The Wilmington daily Republican., 1900-02-28
HEWARK'S GREAT FIRE.
A Million Dollars Property Loss in
New Jerseys Metropolis.
PERHAPS SOME LIVES WERE LOST

| ent Of a Depa rtment Store Where
the Fire eOriginatcd-TaISen From "a
Ladder with His Clothing Ahame.
{ Newark, N. j., Feb. 2S.-The greatest
fire this city ever experienced swept
p, through the retail dry goods district
! last night, destroying score or more
buildings. The loss is estimated at
over S1,0O0,000. Several lives may
! have been lost and several persons were
badly burned. The fire started in W.
v. Snyder's department store, at Broad
and Cedar streets. The stock in this
store was valued at $500 900, and moth
Ing was saved. The building was burn
ed to the ground
The fire broke out about $40 p. M,
after the several hundred employees had
left the building, which was then taken
charge Of by number Of sweepers. 1t
is thought that some of the engine
room force and similar employees may
have also been in the building. The
flames spread with terrible rapidity,
the entire building being enveloped be-
fore the arrival Of the firemen. Only
one man was seen, and he was at a
window on the second floor In a frenzy
Of fear. The fremen raised a ladde-,
but before they cCTld scale 1t the man
swung himself through the broken
window and onto the ladder. As he
reached the ladder a rush of fame
camc through the window, engulfing
him. 1t receded in a moment, and
the man was seen on the ladder wrap
ped in fire as his clothing burned. A
fireman ran up the ladder on the under
side and grabbed him to prevent him
falling Then others went upon the
upper side and began tearing the burn
Ing clothing from the man. They did
this with their naked hands, and were
themselves burned. Thousands of
people witnessed the thrilling scene.
The burning clothing was torn from
the man, and with 1t came portions of
the flesh.
The man rescued from the building
proved to be Oscar 0. Schaekleton, go
years of age. He was superintendent
OF the store and was making his usual
round Of inspection after the employees
had left when caught by the fire. He
Is at st. Michael's hospital and is badly
burned.
Watson Snyder, cashier of the firm,
escaped from the building. He had
just closed the safe after putting the
money turned in by the department
cashiers into 1t. He started back to
investigate the fire, but it advanced SO
rapidly he had to flee. He thinks the
fire started from an electric wire.
All the police in the city were on
duty at the fire except those absolutely
needed on post. A hundred thousand
persons gathered around the fire and
made the task of the police difficult
one. The crowd had to be forced back
again and again as the advance of the
flames caused the ilremen to shift po-
sition back Despite the great heat
and the rain of sparks upon the crowd
it insisted on pushing forward and get
ting as near the scene of fire as the
police would allow.
Finally orders were given to extend
the fire lines beyond the two blocks on
either side, and the crowd was push
ed back and lines were stretched across
the street. Women tainted in the fear
full crush. Blows were exchanged and
clothing torn from backs in the crush
Despite the cold the crowd insisted
upon remaining and stood for hours
the destruction of million
dollars worth of property.
The heat close to the fire was fear
ful, and the firemen were driven back
time and again. They had to move
their apparatus many times. Several
times men handling hose had to
abandon 1t and fee from the flames,
which threatened to engulf them. They
were coated with ice when they went |
a few feet away from the fire, and the |
next moment would be almost roasted
by the heat as the fire advanced or
hey returned to their battle.
The streets for blocks were flooded
and ice covered as the water flowed
rom the fire outside the heated zone.
Four firemen were buried under a
wall at the rear of Snyders that fell
with terrific crash. Captain Walter
Harrison and Fireman Thomas Brown
we're taken out unconscious, and may
)e fatally injured. The other two fire.
men were severely injured. There are
eVeral persons nnaccountcd for, and Il
s not known whether they escaped or
we're burned to death.