Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-08-24
0NE killed, 15HURT
/, IN S5OO,0DO FIRE
o. Buildings Swept by Flames
At venango Street Fer
tjlizer Plant
sprc1A1oR's CAR HITS POLE

,,,. million dollar Are which be.
nai IN .3O o'clock last night In the
gan g,,,i.or a., p,ont of NJ. L. Shoemaker Il
-, pelaware avenue and Nenango
Co.. ~ rssnlted in the death OF one man
NrT.;urv 70 fifteen others. Twenty five
sii,yss snni n, on the twenty. seven acre tract
pu,..dt .o dsstroyed by the flames which still
are smodering. .,u 10. u,. . .,...
I've A,hv Wickterman. Of Kinsey and
Met.uanna M.cts streets. He was fatally
lausI, i.s. IN an automobile accident return.
nu,' ,ror, the fire and died Mt . :4O
w !1pssork this morning In the Franktord
Hospital. u war, hur, Tho 9TH.
80, injured we're firemen. flremen con-
stsntly riskc their lives during tne nre'
hauh re- heroic efforts prevented the ex-
or ana w of tank just beyond the fire
ploaon oaortaininp more thnn $4,000 gall
slea - nonhtha and benzine. The men
C.od Cas received cuts and bruises from
inn}H,n. glass and brickwork. and sew.
ian'"S Sere burned about the face and
ee0nds by too close approach to the
flames. Ill. .,on. Tho n,ont from
IL IN end. damaging or destroying
CIV. sro.v huildlng on its acreage, was the
NNtaG tbe Shoemaker Company has ex-
u.r,snced. Fifteen years ago eight per-
yc y.s wore killed aud fifteen hurt in n
U,os,rous fire. Forty years ago flames
destroyed the plant.
Man Dies as Result Of Crash
Tho fatality last night. though 1t did
,ot occur on the fire grounds, was d.
.sctly due 70 the fire. The ambulance
Al The Frankford Hospital was speeding
" " thst institution with M injured fire.
man, It made sharp turn at Edmund
.nd Orthodox streets. Behind the am
S~isnce followed n touring car in which
NV men were riding. They were re-
tnrnine from the fire. where they had
been spectators.
The automobile tried to negotiate the
ume turn in the wake 'of the ambu-
lance. The machine skdded, however,
and crashed heavily into telegraph
mole. crumpling up and hurling out
three OF its occupants. They were
rushed to the Frankford Hospital In
the same ambulance with the injured
fireman. There Wickterman died this
morning, and second member Of the
party IL in a serious condition.
The fremen injured are:
Lieutenant Schultz. Of Engine Com
pany No. 8, overcome by smoke.
Iatimer Stcigcr, Of Engine Company
No. 90, cuts on head and bruises.
Hoseman HUT. Of Engine Company
No. so. cut and bruised by falling rear
u the fire engine.
o. J. Neurner. bruises.
Patrick Murray. Engine Company
No. 81, cuts and bruises.
Tom Brennan. 8731 State road
Tacony, Engine Company 3S. cuts and
burns.
Herman Hussman. 2056 East Lehish
avenue, Engine Company No. q. in
3ured leg.
Lieutenant George Mcdowell, Truck
Company No. 10, cuts of foot and hand
George Clark. of Truck Company No.
10, cuts and bruises,
George Weeks. Truck Company No.
]. burns of face and hands.
Three spectators injured are:
John J. 1.inaker. twenty seven years
Old, Sl1 East Willard street, was
watching the fire when hose burst.
The force OF the water seriously Iacer-
ated his nose and eye.
Mary Dzaroll, forty three years old.
29l0 East Monmouth street. fell from
the high hank along the railroad. An
old wound in the back of her head
opened.
Alfred Atwood, 321O Cedar street,
blinded by smoke.
Those besides Wickterman who were
hurt when the automobile struck the
telegraph pole are John Dalton, driver
kinsey and Gillian streets, who may
r de-
Y James Eckarky, 1645 Orthodox
street, cuts and bruises.
Four Alarms Sent In
Four alarms were turned In during
the progress of the FIRE. After start
Ing in the bone grinding plant. the
Names spread rapidly to the building
where animal fats are boiled for their
essential oils. When the fire reached
Me rats OF oil and OIL soaked floors and
vans. there was great burst Of flame
tnGoting high in the air.
4, rire lines were established around
ue great twenty seven acre tract by
patroimen from many police districts. In
anu out OF the fire lines changed the
lmbulanccs Of every hospital in the
northeast Near the blaze. so close that
me surgeons put rubber coats over their
sHte clothes to ward off the heat,
,,MIs,iiSen"y dressing stations were es-
hH1u!Shed. tiremen, dnHed and STUN
cIni' c.is' were led out of the broadening
ef1ie ni OF flame to rccuperate.
., ne ina"reSsi ibility Of the plant added
~ ~ 'nc hrcmcn'S difficulties. Early in
nr nre me freboats Rudolph Banken-
.urs and Edwin =. Stuart steamed up
sne rher and took positions as near as
gosslole to the plant. which is close to
. .e river bank. 1t was low tide, how
e' e.er' ana the tireboats could not get
Hedr enough to be OF use.
finally the services of the frebonts
Irre HIere Drought into play by coupling long
scrn ys OF nose and stretching them
'cross bridge of boats.
"A plant of the United Gas Improve
%eht Company Is located on land ad-
!aceht to that of the Shoemaker com
,saE' r"uE' Millions Of cubic feet of gas In
~ inns were In danger Of exploding when
T~e Gte ragged at it's height. The L. G..
Hompahy's own fire fighters kept
ssatns sns ot water playing on the tanks,
ea.h IA ADDITION flooded bitches around
sors, v. OF them. The wind was from the
htneast' hnta blowing away from the gas
@Cm sparks.
v.ro rour OF the fremen who were hurt
co., e caught when wall fell at 2
Wsro ock TINS morning. The buildings
lou t., OF wood and brick, comparatively
rer "a height, thus reducing the dan
=" from falling walls.
assistant Fire Marshal Whitmore,
|{wo.JL remained in active charge of the
wbn. a, night, said this morning that
unJ"s .h' hre was not out, it was
tbsr control and there wns no fur
uahger OF spread to other plants.
caooAY's MARRIAGE LICENSES
Ann, W Thorpe. 8lll Cedar ave and
Frank Rs,, Rs,, Meehan. 2llN y. 18th ST