The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-30
MILLIONS co UP IN SMOKE
Two Most Destructive Fires Oc-
cur in Philadelphia.
RACED FOR FOUR HOURS
Flercs Flames Lick Up Scores OF Busi-
ness Houses, With Their Contents.
Two Thousand Employees Are
Thrown Out OF Work

Philadelphia, Nov. 29.-Nearly $1,000
0o0 worth of property was destroyed
by two fires in the heart of the busi-
ness section of the city early to-day.
The greater of the two fires started
in the big department store of Par
fridge & Richardson, at the southeast
corner of Eighth and Filbert streets,
the very center of the shopping dis
trict, at $50 a. m, and before the
flames had been put under control
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 No. 419 Market street.
The loss at this fire is estimated at
$4,000. The losses of the two fires
are more than covered by Insurance.
The Eighth street fire was very. ug-
lE one for the tiremen to handle.
Eighth street and F'lbert street are
both very narrow thoroughfares. There
was strong wind blowing at the time
and the iiremen had great difficulty in
preventing the flames from getting q.
good hold on the buildings on both
of these streets. AS it was, many
structures and their contents were bad
ly scorchel and damaged by water 1t
took four hours to get the flames under
control.
The fire started in the basement Of
Partridge 4 Richardson's store from
an electric spark, and soon the entire
building was a mass of flames. The
two stores to the south Of Partridge e.
Richardson's We're soon gutted, and
then the flames attacked the big build
ing of the j. p. Lippincott Publishing
company, on F'ilbeTt street, east of the
burning department store.
This publishing establishment Is one
of the best known in the country.
many trst-class reference books, peri
odicals and numerous other publica
tions 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 ma
terial for reference books. and it is
not yet known whether they We're de-
stroved.
Lit Brothers large department store
which adjons the Llppncott building
and which Is valued. with it's contents
at more than 81 100000, was saved, but
only after the contents of one corner
Of the building had been damaged.
s'trawbridge & Clothier, another large
department store on the west side of
Eighth street, also had a narrow es
were damaged to the extent of about
500, 900. \ number of other business
houses adjoining Lippircott's and Par
fridge & Richardson's were either en-
tirely destroyed or badly damaged.
The estimated losses are:
Partridge Il Richardson. 100000.
T. B. LiDpincott Publishing company,
100000.
Artman & Treichler. wholesale house
furnishings, 100000.
Lit Brothers, $S5. 600
Strawbridge & Clothier, $4,000.
Baley's and 10-cent store, $4,000.
POsenberg'S millinery store, $4,000.
Partridge & Sons restaurant, 100000.
Westcott & Thompson. electric sup
ply. $4,000.
Additional losses. aggregating about
So, 900, are divided among II smaller
concerns. All the losses are covered
by insurance.
The second fire was discovered at 80
o'clock in the four-story building at
40 Market street, occupied by several
manufa cturers and wholesale dealers.
The entire building was Quilted. as was
also the adjoining building, No. All
The estimated loss is S110000, dis
tributed among nine firms. The losses
on the buildings are estimated at $40
600
More than 1000 persons are thrown
out of employment by the fires, but
the propretors of other department
stores offer temporary employment to
all of Partridge 6; Richardson's en-
plOyes at the salaries they. received
from the burned-out firm
Although the fire ragged for more than
four hours there We're no casualties
beyond a few minor injuries received
by half dozen firemen.