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THE SCRANTON TUIBUNE-FRIDAY. FEBRUARY 8, 1901.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON SALES
With the great "Petersburg Mill" sale of Silks, the wonder
ful offerings in Black Dress Goods and the stock of Peerless
Enameled and Agate Ware from New York's big auction (the
leading feature or our Housefurnishings Sale) we add for today
the trade-winning event.
Even with so much going on here, we don't forget our duty
to Friday. These Sales are as necessary to us as the weather
changes. When a thousand buyers scramble for lace as they
did last Friday, don't yon think they're interested, and that the
sales are interesting? And every item here is just as good value
in proportion as that lace was last week.
Sale No. 2
At 3 O'clock
K :
Sale No. I
iWETjfflflKiffii Jrf
At 2 O'clock
In the Basement.
Think of it! Right in the midst of the greatest Annual Sale
of Housefurnishings this store has ever known, vc pause to give
these extraordinary Friday Sale Bargains. The sale includes
thirty thousand pieces of Peerless Enameled and Agate Ware
bought at practically one-half price, and being sold in the same
proportion. Don't miss it.
These at - o'clock for one hour:
COAL HODS, 12c: Think of buying the very best of Japanned
Coal Hods for that money. Full size and strongly made. Worth
L'oc. For one hour
AGATE TEA AND COFFEE POTS, il)c: One of the biggest
bargains of the day, a lot of full size H and --quart Agate Tea
and Coffee Pots the very best quality of nickle agate, worth
LW. For one hour '.
AGATE DISH PANS, U.'c: You know we bought (),()()
pieces of Enamel Ware at that New York Auction. Among the
lots were these real Agate Dish Pans, full M-quart (almost I.V
quart) size, with side handles. Good value at 5!)c. For one
hour at onlv
CARPET TACKS: Most house cleaning time when you'll
have need for a lot of them. (J, 8, JO, 111 and 11-ounce. Tacks
for one hour, 1J papers for
TIN WASH BOILERS: The very best grade of American
Tin, pressed into full size No. !t Wash Boilers; better than most
sorts at double the price
PORCELAIN CUPS AND SAUCERS: Finest white, of
course, and in three styles and sizes, any of which would be
cheap at ( cents each. For one hour at
DINNER BUCKETS: Standard size, made of best grade of
tin with slip cup, steel ears and brass springs, collar and cup
seamless. Great value at
GALLON OIL CANS: Giving you choice for an hour of
either glass or copper bronzed cans'that arc never sold for less
than L'.'ic. A great bargain at
VEGETABLE DISHES of finest plain white porcelain with
covers, good big size and never sold in any store for less that'
10c. Just for an hour at
12c
10c
25c
10c
39c
2c
15c
14c
19c
SficartarffissM
In the Basement
SALE OF CANNED SWEET CORN: Nine times out of
ten when you sec "New York State Sweet Corn" on a bill of
fare you'll order it; but how seldom you get the genuine. It
conies principally from the famous Genesee Valley in Western
New York, grown amidst the most fertile lauds in the Empire
State. This particular brand we offer on Friday is the "Maiden's
Blush," grown near and packed at Franklinvi'llc, N. Y. Look
it up on the map. Buy your supply on Friday and prepare to
enjoy your greatest feast of Sweet Corn. Sold all over at 11c
the can. For one hour. FOUR CANS FOR
On Hain Floor
DRESS GOODS: In connection with the unusual sale of Black
Silks and Dress Goods we shall offer for one hour on Fridav
fifteen pieces of ."1-inoh all-wool Victoria Suitings, made from
the finest quality of Angora wool, soft finish and"' fast dye. very
much suited to the making of traveling costumes in shades of
light grey, medium oxford, medium and dark brown, garnet
national, red. navy and in black. These goods were bought ex
pressly to sell at 7."c the yard. They offer great saving to you at..
(Xot more than two Dress Patterns to a buyer.)
GINGHAM APRONS. He: Suppose you buy enough of the
best quality of Ginghams to make you an Apron; count vour
time, etcwhat would it cost you? Double to three times what
these Aprons will cost you, we reckon. Fine heavv gingham
in splendid patterns, of good length and home-work finish. Otic
,10tlr '
CLOTH OVERGAITERS, 13c: Haven't vou felt the need
of Overgaiters since the snowllakes flurried down? They keep
the whole body warm, are comfortable and, withal, drcssv. Best
black cloth, full 7-btttton lengths and cheap at a quarter. For
just an hour at
ORIENTAL PILLOW TOPS, 12c: Bnv two or three and
someof these long evenings when you've the time, do a little
stitching, add a bit of filling and two handsome pillows are
jours. These are rich Oriental designs; do not require anv em
broidery work, though a little tinsel braid richeus the effect in
some of them. Others arc the "Rag-time" and cake
walk" tops so universally admired. Worth up to 50c, all at
On Third Floor. .
