Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-04-03
FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY
Five Dwellings and Peter Ebner'S Ware
house, OnUHiOn Street NearPOarth,
Wore Burned Yesterday.
LOSS FROM $4,000 TO $4,000
Temporary Homes Provided by
r.. Peter J. Ford.
HE OWNED THE BUILDINGS DESTROYED

Tho two-story frame dwellings, Nos.
SOL, 3O6. sos, $40 and 3l2 Union street,
AMI the warehouse of Peter Elmer
hottling establishment, which adioins
the house No. 3l2, were destroyed by
fire yesterday, together with much
Of their contents. causing u total loss
Of between $4,000 and S12 COO, which
is partially covered by insurance The
warehouse was owned by Mr. Elmer
and the building and contents were
valued at about 81, coo, upon which
there was an insurance Of 81, 600 with
the Royal Insurance Go. The loss on
the building and contents is estimated
at about ST. All of the burned
dwellings were the property Of Peter
j. Ford, who places his loss at $500,
which is covered by INSURANCE with
companies represented By Gilpin 4 CO.
| All 81 The houses were occupied, CHIEFLY
| by families in modest circumstances,
and their losses are i'roportioratcly
heavy. Tho OCG!t ants nf the houses
and their estimated losses are as fol-
lows:
No. BOA occupied by William Nc
Cornick: loss, s20j: no insurance.
No. 500, Harry Wright; loss, $50;
no insurance
No. 1903, Charles C. Council: loss,
$3.50: insurance. 1900, with the Agri-
cultural Insurance Co
No. 80, John W. Bennett; loss,
$500; insurance, $500, with the Mutual
Insurance Go. Of Chester county, Pa.
No BIZ, Mrs. Lewis Hayden: loss,
estimated at $500, with no insurance.
The fire was discovered about AS
O'Clock md was then eating its way
between the dwelling occuied by Mrs.
Hayden and Mr.. Ebner's warehouse,
near tho chimney of the house, but
whether it originated from the chimney
has not been determined. A son of
Mr.. Elmer believes that the fire did
not start in his fathers warehouse,
Us there was no fire about the place,
and the impression is that the chimney
of the adjoining house either became
overheated and set the roof on fire or
that tho blaze was started by spark
which fell on the roof. Soon after tho
fire broke out Policeman Harry Hawke
ran to Union street and Lancaster
avenue and struck fire alarm box No.
1913, on the corner, but he says he found
it was out of order and there was
some delay while u messenger could be
sent to Fourth and Scott streets, to
strike box No. G3, on that corner. The
district fire companies Immediately re-
sponded, but by the time they reached
the scene OF the fire all of the build
ings were blazing, Tho firemen loss no
time in getting to work, however, and
saved other nearby property, including
the valuable bottling plant connected
with Mr. Ebner's establishment.
Mrs. Hayden and her family were
taken by surprise and had little oppor-
tunity to save anything, barely having
time to escape with their lives After
going to Lancaser avenue and Union
street to turn in an alarm Officer
Hawke returned to the scene of tho
fire, where he found Policeman Frank
Massey, Dennis Gallagher and several
others. The work of Systematically
saving the effects Of the houses was
Immediately begun. The officers and
Mr. Gallagher won't to the upper
stories of the burning houses and
handed the furniture and other effects
out of the windows to the porches be-
low, where the articles were received by
Thomas Davis and Stephen Donovan.
In this manner n great deal was saved
which might have been destroyed if
there had not been systematic effort
work received great praise from people
who saw them. At the time the fire
broke out most of the men in the
neighborhood were at work and the
women were almost alone, and they
highly appreciated the assistance
rendered by the officers and others who
saved much Of their effects.
As soon as Mr.. Ford, the owner OF
tho dwellings, heard of the fro he went
to the scene, and having five vacant
houses, three on Fourth street be-
tween Rodney and Clayton and two
on Scarles street between Fourth and
Fifth, sent wagons and had the effects
of the five families moved to the five
houses, providing temporary home
for each family. Mr.. Ford furnished
the teams at his own expense and he
and Mrs. Ford personally looked after
the removal of the goods. They were
assisted by the police and number OF
citizens.
Some of the families are in needy
circumstances. Mrs, Hayden, who lived
at tho house No. 312, with her children,
is the widow of former Policeman
Lewis Hayden, who died suddenly a
short time ago, and as she lost nearly
all of her effects in the fire, the loss
| ~
of people ut the fire heard of her en-
treme misfortune and started suscrip-
ton list, which was headed by State
Senator Webster Blakely, who con
tributed So gold piece Tho money
was turned over to Mrs. Hayden at
once. In addition to losing furniture
and other household goods, the mem
bers of the family had nearly all OF
their clothing burned, and as they had
no insurance the fire is serious mat.
ter to them. In tho Connell family,
which lived ut 30S. there are number
of children, who were sick during the
winter. That family also feel their loss
keenly.
Fortunately, everybody got out oil
the houses in safety and nobody was
injured at the fire, but at Fourth and
Scott streets an accident happened
which will keep Policeman David
Wardlo indoors for some time. Tht
officer was riding to the fire on the
Water Witch chemical engine, when Il
hose struck him and knocked him off.
One oil the rear wheels of the heavy
vehicle passed over his lsft foot. crush.
ing it. II is thought no bones wert
broken. He was taken in the patro
wagon to his residence, 1909 Lincolr
street He was accompanied home by
Sergeant Eugene moDermott anc
Patrolman James L. Scott and Police
; Surgeon Joseph r. Wales was sum
moned.
) The firemen and policemen did goac
work. Chief Welsh OF tho Fire Depart
ment was in charge and was aided by
Assistants Wiley and palfry and tht
members Of tho department. Tn,
. / 4.