Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-01-26
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES
Host Disastrous Blsz, In Philadelphia
in RCtnt Years.
LOSS ESTIMATED AT $4,000, 900.
Wnnamaker's store threatened With
Complete Dcstruciion-Pires In
0,hr Places.

visited this city In recent years broke
oat shortly before O'Clock this morn
ing in the basement Of the big grocery
sors of Hanscomb Brothers, 1917
Market street. Property TO the value
OF S2,500,000 or more was destroyed.
The flames were fret discovered by
john Wagner, reserve policeman.
Before the engines reached the scene
lbe entire rear portion OF Hanscomb's
store ana Dennett's big restaurant
were ablsze. A second alarm was sent
In, and few moments later a general
alarm wac sent In.
Immediately adjoining Hansc omb
Brothers on tho west was 6us-story
building occupied by Blum Brothers,
manufacturers Of ladies' ulOaks. This
was coon a mass OF hsmea. The
water seemed almost to freeze
before 1t touched the buildinge.
The next building to the west
to be eaten up was that occupied by
George Marshal ae a restaurant. Then
came Hat Mandatory g. Il. Wells
and the rear OF the Wholesale grocery
OF Showell d Frier, 1925 Msrke,
street. While the fsmee were swseping
west on Market etreet tho umbrella
mandatory OF Hirsch Brothers, the
largest In the world, which adJoins
the restaurant, caught fire. The In
namm Able nature OF the imme nse
rt0ck OF light silks added fuel to tue
flames and in half an hour the build
ing extending from 1909 TO 1915, eight
stories, Oh Market street was mass oil
flames. On the east Of the Hirsch
building, between 1909 ana 1901 Mar.
ket street were the following tenante.
Mispah restaurant; Sterner & Bail,
cigar factory; a. Nickoliacky, coniec-
tipnery anu the big drug store CT ii.
HilIman, the upper story OF which was
occupied by Potter Bros. as a photo.
graph gallery. On the north aide OF
Hirsch Bros, Immediately across
Silver etreet, stood the new seven
story building OF Dunlap Brothers.
Plis building extended from 1906
10 1910, Fiibert street, and was
100 iest deep. The first floors were
occupied by Collins Carrisge Co. The
flames swept through tnia structure
anu Quilted At completely. The email
buildings on Silver street which run
went Tram Thirteenth TO Juniper, were
all Quilted. The shop ef Contractor
Lewis HRvons caught fire from the
rear OF Blum Bros., and three firemen
were oaugn. by u railing wall. Frank
Pipcr, OF engine company No. SO, was
the only man seriously Injured.
At S:l5 q. N. fire was discovered In
the tower OF John WanamRker's big
dry goods store. A stream of water
from pna Of the water towers was run
up the burning structure, but the
supply OF water was either too small
or the apparatus detective, as the
stream uia not reach the flames. The
tower contained q handsome clock and
chimes.
Ats O'clock tile entire tower col.
lapsed, the clock falling through 10
the firsl floor. Two lines OF hose were
then gotten on the top of the gigantic
structure and tho flames which
threatened to destroy Pniiadelphia's
most famous store were soon uIier
control.
The fire had been confined entirely
to Market street front anu the loss sus.
tained by Wanamsker was principally
In the destruction OF the clock and
chimes and the bfosking OF all large
plate glass wtndOws on Market street.
The roof was abiazs one time anu IL
seemed as though the entire structure
was doomed, bul the hose operated by
the employees OF the big establishment
kept the flames la bounds.
Up to this time tho flames had been
confined to the bleca bounded by
Hilbert street ON the north Thirteenth
on the east, Market on the south anu
Juniper on the west. The wind was
blowing from the west and carried the
hamss right into the rear OF the build
lngs on Thirteenth street. The first
building to catcn fire was that OF
JACOB Miller, gents' furniehings. Fif-
Teen other shops and stores on tho
north Thirteenth were gutteu. Flames
ate their way almost directly north
Webt ff5m the rear OF Blum Brothers
building, cutting the Rear OF Shovel
FryeIs' big grocery, tho rear part OF
Nos. to 25 north Juniper used as law
tfiices anu private residences was COM
pisiely burned out.
VIII 10 the fire was at its height
flames were discovered ON the window
sashes Of the big city hall. The city
hall fire department ran line 10 the
TOOL ahd In few minutes had the
structure tres from danger. The walls
Of Hitsch Bros factory collapsed soon
after 8 o'clock. The other walls lett
shading resemble huge LOG bergs.
Between 8 and ., m. q ire broke
cut In the i've story building occupied
Ny .. Ii. Bunnell, Wholesale stntionsr,
Cheetnut s,reet. The loss 10 $4,000
Shortly before O'Clock tire started
In the Dig carpet store OF John anu
'amts Dobsor. Chestnut street. By
harj work ,he Il in,tB were confined IL
Tue sixth story out the water soaked
,hfouRh to the baeemeni. Toe loss 10
100000.
NEw YORK HAS A BLAZE.
New YORK, Jan. 26.--A fire which
started in ,De basement OF six-etory
building, 20 Pearl street, today,
brought tut the whole Are fighting
Tree Ia the lower part OF the city,
the basement was occupied by WaI-
uen q Co., Wholesale liquor dealers.
The doors above and the sdjoiuing
building, 81, were occupied by Percy
heht, dealer In cottons, packing and
Ealing. The loss to the latter IL s40,-
Vuo covered by Insurance. Walden n
Cos less is said 10 be abont $4,000,
partially Insured.
AN ELEVATOR DESTROYED.
CHICAGO, Jan. 26.--Ths large grain
elevator Of the w. ii. Purcell Malt
ing company. l23id street and the