The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-30
LIrrINooTrs PLACE BURNED.
Fire Loss i'm Philadelphia Amounted
20 g.. .OOO. 900.

Philadelphia, Nov 29.-Nearly $2,oOOOO0
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 &
Richardson, at the southeast corner of
Eighth and Fllbert streets, the very CEN
ter OF the shopping district, at ESQ a. m. ,
and before the flames had been put under
control they spread to adjoining property
and caused loss of about Sl,a0. 0O0
While this tire was In progress aud
spreading every moment, another fire
broke out four blocks away, on the fourth
floor OF No 40 Market street The loss
at this fire is estimated at $4,000 The
losses of the two fires are more than coV-
cred by insurance.
The Eighth street blaze was a very ugly
one FOR the hremen to handle. Eighth
street and Filbert street are very narrow
thoroughfares. There was strong wind
blowing VI the time. aud the fire fighters
had great difficulty in preventing the
hames from getting a good hold ON the
buildings on the opposite side of these
streets As 1t was. many of the struc-
lures and their contents were badly
scorchod and damaged by water. 1t took
four hours to get the flames under con-
troll
The fire started In the basement Of
Partridge q Richardson's store from an
electric spark, and soon the entire build
Ing was mass OF flames. The two stores
to the south of Partridge & Richardson's
were soon gutted, and then the flames at
tackled the big building of the J. 3. Lip
pincott Publishing Company, on Fllbert
street east OF the burning department
store. This publishing house Is one of the
best known in the country. many high
place 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 Ii Is not
yet known whether they were DESTROYED
Lit Bros large department store. which
Joining Lppincott's and Partridge &
which Is valued, with its contents. al over
81 100000, was saved. but only after the
contents Of one corner of the building had
been damaged.
Strawbrldge & Clothier, another large
department store on the west side Of
Eighth street. also had a narrow escape
and the building and contents were dam
aged to the extent of about $4,000
A number OF other business houses ad-
Joining Lippincott & Partrldge's and
Richardson's were either entirely destroy
ed or partly damaged The estimated
losses are.
Partridge & Richardson, 500 900; ]. b.
Lipplncoit Publishing Company, 5000 900;
Artman e. Trelchler. wholesale house fur
nishings. 100000; Lit Bros. $s5 900; Straw
bridge Clothier. $50 coo; Bailey's Five
and Ten-Cent Store, $4,000; Rosenberg's q
millinery store 10000; Partridge e SONS
restaurant, $4,000; Westcott e Thomson
electrotypers, $4,000 Additional losses ag-
gregatlng about S25, COO are divided among
number of firms all the losses of which
are covered by insurance.
The second fire was discovered at 7:30
O'Clock in the four-story building at No.
4l9 Market street, occupied by several
manufacturing and wholesale dealers The
entire building was gutted, as was also
the adjoining building No. Az. The es-
timated loss Is $4,000
The. Toss on the buildings Is estimated al
$40, 000
over 1000 persons are thrown out of em-
ployment by the fires, but proprietors of
other department stores offer temporary
employment to all the Partridge e. Rich
ardson's 800 employees at the salaries they
received from the burned-out firm.
Although the big fire ragged over four
hours, there were no casualties beyond a
few minor injuries received by half
dozen firemen.