Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-10-31

Eighteen known dead and a
property loss upwards of half
million dollars is the awful result
of fire in the business section
If Philadelphia. The number in
tured is not known definitely, but
fully 4 score Of victims are being treat
ed at the various hospitals The police
and fremen are tonight earching the
ruins for bodies supposed to be buried
beneath the debris, as 1t is feared 9TH
ers besides the known dead lost their
lives in the flames.
Buildings Burned.
The. buildings destroyed were an
eiaat-stOfy structure at 1918 and 1921
Market street occupied by Hunt, Will
kinson q Company, upholsterers and
furniture dealers and three three-story
buildings occupied by small merchant
men The big furniture building ex-
tended back half a block to Commerce
street.
Known Dead.
The list of the known dead is as fol-
lows:
DOROTHY KRAMER.
MARTHA BAKER.
MARGARET HEBDEN
SUSAN CORMLEY
HARRY HOUSE
II. A. SPARROW.
CHARLES SPARROW.
FRED WITTINGTON
CHARLES lands.
WALTER STEARLY.
j. e. ARMSTRONG;
MRS. MARTHA BANKS, colored.
MRS MARY MITCHELL, colored,
MARGARET GRADY,
ONE UNKNOWN WHITE WOMAN
THREE UNKNOWN WHITE MEN
Worst in City History.
Never In its history has Philadelphia
experienced fire which spread with
such great rapidlty.
At 1920 this morning the blaze broke
forth in the building occupied by Hunt
Wilkinson & Co., and one hour later
horrible sacrifice of life had been made
and an immense loss of property ac-
compl!shed. The origin of the fire is
unknown.
Victims Roasted to Death.
On fire escapes in the rear Of the
Hunt Wilkinson building two men and
one woman slowly roasted to death,
while the horror-stricken throng on the
street below turned sick at the sight
In front on Market street a woman,
driven to desperation. leaped from
window on the top floor ana was dashed
to death on the pavement.
Hard Work for Firemon.
When the engines arrived. the flames
had enveloped the building from top to
bottom, and the intense heat from the
terrifying mass of flames made 1t inn
possible for the iiremen to get In close
range OF the seothing furnace. lgnor
ing the flames. the brave fire fighters
devoted their whole attention to the
work of the rescue.
Hose Turned on Laddies.
As some of them stood within the
scorching heat of the fire with nets out
spread to receive those who leaped from
the building played lines of hose upon
them. When their work in this respect
had ended, many of the firemen were
completely exhausted.
The Death Trap.
Most of the fatalities occurred in the
rear of the building. AS if by common
impulse, a majority of the employees at
tempted to reach places of safety by
means of fire escapes on Commerce
street Many of them. rendered prac-
tically insane by fright, leaped to the
ground and others, becoming uncon-
scious from the smoke and intense heat, |
fell 10 the pavement.
Street Filled With Victims
When the ilremen arrived Commerce
street was filled with these unfortunate |
victims, and the police and hospital SER |
vice was taxed to its utmost capacity |
For hours the flames threatened the |
lives of many other thousands of dol |
lars worth Of property on all sides OF |
the principal building in which the !
blaze started.