The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-30
Publishing House of Lippin-
colts a Mass of
Ruins.
LOSS TWO MILLIONS
Employees of Burned Out Establish
mentS Will Be Cared For by
0.her Department Stores.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 29.-Nearly two
million dollars worth OF property was
destroyed by two fires in the heart Of the
business section of the city early to-day
The greater Of the two fires started in the
big department store OF Partridge & Rich
ardson, at the southeast corner Of Eighth
and Fiibert streets, the very center Of the
shopping district, at $50 a. m, and be-
fore the flames had been put under con
troll they spread TO adjoining property
and caused a heavy loss.
While this fire was progressing and
spreading every moment another FIRE
broke out four blocks away on the fourth
floor of 4l9 Market street. The loss 1T
this fire is estimated at $4,000. The losses
OF the two fires are more than covered
by insurance. The Eighth street fire was
a very ugly one for the firemen TO handle.
Eighth street and Ftlbert street are bCtl
very narrow thoroughfares. There was a
strong wind blowing at the time. and the
nremen had great difficulty in preventing
the flames from getting q good hold on
the buildings on both sides of these
streets. AS IL was, many structures and
their contents were badly scorched and
damaged by water. II took four hours to
get the flames under control.
The FIRE started in the basement Of Part
ridge q Richardson's store from an cleo
trio spark and soon the entire building
was a mass OF flames. The two stores TO
the south OF Partridge * Richardson were
soon Quilted, and then the flames attacked
the big building Of the J. b. Lppincott
Publishing Company, on Filbert street,
east OF the burning department store. THIS
publishing establishment is one of the
best known In the country. many first
class reference books. periodicals and nu-
merous other publications being produced
by the firm. The building was completely
ruined. In this building, stored away IN
vaults, is nearly a half million dollars
worth of manuscripts. plates and other
material for reference books, and IT Is
not yet known whether they were de-
stroyed.
Lit Brothers large department store,
which adjoins the Lippincott building and
which is valued with fits contents at more
than $1,000 900. was saved, but only after
the contents Of one corner OF the building
had been damaged. Strawbridse & Cloth
Ter. another large department store on the
west side Of Eighth street, also had q
narrow escape, and the building and con-
tents were damaged to the extent Of
about $4,000 a number of other business
houses. adjoining Lippincotts and Part
ridge & Richardson's. were either entirely
destroyed or badly damaged.
The estimated losses are: Partridge K
Richardson. 100000; j. B. hpplncott PUP
fishing Company. 100000; Artman 81
Treichler. wholesale house furnishings,
& Clothier. $50 90; Bailey's and 10 cent
store $4,000; Rosenberg's millinery store,
$50 900; Partridge & Sons restaurant, $780,
600; Westcott & Thompson, electric SUP
plies, $4,000. Additional losses, aggre-
eating about s25, 900, were divided
among twelve small concerns. All the
losses are covered by insurance.
The second fire was discovered at 1880
o'clock in the four-story building at 4ls
Market street occupied by several man
ayers and wholesale dealers. The entire
building was Quilted, as was also the ad-
Joining building. No. All. The estimated
loss IS $40 900. distributed among nine
firms. The loss on the buildings is esti-
mated at $4,000.
More than 200 persons are thrown out
OF work by the fires, but the proprietors
of other department stores offer temper
airy employment to all Of Partridge Il
Richardson's 900 employees at the salaries
they received from the burned out firm.
Although the big fire ragged for more
than four hours. there were no casualties
beyond n few minor injuries received by
a halfdozen firemen,