Evening journal., 1917-09-04
5 FIRBhEN Injured
WHENLADDER BREAKS
Blaze Causes $4,000 Dam
age in Heavy Leather
Department of Blum
enthal Plant
BUILDING WAS ONLY
RECENTLY ERECTED

Fire Of a mysterious origin, sup
posed to have started In the oil room
II the heavy leather department Of
ne F. Blumenthal Company, morocco
manufacturers at the Adams and
Chestnut streets section OF the plant.
aaused a loss estimated at about $780,,
BOO early yesterday afternoon.
In fighting the flames, five hremen
we're injured when a ladder that they
we're taking a line Of hose up broke
bnder their weight. The injured men
IRE: William BrOmhall, Of No. Ola
French street, Of the Delaware Fire
Company. fractured rib and pune
.ured lung, condition serious; William
Poln. OF No. 1888 West Third street,
Of the Friendship Company, broken
lnkle, both at the Delaware Hospital.
Frank Z. Hyland, Jr., of the Wash
lngton Company, bruised leg and face
cut Forster Hubbard, No. 1918 Ian
coin street. broken arm and injured
head. and William Nigro, Of the Wash
ington Company, injuries TO body.
The blaze caused the firemen consider
bic trouble, and il was more than an
hour before the eight companies sum
moned on q second alarm had the fire
lnder control
Fortunately the fremen confined the
blaze TO the one building which occupies
the block bounded by Chestnut Reed
Adams and Monroe streets. William
o. Blatz, superintendent Of the plant
vas at Atlantic City at the time. Hl'
was advised Of the FIRE and hurried q
this city. The other sections OF H.
plant will continue operations.
The building where the flre originated
ls a new three-story brick structure
lust completed this year No one hac
been at work in the building since sat
urday Especially heavy feathers, In
Guiding Il Is said, some orders for tn
government, were treated in this de
partment.
Other portions OF the plant were
operation yesterday morning and II wa
lust as the workmen were leaving tn
plant at i.fO o'clock that the blaze wa
discovered.
The FIRE was FIRST discovered by Hug
smith. an Fmploye and Frank Seelmar
Nho were sitting on the steps OF build
ing IN Adams street, near Chestnut A
that time a thin column Of smoke wa
coming from the windows Oh the to
noor. The two men went TO the plan
snd Joseph Morono, OF No. 4 Sout
Adams street, hurried to Front and Mol
zoe streets and sent in the alarm.
This alarm was followed by a SCI
ond alarm In a few minues, bringlr
out eight companies and the efecti'
work OF the flremen prevented n
flames from communicating TO o
olher portions OF the plant. The ha
department adjoins the OIL room al
had the flames secured foOtho
there it would have made the task
he nremen more difficult.
The sounding Of the two alarr
brought a large crowd Of people to q
scene. The police under Sergeants NJ
Oermott, Dcvenish and others hurri
O the scene and kept the crowds ha'
The fremcn who were injured we
carrying q hose up a ladder from
freight yard OF the plant, after
metal window frame OF the burni
building had been torn out. They w'
sarried 10 places Of safety by their
low-nremcn and removed TO the h
piial In the Phoenix ambulance and
police patrol.
10 will be some days before the eX
soss 10 stock, machinery and the bul
ng by the fire, smoke and water
agured out The burned section OF
plant viii be placed in operation
ioon as repairs can be made
When interviewed about the fire
morning. william Blatz superintend
n the plant stated that the cause
he blaze had not been determined,
rad the loss. Mr. Blatz denied tlat
nrm was engaged in any governm
work.