The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-30
PH|LADElPH|A'S BIG FIRE.
NEARLY TWO MILLION DOLLARS GO
Up IN SMOKE.
The Big Building of the Lippincott
Publishing Company Completely
Gutted. and Several other Build
inEs With Goods Are DESTROYED.

PHILADELPHIA, Nov 9-Nearly two
million dollars worth OF property was de-
siroyed ny Two fires in the heart OF the
business section OF the city early today.
The greater OF the two fires started in the
big department store OF Partridge s. Rich
ardson. al the southeast corner of Eighth
and Faloert streets, the very center of the
shopping district, at $50 L. m, and before
the names had been put under control they
spread 70 adjoining property and caused q
heavy loss.
While this fire was progressing and
spreading every moment. another IRE broke
cut four blocks away, on the fourth sicor
of No, 4le Market street. The loss at this
FIRE L. estimated at sli0.eo. The losses OF
the TWO fires are more than covered by in
suranee.
The Eighth street fire was very ugly
ore for the firemen TO handle. Eighth stree,
and faihert stree. are both very narrow
thoroughfares. There was a strong wind
blowing at the time, and the iiremen hs 1
great difficulty ia preventing the flames
from getting Ii good hold on the buildings
on both of those streets. AS ii was. many
structures and their contents were badly
scorched and damaged by water. II took
four hours 10 get the flames under control.
The fire started in the basement of Par
fridge & Richardson's store from an cleo
trio spark, and soon the entire building was
mass OF flames. The two stores 10 the
south OF Partridge * Richardson's were
soon Quilted, and then the flames attaC ked
the big building of the j. L. Lippincott
Publishing Company. on FIlbert street, east
OF the burning department store.
This publishing establishment is one OF
the best known in the country. many iirst-
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, IL nearly a half million dollars
wor>.A of manuscripts. plates and othe- ma
terial for reference cooks, and IL is not yet
known whether they were destroyed.
Lit Bros large department store. which
adjoins the Lippincott building, and which
is valued, with it's contents. at more than
100000. was saved. bat only after the
contents OF one corner of the building had
been damaged. Strawbridge 4 Ciothier.
another large department store on the west
side of Eighth street, also had a narrow
escape. and the building and contents were
damaged to the extent OF about S0,ooo. A
number OF other business houses adjoining
Lippincott's and Partridge & Richardson $
were either entirely destroyed or badly
damaged.
The estimated losses are: Partridge &
Richardson, 100000. J: =. Lppincotr Pub
Treichler wholesale house furnishings.
100000: Lit Bros. ss5.0o0: Strawbridge II
Clo;hier $4,000: Baiieys and Decent
store. x000: Rasenberg's millinery store,
$50 600: Partridge & Sons. restaurant. So
oo0: Westcott 4 Thompson. electric sup
ply. Sla.oDo. Additional losses. aggregatng
about $500, are divided among twelve
smaller concerns All the losses are COW
cred by insurance.
The second fire was discovered at $50
o'clock in the four-story building at No.
iI9 Market street, occupied by several
manufacturers and wholesale dealers. The
entire building was Quilted. as was also
the adjoining building. No. All. The es.i-
mated loss Is sIlo.oG distributed among
nine firms. The losses en- the buildings are
estimated at $4,000
More than eco persons are thrown out
of work by the fires. but the proprietors
of the other department stores offer tenn
porary employment to all of Partridge Il
Richardson's 900 employees at the salaries
they received from the Surned-out firm.
Although the fire ragged for more than
four hours there were no casualties beyond
a few minor injuries received by half
dozen firemen.