FINEST INGRAIN CARPETS: After all. there's some satis
faction in buying the best, if price is right. That's where lucJcv
carpet buyers will have a great chance Friday. Here is the offer:
Two thousand jards of very best extra super, strictly all
wool Ingrain Carpets in a splendid varietv of the newest
HNM patterns the choicest pickings of America's ureatct
Carpet Mills.
Considered cheap at 7.V ard. For one hour at
25c
45c
14c
15c
12c
52c
Sale No, 3
.
At 4 O'clock
On Main Floor.
SALE OF TORCHON LACES: Most every undergarment
this season is adorned with lace (mostlv Torchons); even the
undcrvests for summer are profuse with lace. So if vou're mak
ing your own garments, here is a choice lot of machine-woven
lorchons in both edgings and iusertings; quite a variety of
widths and a wonderful profusion of patterns. For one Hour. .
SALE OF EMBROIDERIES: What is true of laces is also
true of embroideries. All the fashion magazines tell us it is
an "embroidery season." A fine varietv of Cambric and Nain
sook edgings and inserting.-, for Friday up to six inches wide;
newest and richest patterns. Worth up to l!c yard. All to go at. .
FINE BED SPREADS: l3 kind, JWc: Never sold them
for so little before. Never could afford to and would not now
had we not bought an immense quantity for this special pur
pose. I-nll size and in the most perfect copies of real Marseilles
patterns more than a half dozen of them. A bargain at 1.".".
One Hour at
hA!)IE IU'ACK HOSE, 7c: Ideal for everv dav wear.
Made of fine cotton, strictly fast color and seamless' with' double
heels and toes. All sizes in the lot and a bargain if offered at
fen .fii t.VM.. .. ?,.... r ... . . n
... ..v...... iiiuai .IIIIJ lltPUM lur V 'lit IJOlll
3c
12c
MISSES' UNDER WEAK, I Be: Vests and Pants. Here is a
big and special lot of fine cotton ribbed in ecru; shaped and fin
ished with taped necks. Never sold for less than twentv-fivc
cents. Friday afternoon for One Hour only '
On Second Floor.
BOYS' KNEE PANTS; 7."c value. .'50c: All sizes from three
to seventeen years and the greatest bargain of the year. About
six hundred pairs all told the clean-up of a manufacturer's
stock. That accounts for the wide range of materials and pat
terns. Strictly all-wool, perfectly tailored and finely finished.
1 he regular price would be seventy-five cents. For One Hour
at onh '.
92c
7c
15c
39c
JONAS LONG'S SONS
i
FIRE AND WIND
llontinuiil troiii l'uift 1 i
had been made lo fight tho lire from
i ho rear, chief Xlzelmann, when he
sized things up, realized the necessity
of throwing: water In from the back,
iintl ho oidered tho Kagles nnd the
Neptunes around there. These two
companies continued battling with tho
blaze in the rear until tho flic was
under contiol.
SLIGHT EXPLOSIONS.
Shortly after 3 o'clock there were
several Might explosions In the Mat
thews building, canned by chemicals.
These Rent great sheets of Hume out
the front of the building almost half
way across the Htreot, followed by
great clouds of dense, Mack smoke.
This ndded fury to tho flames, which
Miigeu up more madly than over.
.Major James Molr, who had been on
the scene ever since tho beginning of
the fire, became alarmed nt this and
believing that the local department was
not sulllclently large to copo with the
conflagration, he telegraphed to Wilkes.
Rarro for two steamers from that city,
and made arrangements with the Dela
ware und Hudson company by which
t special (tain was to be had for their
transportation.
At 3,15 o'clock tho wall between the
Henwood building and tho Mattlmvq
building fell, with n mighty crash,
carrying with It everything but tho
front and rear walls of the two struc
'tures and leaving nothing but a
fiercely burning mass of ruins, where
little mote than tin hour before there
had stood two bustling mercantile es
tablishments. It begun to look at 3.30 ns if the
tiro would bo stopped at the Crano
building- nnd Mnyor Molr accordingly
iscnt another telegram to wilk?
