Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-30
TWO BIG FIRES ~ PHILADELPHIA.
Tinpincott's and Other Prominen'
Firms Burned out.


uITADELPHIA. PA, November o.
Nearly 100000 worth OF property was
DESTROYED By two fires I'm the heart Of the
business section Of the city early to-day.
The greater Of the two fires started IN the
big Experimentation Of Partridge
richardson. at the southeast corner OF
Eighth and Fnbert streets, the very
centre OF the shopping district, az o.oO a.
NJ. and before the flames mad Deen pul
under control they spread % adjoining
property and caused loss ol ABOUT 81
10000. While this fire was in progress
and spreading every moment. anotner IRE
broke out four blocks away on the fOurin
floor OF No. 4l5 Aidr6et street Ine loss
al this fire is estimated at S1OOOl Inc
losses Of the two fires are more imam COW
cred by Insurance.
The Eighth-street fire was n very ugly
one for the nremen 10 handle. Eighth
and Hilbert streets are very narrow tho
roughfares. There was a strong wind
blowing az the time. and tine fre-nghters
had great difficulty in preventing lne
damcs from getting a good hold ON the
buildings ON the opposite sides or these
streets. As IL was. many 81 the struct-
. ures and their contents were badly scorch-
CA and damaged by water. IL took Iour
hours 20 get the llames under control
HOW FIRST FIRE STARTED.
The fire stared IN the basement or part
ridge 81 Richardson store, from an eI1t-
trio spark. and soon he entire Dullulh5
was a mass Of fi9mes. The TWO stores
10 the south II Partridge AZ richardson's
were soon Quilted. and then he names at
tackled the big building NJ the ). =. LIP
uiucott Publishing Company, on flDeit
street. east of the burning department.
store This publishing house is one OF
the best known ln me country, many
high-class reference-bOOks periodicals.
and numerous other publications. being
produced by the firm. The building was
completely ruined. I'm the building, stored
away ia vaults Is nearly hair million
dollars worth of manus,r pts. plates and
other material for reference b0Oks, ana II
is not yet known whether they were de-
stro.ed.
LII Brothers large department-store,
which adioins the Lppincott building,
and which is valued, with lis contents,
az over a million dollars. was saved, but
only after it's contents Of one corner or
the building had been damaged. straw
bridge e Clothier's, another large depart
ment-stOre on the west side OF Eighth
street. also had a narrow escape. and the
building and contents We're damaged 10
the extent Of about 5000
A number OF other business houses adj
Joining Lppincotrs and Partridge x
richardson's we're either entirely de-
strOyed or partly damaged.
THE LOSSES.
The estimated losses are: Partridge x
/ Richardson. 10000; J. b. Lippincott Pub
F''Nf'NFf
/ Treichler, wholesale hOnsefurnlshings,
500 600: Lit Brothers. $500; Strawbridge
i Il Cother. 5000: Bailey's s. and Decent
! store. 5000: Rosenberg's millinery store,
! $50 900; Partridge x Sons. restaurant,
/ 10000: Westcott & Thomson, electro
/ typers. $1,000.
Additional losses aggregating about
! 5000 are divided among a number OF
/ 6rms. and are all covered by insurance.
I The second fire was discovered at 1:3o
] o'clock IN the four-story building at No.
: 40 Market street, occupied by several
manufacturing and wholesale dealers.
: The entire building was Quilted, as was
I also the adjoining building, No. Az. The
+ estf,uated loss il $4,000
The loss on the building is estimated
a. PERSONS OUT OF WORK.
! over 1900 persons are thrown out OF
! emnloyment by the fires. but the pro-
priffors of other department stores offer
J TEMPORARY employment 10 all OF Partridge
q Richardson's 900 employees az the
salaries they received from the burned
Although the big fire ragged for over -four
hours. there were no casualties beyond
a few minor injuries. received by hat
dozen freinen.