The suburban citizen., 1901-12-07
A COURTEOUS AND
PAINSTAKING MAN.
Running Sketch of His Business
Career.
Restored to Life After Horrible Ac-
cidents-NOw One of the LiVest
Men in East Washington.

There is no man in Washington to
whom the news of the frightful dsas-
ter at sea, in 1892, when more than two
hundred people were plunged into eter-
nifty without moments warning, came
with a greater shock than to Philip
Lederer proprietor of the well-known
cleaning and dyeing establishment at
I24I and I243 H street, Northeast At
that time Mr.. Lederer was employed by
Mr.. Anton Fisher who was a passenger
on the Elba, and, with two hundred
others, was asleep when the crash that
sent the steamer to the bottom of the
North Sea came He had looked for
4 ward with great pleasure to the return
Of his employer and when the news
came that Mr.. Fisher was among those
who had been lost in the disaster he was
panied beyond expression. The place in
which he had worked so long did not
seem to be the same that it was when
the man whom he was never again to see
was there directing its affairs. He did
not leave the place however, but remain
ed for some time, giving the same care
full attention to the business that had
marked his interest in the establishment
during Mr. Fishers life,
Mr.. Lederer did not determine to be-
gin business on his own account for two
OF three years after the death of his
employer. In fact, it was longer than
that, for the doors of his own establish
ment were not thrown open until 1896,
when he modestly announced that he
would carry on the business of cleaning
and dyeing at No. 1903 H street, North
east Painstaking attention to business
coupled with natural courtesy toward
those with whom he daily came in con-
tact, were factors so conspicuous in the
enterprise in which he was engaged that
failure was impossible, and so, before
another twelve-month had worn itself
out, Lederer's cleaning and dyeing shop,
as it was called by the people of East
Washington, had become a fixture,
thoroughly established institution of that
section of the city.
Mr.. Lederer remained at the above
mentioned stand until the spring of this
year, by which time his list of patrons
had so largely increased that it became
necessary for him to seek more commo-
dious quarters This he did by locating
at I24I II street, a little farther up in
the same square. In making this change
Mr.. Lederer wisely concluded to become
his own landlord, and instead of rent
ing the property which he had selected
for his future place of business he pur-
chased it.
Two days after taking possession of his
new home Mr.. Lederer met with an ac-
cident which he will remember till the
last moment of his life, with a vividness
if that were possible While in a room
on the third floor of the building a large
can containing benzine exploded. The
door of the room was fastened by a
spring lock, which could only be re-
leased from the outside. The scene i'm /
mediately following the ignition of the
dangerous liquid was one which Mr..
Lederer does not undertake to describe.
There was a crash and sudden outburst
of fame and then he realized that he
was battling for life with the merciless
element How long he fought he does
not know. 1t was not long, for no man
could have remained in the room long
and lived. An alarm was given and
frenen came to the rescue. With his /.
neck, hands and face terribly burned he |
was taken out, and as quickly as could |
be was carried to the Casualty Hospital |
on North Capitol street. where he stayed |
for three days, when he was removed |
to the Sibley Memorial Hospital. There, !
lowering between life and death, he re- /
manned for two months. Then the good |
news came that he had begun to improve,
and that the chances of complete recov-
cry were in his favor. These joyful |
tidings were followed a little while later
by the announcement that there was no
longer danger of a fatal termination of
his injuries, and in less than the space
OF another month he was again at home.
All through weary weeks at the hospital
Mr.. Lederer bore TIP bravely. His
friends did all they could to cheer and |
comfort him in his suffering, which for
many days was intense, and for their
devotion he thanked them with the fer
Yor OF an honest heart. But above and |
beyond all that, through the dragging
and dreary hours of the night, when |
they were away, he drew from the silent
but pe-inspiring gcommunionwhich man
mayhold with Heaven the power to suffer
on until in Gods good time he should
be restored to health or called to the
unseen world, Since then Mr.. Lederer
has devoted much of his time to re-