Rnrro, countermanding his previous
request for two steamers. About an
liour later he received tho following
reply for Mnyor Nlcholls:
WILKES-BARRE READY.
whtn your lelrgnm arrived te lud maJn nil
pitparatiorij (or the transportation of tho lui
tmerj. Aiu gla. to hoar our kervii-oi aio nut
iurtil. p. M jcClrtI,,
The lire, however, was not stopped
nt the Crano building, though nearly
everyone, including chief Zlzleman.
hrtllevcd that It would bo. Tho
flames got Into the third floor, tear,
of the Crane building shortly before
4 o'clock, nnd spread rapidly through
out the cntlro building, tho furs and
bklns with which It was stocked,
proving splendid fuel for tho blnzo.
The Hook nnd Ladder's aerial ladder
was raised to tho top Uoor of .ho
Cruno building nnd a numbor of the
members of that company clambered
up with a hose to tho roof or tho
tltrce story Morris building, which ad
joins. They weren't able to accom
plish much, on account of tho slim
supply of water, There wasn't any
force whatever to their stream and
despite the fact that they pushed It
right through the front window, tho
flames burst In Its face and almost
burned the top off tho Indder.
Permanent Man Adam Stolnlmuser
crept out on the cornice and arablwd
he ladder, pulling it to tnfety, despite
the (lames und smoke, which almost
completely enveloped him. Ho was
loudly cheered Jjy the crowd
At this Juncture, the two first real
powerful streams of water which had
been in use since tho flic started,
were thrown from the street into the
upper stories, and after u hnid tight,
the blaze- In tho front of the build
ing was extinguished, but not unit!
11 had been almost completely de
stroyed. The men nt work In the tear of tho
Crano building were not so succesa
lul. however, nnd despite their best
efforts, tho flames foiced their way
Into the Morris building, which is oc
cupied on tho ground Hoor by Rich
ard & Wlrth. the clothiers. The rear
of the clothing store was burned and
a little of the back portion of tho
second and third floors also, but prac
tically speaking, the Haines may be
said to have skipped this building .
At 5 o'clock they got Into the base
ment of tho second Morris building,
which is occupied on (he ground floor
by Ruddy & Kane ns a saloon, known
as the Itutledge, and which adjoins
Richards & Wlrth. An effort was made
to conllno them to the basement, both
from tho front and rear, but this proved
unsuccessful and the front windows
were broken by older of Chief SiUet
mann, when Immediately a mass of
llanies and smoke burst out onto the
htieet.
SALOON ON EIRE.
Several stt earns were dhected into
the saloon, but they weio of no avail,
for the names burst through Into the
second tloor, occupied by Fuhrman, the
decorator, and from there to tho third
lliuu almost befoie the firemen know
whoie they were at. Great volumes of
water were pumped into it, but tho
flumes got in their work with lelent
les fury, and by f, o'clock the whole
building was destroyed.
The tire was finally stopjod at tho
Mori Is building, occupied by the shoo
stoie of Lewis, Ruddy, navies ,fc Mur
h and Miss ICvn Hctzel, which is next
to the Rutledgo and which adjoins tho
riist National bank building, which
stands on tho corner of Wyoming nvo
nuo. Tho tear end of this building whs
slightly burned and the stocks of tho
two llrms nbow mentioned were almost
completely ruined by water.
All last jiluht tho lire continued to
Binouldor und occasionally burst out In
broad blazes In tho upper stories of tho
Crano building, and early In the even
ing tho flames commenced to burn
down Into the roof of tho K. Morris
building. Uefore a strong start could
bo secured, however, steady streams
had been turned onto tho roof nnd the
embryo blaze put under control.
Tho apartments on this floor were
occupied by Miss Houclt umr Miss
Hotsel us living apartments. a hoso
was brought up after tho start of the
lire and several firemen stationed thero
duilug tho night, who directed u steady
stream from tho window onto tho nd
Jolnlng Mollis building. Tho basement
flames did not extend beyond .Ruddy &
Kane's saloon, whore, ufter the entire
place was gutted, tho devouring ele
ment seemed to havo Its fill, nnd waH
hulted by a strong brick wall between
the saloon anil the adjoining shoo store
of LowIh, ltuddy, Uuvies & Murphy.
THEY WORKED HARD.
