Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-10-25
R,r F.res rnd Loss of Life.


Philadelphia, Oct. pa great IRE,
which threatened two blocks 10 the
heart of the city's business centre, snd
costing seventeen lives probably, start
ed at 1880 o'clock 10 the furniture store
aud warehouse OF Hunt. wilkinson &
Co., at 11l9.2l Market etreet. 10 less
than FIVE minutes the whole eight story
building was mass oil flames, which
spread on every side, and leaDing acros
Market street, spread destruction IN
their path. Al least eight women sre
said 10 have been killed 0y leapiog from
upper windows 10 the Hunt wilkinson
building. The number OF injured will
Doubtless foot up to 80 or 40. The
stores and business houses which sus'
tsined the most damage include: Hunt,
Wilkinson & Co., 12l9-2l Market street
Latter and Mulconroy, leather: Thorn
as ]. Myers, wall paper; Em srsop Shoe
Co., shoes; WINS, Die,z & Msgee, car.
psts; Vendig Hotel. The fire started
at the bottom OF freight elevator shaft
iu the rear of the building 90 Com
merce street. In lees than ten minutes
flames had swept throughout the entire
building. All exit was prevented, even
the fire escapes were fame developed,
| and except per obs on the ground and
second q 1or all others 10 the building,
the entire number OF which Is estimat-
ed at sixty, were forced to Jump from
the windows. So fsrcely and rapidly
had the fire spread that the hremep
could prepare no apparatus to caleb
those who jumped.
From the rear of the building all the
women and men employed 10 the cur
tain and drspery finishing department
10 the seventh floor lespsd to the
ground. All were more or less injured
Police say they know of twelve who
have been killed. eight oil whom are
supposed to be girls. The rear OF the
Hunt, Wilkinson & Co. building was
just newly completed, the scstfoldins
still being 10 position. The employees
attempted to use this as means OF e.
cape, but several fell, and the flames
drove the rest back to their doom.
The fire brigade OF John Wanna.
makers store mounted to the root and
worked hard to save the place. 1t wal
10 some danger.
Intense heat and smoke bamperec
the 6remen greatly, no one being able
to 90 within o block OF 1t. The lire
was gotten under control sbout quar-
ter past twelve. Police estimate the
dead at seventeen and the Injured al
thirty.
At2p. m. The work Of delving fol
bodies began. There Is positively ~
means of estimating the number o
dead. The Hunt. Wilkinson building
is totally obiiterated. No poeitiv
figures are TO the money loss are OBJ
tainable. There Is diversity OF opin
ion az to the cause OF the fire.
Twelve bodies are at the hospitals ant
morgue, victims ofthe Hunt, Wilkinson
| fire. The latest estimate Is that Their
are still seven bodies 10 the ruins. Thi
would make the total number OF deaf
nineteen.
| st. Louis, Oct. 25.-The Cupplei
wholesale business block, occupying th'
square bounded by Seventh, Eighth
spruce and Poplar streets, was threat
ened with destruction by fire this morn
ing. The flames were subdued ate
having effected loss estimated a
$3.50, 900. on building and stock OF th'
Samuel Cupples wooden ware company
None OF the firms 10 the building
suffered any serious damage.
Lowell, Mass, Oct. 25.--Fire broke
out this morning in Banks tenement
block Oh railroad street, resulting 10 th'
death of two children and the serious
burning of three Others. The fire broke
out 10 the kitchen and for time en
dangsred the lives of 80 people.