Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-13
Times Building, City
Landmark, Fire SlUept

continued from Page One
spread through the building was due
largely to the inability of the first
alarm companies to obtain water pres.
sure Chemical hoses were INSULT
cjent and five or six water lines
burst in rapid succession. When the
high-presaurc streams finally got to work
they ripped the big states off the slantins
ro"s of the tower and mansard Fire
men bowed their heads and took the
rain of states fearlessly. No one was
hurt.
The fire was discovered by Reserve
officer Crawford at about o'clock. Ho
noticed smoke coming from the windowa
and roof and turned in an alarm. AL
most simultaneously the whole building
was mass of flame
TENANT BANGLES FROM ROrE
G. NJ Vessels, whose Office took up
the entire fourth floor. slept in II back
apartment and had barely time to escape
with his life. Throwing his clothing out
of the window. he followed in his pa
jamas on ropeN fire escape which
burned off part way down the side wall
on Eighth street. leaving him dangling
for few moments when he waa rescued
by fircmen with n ladder
His hands were badly burned by the
rope which burned off before he reached
the ground. He left in his rooms his
watch. $50 in cash and his glasses lie
attempted to get back into the building
to rescue them, but was prevented by
the police and firemen. His place is mag
nihcently decorated with rugs, paintings
hangings and animals heads. Vessels
is a we'l-known advertising man who
organized the 400 co-operators," an or
~ ui-lfinp of prppars nj b. tit,r H., bn
a big gymna sium in his offices. His en-
tire possessions were in the building
and are a total loss.
SAVE 100000 IN DIAMONDS
Isdor Sagorsky was in his office
with eight clerks when the fire broke
out He hurricdly with his men threw
the contents Of the offices. consisting of
diamonds and other jewelry worth "A
hundred thousand dollars into two big
safes and a vault and locked them and
then all ran for their lives. The jan
itor Of the building and two sCrubwomen
were on the first floor, but were gotten
out in safety by officer Crawford. No
one else was in the building.
Two big chimneys held the Chestnut
street wall safely, although it leaned at
a dangerous angle.
All traffic and business for blocks
around was stopped by the blaze while
stcnographers and clerks watched the
ilames from nearby roofs.
Fircmen were badly handicapped by
the lack Of pressure until the arrival
of the water tower, which dcuged the
building with a powerful stream from
the high pressure main on Chestnut
street.
The passing of the old Times Build
ing revives memories among old Phila-
delphians. 1t was among the first of the
picturesque structures on Chestnut street
and the rendezvous of men prominent in
the city's affairs.
The building, always kept in a spicll-
and-span condition, was the center Of
great activity in the prosperous years of
the newspaper. The clock in its Octag-
Onal tower was always on time and
many regarded this as indicative of the
general efficiency of the newspaper
And from this picturesque building
many big movements radiated. At the
outset of the newspapers career these
apparently We're actuated for the good
of the community, but in its declining
days under new management politics
appeared to be the basic reason for the
newspapers actions.
Politics figured very prominently in the
papers career and was eventually its
Nemesis.
Colonel Alexander X. Mcclure, known
as Alex" Mcclure by most Phladel-
phians, became editor of the Times after