Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-10-25
SCENES WITNESSED BY BYSTANDERS
The Number Of Dead May Never Be Known
3 Many Girls Are Victims.
niture Factory Suddenly Becomes Mass OF Seehine Flames
..Employes Cut Off From Escape Jump Upper Windows
and Are Killed ON Payement--No EstiHs, OF the Mum"
her of Dead Made. But Will Re..n Large Mum.
ber..Propery Damage Is Large.

Philadelphia, Oct. Pa. fierce fire is
raging on market street between lZth
ana 18th. and it is feared a heavy loss
sof life fs involved. Th. fire started at
1880 a. m. ir the nine-story building
occupied by Hunt Wilkinson 8 Co. fur
niture and upholstery manufacturers.
\ Altho the structure is fire proof 1t was
filled from cellar to roof with highly in
hammable material. and in a few min
utes the flames were bursting from ev-
ery window and it was impossible for
the firemen to assist those In the burn-
ing building. Hundreds of men and
women are employed by the firm and
great many were killed or injured. AT
III o'clock eleven bodies had been re-
moved to the morgue. and it is certain
others were killed. The flames spread go
\ quickly that nearly everybody who
could get out was compelled to jump
from fire escapes in thesrear. When the
lirernen reached the scene the street was
litrally piled up with bodies Of people
Who had jumped. Some were dead, oth-
ere were dying. Lying on fire escape
at the NTH story, in full view of thou
sands OF spectators, was body. roasted
10 a cinder Other objects are on the
fire escape. higher up. believed to be
bodies The. fire is spreading eastward
and has crossed Market street, where
several big buildings are on fire. but the
department hopes to prevent these from
being destroyed.
Wanamaker's immense store is only
few hundred feet away, and the city hall
is close by. but the wind is blowing
from direction that will save these
structures.
At 1880 The walls of the Hunt build
ing feil. and at noon the fire is believed
to be under control.
The wholesale and retail rubber ware
house of Latta & Mulconroy is on fire,
but the flames will be confined to the
upper stories.
There are conflicting stories as to the
number of persons killed. Hunt, VIII
kinson g Co. employed 300 people. most
" girls The police say twelve are
known to be killed, and hesitate to esti-
mate how many bodies are in the ruins.
AS soon as the ruins cool enough to al
low men to get to work hundreds of city
employees will begin to search for the
bodies.
Eye-withexses say the flames spread
With remarkable rapidity. due to nap-
ths, varnish. excelsior and other highly
innammable material used by the firm.
4 Employees who started down the fire es-
cape In the rear OF the building, there
being none in front, and everybody
rushing to the rear, before the flames
4 were visible from the street. were COM
Srelled to jump before they had travelled
two stories. because Of the flames break
Ing thru the windows. Firemen who ar
rived hrst spread nets, and some em-
plcyes who jumped were saved In this
way. One woman missed the net and
I struck the pavement. dying Instantly. A
Z; .young girl who jumped from one of the
top stories was caught on the fire escape
at the third story and the flames burst
Ing from window burned her body to a
Y crisp almost in minute.
At one the fire was still burning. but
was under control. The police say sew
genteen persons lost their lives and many
more were injured. several fatally. The
loss is estimated at half a million. The
I Hunt and two adjoining unoceupied
/ buildings were totally destroyed and
Z several others damaged.
Shortly before o'clock men at work
In the ruins unearthed four bodies that
could not be identified. 1t is stated
twenty four are known to be dead. On
j " three have been identified. Susan
Gormley, Fred Wilmington, Henry A.
Sparrow. Missing: Dolly Cramer. In
dured: William Shields, Joseph Toner
and three men. a woman and boy. un-
identified.