Evening journal., 1920-12-29
81, ,5O0 900 PROPERTYLOSS
IN MOROCCO co. FIRE
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ming rapidlty and within twenty min
utes after the fremen had arrived
the four-story structure. comprising
\ the old portion Of the plant, was
ablaze from end 10 end and a shower
Of embers that seemed like red snow,
fell over the roofs OF properties
within a radius OF several blocks.
The ilremen appeared to be hamper
ed with lack OF water. the many en-
gines taxing the capacity OF the city
feeder main. This resulted in a num-
Der of streams falling short OF reach
ing the windows OF the burning
building.
4 The Delaware Fire Company truck
and water tower was stationed In
n Third street. but IL was not pressed
into service. This caused much COM
II ment from the thousands OF specta-
II tors who had been attracted TO the
scene by the glare which illuminated
y fhe SKY for miles, many Of whom felt
n the early use Of the water tower
n could have saved the new building Of
NE plant
Members OF the Delaware Fire Com
4 pany and the officials OF the fire de-
partment said after the flre had prac-
Ideally burned Itself out that IL was
impossible 10 use the tower, as the
heat from the buildings would have
burned il up.
Within an hour after the first alarm
had been struck, the Old portion or
the plant In Webb street was destroy
ed and by a freakish turn Of the
wind, the flames leaped around and
started TO devOur the modern six
story brick structure north OF the
. old buildings, erected in 1911 This
building in Greenhill avenue was Of
4 sl0w-burning construction, but with
N two hours IL was In ruins.
The structure was known as the
daylight building with wire woven
glass windows and wooden floors.
| firemen tried to combat the blaze
that crept into the new building but
had difficulty In breaking the win
dOws, which resisted the force OF
Streams Of water. Policemen were
called on the shoot holes in the win
dOws with their reyolvers. ShOtguns
also were used but they were only
able TO make small punctures in the
glass. Boys and men attacked the
windows with stones and bricks and
tried 10 assist the flremen.
When the wind shifted Chief Lutz
who had been viewing the flames
from Greenhill avenue with architects
who explained the construction Of
the new building, ordered the Wash
ington, Fame and Water Witch fire
companies TO run their hose through
an alleyNVay leading from Third street
into q yard in the rear OF the burning
building While IN this alleyway the
walls OF the old structure fell anc
the ilremen had a narrow escape from
hsing buried under the debris. As n
was the flames burned up four sec
hose.
onoe gaining a foothold in the new
building the flames gnawed from
floor to floor the entire length OF th'
2lO feet structure that had cost 5000,
900 and within a few hours II wa
wrecked, the roof mailing In and send
ing showers OF sparks on the prop
critics nearby.
II was shortly after the IRE started
that the dwelling houses in Webb ant
Second streets caught FIRE, and ac
cording 10 Chief Lutz, he could hav
saved them, but was trying TO checl
the Flames from spreading toward IN
new part OF the plant, which was IN
last TO go.
By $50 o'clock the old four-stor,
structure was destroyed, nothing re
naming but a section Of wall her
and there, the new slx-stOry struci
ture was a wreck, and the three-stor
building that skirted sewer alon
Webb street and in which the FIRE
thought to have started, was de
stroyed.
Early this morning the flames ha
slent themselves. Chief Lutz befor
that time had ordered some Of IN
combination chemical apparatus an
one fire truck TO their quarters d
case they should be needed for othe
fires. The Water Witch, Union, Wee
sncOe and Independence flremen wer
ordered 10 remain until daylight
This morning at 9 o'clock. the Lib
erty company was sent 10 the seen
Is relieve the other fremen.
The Water Witch pumping appal
atus was In service all morning, aftt
having spent the night at the seen
in service without a mishap.
During the night the Ladies AuN
iliary OF the Union Fire Compan
prepared sandwiches and hot coffe
for the flremen. These were serve
70 them at the home OF the Misse
Smith, 300 West Fifth street.
The only buildings intact at N
plant today are two small one-stor
structures, the beam house on Greer
hill avenue between Thind and Fourt
streets and a warehouse on the sam
aYenue between Fourth and FIT
streets. In the buildings deStroye
was stored an Immense amount Z
leather both finished and unilnishe
which was awaiting resumption {
the leather industry at a standsti
here for four months. Valuable dry
ing. seasoning and other machiner
was also destroyed.
The Wilmington Leather Compan'
with the other leather concerns
this city, has been shut down on a,
count OF stagnation in the trad
About 800 men were laid off durin
tie last few weeks. The outlook fo
resumption OF business began
brighten and a force OF men had bee
employed in the plant TO prepare 70
contemplated resumption ne,
week. The men had all left the
work about 5 O'Clock, a short tim
before the fre was discovered.
The Wilmington Leather COmpan
was an outgrowth OF the Ford Nc
rocco Company and was organized
ie5. with James ]. ONein, OF 2tl
lancaster avenue, president; Charl'
n Bickta, OF 1000 North Adams stree
/, vice-presldent, and James /. Ford,
7O3 North Broome street, secretar
and treasurer;
nst were hurtled through the a
and one large spark lodged again
a cross-arm On a telephone pole
block from the fire. The pole caugl
fre.
Passengers aboard trains on the
a o. railroad enjoyed real thrille
a. h. "a N.saHN