Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1902-02-10

people and property in its path There
were efforts to rescue furniture and
stock hut the speed with which the
fire moved gave the rescuers little
time. Property was often moved to
place of presumed safety, only to
be eventually reached and destroyed.
The warning to many was brief and
they We're forced to fee, scantily clad,
into streets glazed over with ice and
swept by the keen wind.
Three relief meetings were held
yesterday afternoon, the principal one
Of which was attended by Governor
Franklin Murphy. Mayor John
Hinchliffe. Recorder George b. Senior,
who under the citys charter is fire
marshal. In a few moments $500 was
handed to the mayor for immediate
use but the chief magistrate said that
while the city had suffered terrible
visitation, he was in a position to say
that there was very little distress. The
business section of the city had been
practically wiped out, but the resi-
dence portion which suffered was that
in which well-to-do citizens lived.
Main street was soon arched overwith
a canopy of fire for block. and then
for two blocks, as the flames fastened
themselves upon building after build
/ ing The fremen fought with every
resource of their craft and the i'm
pulse Of desperation, but the flames
found new avenues in Ellison and
Market streets, and got beyond all
| control Calls for relief went out to
every city in this portion of the state,
and the jaded firemen labored on
through the hopeless hours Of the
morning. The city hall, a magnificent
structure, surmounted by a great
clock tower situated on Washington,
Ellison and Market streets. finally
caught fire, and with it all of the
/ splendid business structures that sur
rounded it, They made a great fur
mace of fire that burned with a fierce
roar
There was a series of explosions
and scores of walls fell when the fire
left them strengthless. Flying fire.
brands carried the confagration over
some buildings and around others, and
il therefore burned in an irregular
course. These brands finally cleared
the tracks of the Erie railroad and
Ramapo avenue. and, alighting on
Straight street, started another great
area of fire, in which the destruction
and desolation wrought was nearly as
great as in the other.
Second Fire Starts.
This second great fire started at the
angle of Park avenue and Washing
ton street and swept almost un
checked until on these two thorough
fares there was no more fuel. On the
right-hand side of Market street II
encountered Sandy Hill Cemetery as
barrier to check It, but on the left
hand side at Carroll street It claimed
St. Joseph's Church, a great classic
stone building. It was on this second
great fire that the volunteer fremen
from the outside cities did their most
heroic and effective work. They fell
back only when they had to, and when
the natural obstacle interposed they
seized the chance and stopped the
fire.
The final and one of the most des
perate fights of the day occurred in
mid-afternoon back in the first fire
area at the Hamilton Club, situated
at the corner of Church and Ellison
; streets. The handsome club house
caught, and the exhausted firemer
were rallied around it. They were
anxious to save the structure and
besides, failure meant that the fire
might take new headway among the
, properties adjoining the club house
The building was doomed, however
but a torrent OF water kept the FIRE
to the premises. The four walls o
the club house Stood but the roof col
lapsed and the interior was completely
burned out.
There are many persons supposed {
be missing, but in the excitement ant
fright most of these are supposed t
: be separated from their families anC
friends. Reuben Isleib, while serving
coffee to the exhausted firemen, wal
9 hit on the head by a falling beam, anI
it is doubtful If he lives He was car
Ilcu away Dy lue ultIutu. GGOlB'
Fitzmaurice, a fireman, is also dying
He was driving an engine from Pas
sale, when the horses bolted, and be
+ fore Fitzmaurice could get them un
= der control they brought the apparatu
: against an electric pole, and Fitz
; maurice, who had not waited to stral
q himself in, was hurled out upon hi
5 head. There is no chance of hi
living.
After being rescued from her hous
i land taken TO the home of friend, Mr.
8 Sarah Brown started downstairs. il
4 tending to look ait the fire, but stumble
and fell. and in rolling downstaii
!. broke her neck.
A relief movement for the care {
i. those unsheltered and unprovided fo
. has already been organized, an
\ Mayor John Henchliffe said last nigh
y that Paterson would be able to car
+ for her own without appealing to tn
n charity of other communities an
v states. The great manufacturin
plants of the place are safe, and tn