana me
flames which had threatened 10 oeS-
troy Philadelphia's most famous store
VOC soon under control. The fire had
been confined entirely to the Market
street front. and the loss sustained ny
Mr. Wanamaker was principally lh
the destruction of his clock and chiin's
and the breaking Of all the large p.a'e
gioee windows on Market street ne
roof of the building was aDiaze d. U.l'
tima and it seemed as ii jhe en1lIe
structure was doomed. but lhe MS
oDorated by the employees Oh 'he "'E ,
tabrshment kept the hie "''''''
NJ Mr. Wanamaker was on the scene
carly this morning before lhe HlEn
wind had carried the flames across
7farI,et street from the building III
-,.tioh tho FIRE originated TO hls store.
A. tho nresent time he employs 4.-Vo
,oorIa and as many of the men IN
Ms army of employees as would be or
,,sa IN frbtinc The flames were admit
81 ~ tho store. The admirable pre-
CAUTIONS that the infammable nature
of tho structure had made necessary
made the work of the trained nre oIl-
gade easy. and at the same time eI-
fective Mr.. Wanamaker sald 10 an
Associated Press reporter az '.'o
o'clocl,. The fire is confined 10 the
Market street end of the store. ana
fbree hours after the iremen are out
of The place seven-eighths OF the store
will be ready for business.
Mr. Wanamaker was apparently the
leest concerned man i'm the great
crowd. as he quietly made his way from
one mart of the establishment 20 an
otber directing the movements OF the
employees t.5 to.o
ID to this time the flames had been
confined to the block bounded by H-
her, street on the north, Thirteenth on
the east Market ON the south and
1rniner on the west. he wind was
allowing from the west and carried the
flames right into the rear OF inc Uulla-
ines ON Thirteenth street The hrSl
bniIding TO catch fire was that OF jacob
Miller. gentlemen's furnishing goo1s'
al : North Thirteenth street. \ Nc
the cigar factory Of l.. Tarbliss & Co..
Of g North thirteenth street, \. Nc
enc 4 Co. manufacturers of picture
frones Nos. 10 and -; + Pither, dry
Goods No. "A: s. Fl Shull. drugs. No.
-r-.--.- 10 oL-nrr N Is the LaLe de