Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-30
The Most Serious One in the
p, w. & B. Pattern Shop.
ENTIRE DEPARTMENT SUMMONED
The Exact Loss Has Not Yet
Been Ascertained.
Commissionhouse of Dougherty a. Golding,
1O3 East Fourth Street, and Two Unoceu-
pied Houses ut Maryland Avenue and
Beach street Were Also Burned.

pervlcs OF the entire department were
required. The first and most serious
fire broke out in the paternshop of
the p, W. & B. Railroad CO., opposite
French street station, about 6. ID
O'Clock. The district companies were
summoned by an alarm from box No.
81, which is at the station, and 20
minutes later Fire Chief John p.
Welsh turned in a general alarm,
which brought out the remainder of
the companies.
The officers of the department we're
at the fire with the first companiessand
directed the movements of the APP
paratus from the first, exercising good
Judgment throughout. The railroad
tracks between the train shed and
locomotive shops afforded an advan-
tageous base of operations for the fire
men, and a number of streams were
directed at the burning building from
that position. The Delaware truck
was placed lengthwise of the track and
It's ladders and water tower proved of
great benefit to the men handling the
hose, as it not only gave them an
opportunity to play copious streams
from point in front OF the building
but also gave easy access to the
burning building and surrounding
structures, including the train shed,
from the roof of which the fire was
also fought. Every member of the
Fire Department knew his place and
as result of strict obedience to the
orders of the officers the flames were
confined to the building in which they
originated. Owing to the sudden drop
in the temperature the water froze
a rs fagf faIl 4
platform and the roofs of the buildings
surrounding the one which was on fire,
and it was necessary for the firemen to
use great care in walking about. At
one time, while the men were at work
on the roof of the patternshop flames
broke out all around them, but by
judicious work they saved themselves
from being burned and drenched the
blazing roof, which successfully
checked the fire in that direction.
The Phoenix truck proved of valuable
assistance to the firemen, the ladders
being pressed into service.
After having been in service for some
time the crosshead of the Weccacoe
engine broke and it was thrown out
of service, but the members of the
company quickly attached their hose
to pump in the railroad yards and
continued to fight the fire, with telling
effect.
The new Independence Fire Co.
reached the scene of the fire after the
alarm had been turned in and wanted
to 60 into service, but was prevented
from doing SO by Chief Welsh.
By 10 O'Clock the fire was under con-
troll, but for some time after that the
tremen remained in service and streams
we're played on the building until after
midnight. The firemen were ably
assisted by the members of the police
force, who kept the large crowds of
people off the foreground and thus
enabled the firemen to work better and
prevented spectators from being in.
jured.
The damage to the building is esti-
mated at $40, 600, but neither Superin-
tHndent Barnard nor Master Mechanic
turner can estimate the loss on the
contents of the building, which in
cluded a large number of patterns,
representing the work of years. The
origin of the fire is unknown. In
lighting the flames the firemen were
careful not to cut hole in the burn
ing buildings, fearing that the sparks
would endanger those nearby,
Immediately after the fire broke out
lines of hose were laid across the north
and south tracks and for time trains
were stalled, but subsequently the hose
, was laid under the rails and trains
were permitted to pass over Trains
were delayed only short time.
Shortly after 8 o'clock, while the
firemen were still at work at the pat-
; tern shop fire, smoke was observed
coming from the commissionhouse of
Dougherty & Golding, 103 East Fourth
street, and A. It. Pyle sent in an
alarm from box No. 81 at Third and
King streets. Chief Engineer Welsh
and the Washington, Weceacoe, Water
Witch and Phoenix chemicals went to
the scene. The last two companies
drew their apparatus by hand from the
first fire. The Independence Fire Co,
which was not allowed to go into
service at the first fire, was on its way
to its house beyond Eleventh street
bridge, and when the second alarm
struck, responded. They connected
their hose with the plug at Fourth
and French streets and ran line 10
the burning building and were about
to begin squirting when Chief Welsh
ordered them away. William Ewton,
one of the members, who, the chief
was informed, persisted in trying to
fight the fire, was arrested on a charge
of disorderly conduct, at the instance
of Chief Welsh. The chief said that
he had told Ewton not to go into
iservice. IL was the chiefs intention
to fight the fire simply with the chemi-
cal engines. The firemen were engaged
about an hour. John Dougherty Of the
f..
estimated the loss at little more than
81, 600, covered by insurance. The case
against Ewton was called in the CITY
Court this morning, but was continued
until Thursday morning. He is out
on bail.
The third fire broke out about II. "a
o'clock, when two unoccupied dwellings
at Maryland avenue and Beach street.
owned by Samuel ID. Forbes, were
burned. 1t is supposed that they were
set on fire, probably by tramps. The
district companies were summoned by
an alarm from box No. 36, at Mary.
and avenue and Cedar street, which
was struck by Mrs. Jane Herman Of
10l Maryland avenue. The loss on the
two houses was about 81, 600.
Edward Curran, a member of the
Phoenix Co., who had been at work
at the FIRE at the railroad shops, started
for the Maryland avenue fire. At Front
and Orange streets he attempted tC
board the Phoenix truck, but misseS
his footing and fell, injuring his head.
He was taken in the Phnnixambulanct
to the englnehouse, where his injuries
were dressed, after which he was able
to go home.
While responding to the alarm the
Weccacoe chemical engine lost cai
from one of its wheels, which wai
afterward found.
About lo'clock Tuesday morning the
Weccacoe chemical engine was agar
called to the railroad shops, the fire