Thrmiu'hout tho night tho lliemen
continued working their hardest. "All
wo havo to do now Is to keep on pump
ing water Into the place," panted a
hard-working Columbia man, and this
was, in fact, all that remained for the
tired, fagged out men to do. What
ever may bo said about tho judgment
which directed tho handling of tho lire,
one great measure of praise can bo
given tho 111 daddies for tho com age.
doteimlnntlon nnd general spirit shown
by them during a day when everything
contrived to make it as hard a. problem
to light a fire as has ever been solved
by a fire department.
From tho moment that the lire
gained headway the Henwood, Mat
thews and Norton buildings weie
masses of tlame. ilnrv fn, .,,. .....
which any man might bo excused from
rushing Into. The day Itself was cold
nnd bleak, nt 2 o'clock, und grew stead
ily colder throughout the afternoon,
until every man's fingers were numbed
tlff, nnd tho men working from out
side the building were coveted with
Fheuts of thin ice. Yet no man flinched
from his duty.
That the lu.sk was not devoid of dan
per was evidenced during the day by
the numor of accidents. JloshKs those
which occurred to ffmry Walsh and
Driver Tom Campbell, of the Phoenix
chemicals, as narrated above, Kdward
Cooney, of the Crystals, was injured
by sustaining a llftojn feet fall on tho
Henwood building, lie was taken to
tho Lackawanna hospital, where hl.
hints weie. foruiiiutely, not found seri
ous. OVERCOME BY HEAT.
fieorgo ifufnagol. of tho Centimes,
was overcome by the heat while work
Ing on the roof of tho Crane building
about 8.55 o'clock and was brought off
the structure by several of his com
panion. Ur. Claude Walker, of the
Lackawanna hospital staff, ivvivtd
him after the fireman was unconscious
for seveial minutes. Pr. Walker was
on the scene during the greater part
of the allernoou and his professional
services werj In demand during most
of the time. Another llreman, name
unknown, was penned into a corner of
one of the buildings and blocked there
rr Kveral minutes while a heavv
jitream poured over him.
Tho cold February blasts got In their
woik and u fow minutes later he taint
ed away, partly frozen. Hot whiskey
and a warm room soon brought him to.
George Connors, the veteran engi
neer of tho Crystals, was anotlur of
tho Injuied. His hand was badly tut.
r'f the car accountants a number
n number were cut by Dying glass while
making their huuled dopurcur,. from
the building and breaking the glass
doors separating the car locord oilic
from H. ri. Pease's htoro room. They
weio Thomus tlerrity, TIioiiioh Judge,
William Kengan and P, it. Sweeney.
One of the girls working In Hornn's
tailor shop had her hair set on llro
and head badly singed by Hying sparks
whllo going down the flio escape at tho
tlm'i that the accountants made their
escape.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The llro originated In tho Henwood
building, at 310-318 Lackawanna ave
nue, n largo four-stoiy stiiKtuie. with
limestone front, A live who In tho
motor room of the passenger eluwitor
was the prinmry causo of tho blaso.
Tho oluvator was resting In the huso
mont of tho building, with Its door
open. Tho motor room was close, tho
woodwoik caught lira and tho ilamo
shot up tho shaft and on Kb upward
Journey fired tho stalrcusc.
The head of tho shaft burned fiercely,
and the flames In lightning time filled
the apartments of Photographer Oscar
Crambo and Dr. C. H. Tllton, on
the top floor. The furnishings of
the ofllco acted as fuel for the
blaze, and it was not long before
a lurid sheet of fire shot through
the roof. Thus It was In tho roof nnd
basement of tho. big building that lay
tho bed of the conflagration which de
stroyed half of Lackawanna avenue's
SOU business block, and consumed nbout
half a million dollars' worth of prop
erty. Tho Henwood building, which was
owned by the Richard Henwood estate,
was occupied on tho ground noor by
M. .1. Horan, clothier. The base
ment was used by ,T. D. Williams &
Pro., whose store Is In the adjacent
building, ns u store room. On tho sec
ond flour was the wholesale gents' fur
nishing establishment of R. Mo.cs &
Co., which occupied UiIb entire section.
HENWOOD TENANTS.
About fifty clerks of tho Delnwaie,
Lackawanna and Western railroad car
accountants' department had their
otllces on tho third floor, part of which
was also used by H. C Reuse & Co. for
tho storuge of a number of billiard
tables-. On the fourth tloor Dr. C. H.
Tllton, dentist, rented the three rooma
formerly known as tho ofiices of Dr.
Henwood. Photographer Oscar Orambo
also had three rooms on this tloor, tho
balance of which was used by .Mr.
