Year: 1865

A confagration, the most terrible in its
consequences of any that have occurred in
Philadelphia since the fire of July, 1850,
broke out on Wednesday morning, about
two o'clock, among large quantity of coal
oil which had been stored on an open lot
on the south side of Washington street,
above Ninth. On the southwest corner of
Ninth and Washington streets there is a
coal yard belonging to Daily & Porter, and
to the west of this was the lot on which
the coal oil had been stored, to the amount
OF two thousand seven hundred barrels
The flames spread through the greater part
of this oil witt almost the rapidity of gun
powder. The property in the immediate
neighborhood consists OF three story brick
dwelling houses, which are occupied by
respectable families Of limited means, and
are worth about two thousand dollars each
The families iu the neighborhood sprang
from their beds and without attempting to
secure even their clothes, rushed into the
streets, glad to escape from the terrible
death that threatened them. The streets
were deep with slush, and the rain was
pouring in torrents. Such stormy night
it is said was never known before in this
city. Some who lived in the closest prox-
unity to the fire were unable to escape and
perished in the flames. The blazing oil
ran from the burning barrels in streams,
down Ninth street to Federal, and fred the
houses on both sides of Ninth street, de.
stroying them and their contents as if they
had been made of straw The flames, at
the caprice Of the wind, went up the street
aud down gain, and into Ellsworth, Wash
ington and Federal streets Fully FIVE
squares of houses, had they been placed in
row, were on fire at once, aad the scene
was one to make the stoutest heart quail
There were people escaping from their ba
zing homes, which contained in many in
stances their little all in the world, with no
covering but their night clothes There
were parents seeking their children, and
little ones mourning the loss of their pa
rents but worse than all these heart rend
ing scenes, there were men, women and
children literally roasted alive in the street
Joseph H. Ware and his family, consisting
of his wife, FIVE daughters, and two sons,
occupied the dwelling No. 1928 Ninth
street, the second house below the coal
yard. They all got into the street just as
they left their beds. and there they found
themselves in a river of FIRE The family
became scattered Mrs Ware had her
youngest child, a girl of about four years
of age in her arms. She fell, and Lewis
g. Williams, a member of the Moyamen
sing Hose Company, made desperate ef
fort to save them. He had hold of the
unfortunate woman, but he was compelled
by the ferceness of the fiery blast to leave
her to her fate and seek safety for himself
in flight Mrs Ware, her child, and
one of her daughters, about fifteen or
sixteen years of age, were burned to death
in the street, and so horribly mutllated
that their remains can only be Identified
by the peculiar circumstances surrounding
them Capt Ware and his two sons es
capped, but three Of his daughters are miss
ing. Capt. Ware and his two sons were
all badly burned There were five bodies
in all recovered, which were taken to the
Second district station house. Three of
the bodies have been recognized as belong
ing to the Ware family. One, the body of
man, is supposed to be Mr.. james Glib
bons, the proprietor Of dry goods store,
1888 south Ninth street There is also a
boy not yet recognized, and man whose
body was found in Ninth street, short
distance below Washington street. A frag-
ment of red cloth, resembling the lining of
freman's coat, leads to the belief that the
victim was fireman, The remains are be-
Iieved to be those of Samuel McMenamin,
a member of the Moyamensing Hose Com
pany.