Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-22
OF TODAYw FIRE.

spreading to any mere OF the sur
rounding property"
This morning, shortly after the fire |
was discovered the fremen. who were |
newly uniformed, were coated with ice |
as n result of the water with which |
| they had been saturated. They were |
given relief by residents who pre-
pared hot coffee for them. Probably
the first person to render aid to the
fire. fighters was Thomas Harris,
Negro, janitor of st. Joseph's Home.
Others to come to their assistance
were: f. S. Ryan, 400 East Tenth
street. and Frank White. a chef In |
the employ of the New Castle Leather
| Co.
| Flremen Injured.
| Despite the seriousness OF the fire,
only one accident was reported. Lieu
tenant Morgan OF Engine Co. No Z,
while working on ladder, had
splinter run through the entire length
Of his hand. He was Immediately sent
TO the Delaware Hospital for medical
attention. Engineman Banks OF En-
gine Co. No. l was ordered or duty
NY Deputy Chief Donahue and directed
TO report to the Delaware Hospital.
His father is n patient at the institu-
tion, and is said to be I'm dying con-
dition- The father had asked re-
peatedly FOR his son, Il ls said. and
when Deputy Grief Donahue heard of
this, he Immediately released Banks
from duty.
The water supply, according to
Chief Lutz, was adequate. At the
height of the blaze. the fircplug at
Tenth and Wilson streets, and the one
nearest TO the burning buildings. was
reported out Of order. This necessi-
tated the removal OF the fire appara-
,us which had been located there to
another section. This. II Is said, was
the only trouble experienced In getting
, water.
T Negroes Sustain Loss.
e Edward Caulk, Negro 1000 Walnut
street, occupant of the house suffered
considerable loss from water. II was
] necessary for the firemen to extend
l the hese through Caulk's home. Slight
damage from water was also reported
= TO have been sustained at 1902 Walnu,
!, street. occupied by Mary Ambrose.
A Persons living on Wilson street
d finding their homes i'm danger from
burning wood and sparks, formed a
}. volunteer brigade, and dashed water
: on the fronts OF their properties. Be-
= cause OF the strong wind. IL was only
= with dlfhculty that the firemen were
: able to save this surrounding property
:. from destruction.
MIR. Bye stated today that the Mer.
camille Printing Co. would be CLOSED
IS to business until such time as tn,
n ruins had been cleared away and IN,
& property had been arranged In goot
e shape again.
& The properties located In the fir
e area were owned prior 10 1900 by tn
ID old Nulcanized Fibre Co. A shor
y while after that date they We're pur
ID chased by the New Castle Leathe
s. Co, and up until 1917 were used a
warehouses for raw stock material.
er The Mercantile Printing Co. has oc
lie cupied the present building for abou
TX 10 years, while that of the Mile
is warehouse, has only been used fo
storage purchases In the past fe,
ne years.
ne During the fire an explosion oc
ct CURED in the building of the Ne,
so Castle Leather Co. annex, which
used as store house. Officials of III
lie company attributed il to the sudde
ut and intense heat caused by the burr
e. ing of the woodwork. which was soake
Mt with oils and acids used in the manu-
lie tacture of leather Practically all tn
lg windows of the building were blow
re out The heat was so intense that tn
iiremen had been unable 10 get With
er1 this structure and in fact were SON
he distance away at the time and ther,
RS by escaped injury as a result of Il
as blast. The shattered windows w;
I'm about the only damage the explosi
X caused.
ut When II was realized that the fl
he could not be kept from this buildin
IT. hremen and workmen in the plal
rolled out several metal cylinde
thlled with glycerine, soda and 9th
acids used in the plant. officials stat,
an however that none of these was of &
he Explosive nature and they were r
,ot moved simply TO conserve as ssmuch
ere the stock of this kind as possible.
he a new plan inaugurated since IL
of adoption of The paid fire departmel
,tv was placed into effect for the first tin
on this morning. This was the plan
re- protecting property in sections of Il
an city other than that within the fl
noe area. II was demonstrated when Fl
cir gine Company No o. located in Sou
m Wilmington, upon responding to Il
inird alarm Of fire, was directed up,
he their arrival To return To Engine {
ed 30. 7. Third and Washington stree
ter TO remain there for the purpose
of protecting all property within the sc
-. lion OF the city east of Washingt
-. street. 1t is further understood In
several other companies. upon tn,
arrival at the scene Of the fire aft
~ he third alarm, We're directed
'i7 commanding officers to return to 9th
en' districts left unprotected.
las With this method OF protect,
ac- practically every section of the city
ITS given the assurance OF prompt $,
us, vice. The city, It is declared has be
om mapped out into districts, each Co