Evening journal., 1921-12-22
FIREMEN, ice
COATED, Fight
225O,OOO BLAZE
lcontInued From Page onel

WIlNu IS AlitNtl9 NhA'A NtiN Ar'-f
used by Miller Brothers for storage
Of furniture. mattresses. cabinets,
etc. then swept the Office. When he
went back to shut Off his fire, he
saw burning embers falling from
the roof past the window He tele-
phoned Mr.. Bye and then hurried
from the building, just as the FIRE
men arrived.
The main plant Of the Mercantile
Printing Company is not damaged
hy fire but considerable damage
was done by water. owing TO the
snls in the doorway being higher
than the floor. the water at one
time was several inches deep on the
main floor, and It became neces-
sarv to cut holes through the floor
to let water out.
Mr.. Bye stated their principal loss
is on the buildings and paper stock
but feels satisfied the loss is covered
by insurance.
Three Of the buildings burned, or
damaged are the property Of the
Mercantile Company. two of the
buildings. one a s-story brick, 135x4O
feet. the other a 2-story brick, S0X40
feet. were destroyed.
one end Of the annex owned and
occupied by the New Castle Leather
Company. is badly burned, the up
per floor and roof being destroyed.
In this building was stored a large
stock Of glycerine. soda and other
chemicals used in tanning leather.
Most OF this stock was early removed
20 the main building, away from the
FIRE.
An explosion In this building early
during the fire led to the report that
large quantity Of explosives were
stored there This was denied by the
company The explosion. which blew
out ar the windows. Is attributed to
the sudden and intense heat gener-
ated by the oil soaked flooring. due
to leakage from glycerine tanks,
etc. No one was injured by the eX-
piosion as no one was in the upper
part OF the building at the time. but
the noise Of the explosion consider
ably accelerated the movements Of
the employees engaged in removing
the glycerine and acid tanks on the
first floor.
A real danger during the fire.
which was evidently overlooked by
the first arrivals, was a pile OF eigh-
teen boxes. containing 10000 rounds
Of regulation army rife and pistol
cartridges The fire burned a huge
hole in the roof over this pile, but
fortunately, it was extinguished be-
fore communicating TO the ammu'
milton boxes. This ammunition wai
stored on the second floor Of th'
New Castle Leather Company an
mex. facing on Wilson street. whicl
Is occupied by the Hercules powde
Company.
One amusing feature connected
with the FIRE in the Hercules guar
ters. was the discovery by the hre
men OF a large quantity Of sticks
Yof .dvnamte." At least It was
fplainly marked dynamite and was
being handled as such until an en-
ploye arrived and told the firemer
they we're only dummies used foi
window displays and were harmless
The loss of Miller Brothers u
principally on their stock, much o
which had been accumulated for th'
February Sale" and which car
hardly be replaced in time for thi
annual feature. Nathan Miller, VIII
was at the fire stated that ii Is i'm
possible to give any accurate figure
as 10 loss yet. Fortunately most IN
burned stock was not intended 70
sale at this time and viii not in an
way interfere with their Christina
trade.
This companys three automohi
delivery trucks. stored in the garaf
adjoining the warehouse on Wilso
street were destroyed. This, sai
Mr.. Miller, will not hampe the
much. however. as the Foss-Hugh'
Company this morning promptly o
fered 10 supply the needed trucl
for holiday trade. and a number
other merchants have offered sto
age facilities until such time as q
firm may be able to make other a
rangements.
Mr.. Miller said the company
IN position 10 attend TO all Chris
mas business and make an deli
cries This. he said has been mat
possible through the voluntary a
sistance offered by other concern
In addition to the fleet OF motto
trucks placed at tke disposal OF Il
Miller Company by the Foss-Hugh
Company TO take the place of tho
destroyed by the FIRE, the Eos
Hughes Company has also turn'
over the third floor Of their buildir
at Tenth and French streets Il
storing purposes 10 the Miller Con
pany
Mr.. Miller said that arrangemen
have also been made TO take care
the large number Of Christmas o
ders for Hoosler kitchen cabinet
While the fire was still az its heigl
he got in touch with Block an
Company. a furniture firm Of NOrri
town. Pa. which had an extra SUI
ply Of the cabinets on hand. Tv
trucks were Immediately loaded an
rushed to Wilmington. They will pr
vide for the filling Of an orders a
ready received or that may be r
ceived for the next week
Elmer r. Bye, of the Mercant
company, said he expects to ha
their printing plant in operati
within three OF four days. BefC
the fire was extinguished he n
placed a number of men at VIC
oling the valuable machinery
the plant so as to save as much i
from water damage as possible. J
Bye divides their loss as folio,
Buildings $4,000; copies Of
Laws Of Delaware. $4,000: pa
etock. $4,000 None Of the boz