Hoi an ns tailor shops.
The building was a laigo and hand
some one, but tho factors In lending
It tho handsome external appearance
luul not a little to do in Its destruc
tion. It offered little loslstanco to the
flames.
To tho left of the sliueturo was
tho Matthews building. This was
owned ami entirely occupied by Mnt
thewH Rros.. wholesale and retail
diugs, and was a fnui-story edifice of
the same stylo of archltectuie and
structure as tho Henwood building.
Next to this was the Noiton building,
on the stound floor of which wan M.
Norton's book and stationery store. J.
J. Herghnuscr, carpets and draperies,
vns stationed In the upper two floors.
Tho Norton building was of the same
construction as the Henwood and
Matthews.
THE CRANE BUILDING.
1''. L. Crane, furrier, owned tho
Crano building, the next nbove Nor
ton'o. This was a four-story struc
ture, two floors of1 which wore util
ized bv Mr. Crane himself for his
furrier business, whllo Mis. c. C.
CushmanV millinery npiu Intents were
on the upper floors.
(fi'lden ,; W'iish, of Parsons, owned
tho next building, tho ground floor of
which was occupied by tho clothing
fi.in of Richards, Wirth & Lewis.
Maurice 1), Rreschel conducted n fur
riers' business on tho second floor.
Ruddy & Kane's hotel was on tho
ground floor of tho building abovs
this, also of three stories, and owned
by 11. Morris. Of tho unoer two stor
ies, ti, J. Fuhrman & 3ro nwnlngs
and decorations, used the recond floor.
Tho thlid was unoccupied. Tho
building next this was owned by B.
Morris, tho ground floor of which was
occupied by Lewis, ltuddy, Davlcs fc
Muiphy, tho shoo firm,
(n the second floor wero the apart
ments of I. M. Hct''l. bale dresser.
Next to this comes the First Na
tional bank. Tho bank Is on the first
floor and on the second are the of
fices unci apartments of Dr. G. K.
Hill, dentist, nnd Dr. N Y. Loot. Tho
i:;ra (irlilln post, Grand Army of tho
Republic, looms ate on tho third
floor.
BUILDINGS ADJOINING.
In the opposite direction from tho
Henwood building are the Shopland
building, occupied by J. D. Wllllr.ms
& Pro., tho Four Cent Store and Th;
Fashion, William NIsbet's dry goods
stoic. Tho National KxpreFil com
pany's ofl'ccs are In the next building,
and Goldsmith Rros., shoe dealers, oc
cupy tho four floors of tho adjoining
sttucture. At the corner is Mnngan'u
hotel.
When the flames were seen bursting
out of tho windows of Grambo's gal
lery nnd Dr. Tlltnn's ofiices, the great
crowd of spectators which had gath
ered gave Involuntary gasps, and
concluded that tho entire block was
doomed.
However, the blaze was effectually
blocked by tho double brick wall be
tween tho Shopland und Henwood
buildings. Past disastrous experi
ence resulted In a wall of tre
mendous resisting power being built
between tho two structures. Two dou
ble walls wero erected against each
other, giving a total thickness of
twenty-four Inches, with a thickness
of nbout thirty-two inches at tho bot
tom. In nddltlon to this tho doors
Joining Williams' basement with their
storage rooms In the Henwood build
ing wero zinc lined, nnd these being
huirledly closed nt the beginning of tho
tiro, any communication from this
quarter was effectually avoided.
WIND AIDED FLAMES.
In addition tho wind opportunely blow
tho flames In the opposite direction nnd
the buildings on the left side of the
Henwood doomed from the first, boro
the brunt of tho conflagration and the
flames which tried to eat their way
through tho big wall, weio put under
control early in tho afternoon.
At 3.07 o'clock tho first exploshn
occurred, which was caused by tho Ig
niting of oils In tho Matthews build
ing. 'J he torco of the explosion seat
teied small Umbers In every direction,
and several of tho Uremou who wero
handling a stream were Knocked down
und slightly injured)
Another explosion of chemicals no
curred In Matthews drug stiio nt 3.10
o'clock nnd caused a seethta? mass of
llames, followed by volume.! of smoko
to rush out through tho front win
dows. Tho llames ulso shot high Into
tho air und scattered their destructive
sparks over the adjoining building.
Tho streams of water were totally
Inadequate to copo with tho llamns.
und much trouble was caused by
bursting hose and broken connections.
Three streams woro pom lug Into the
Matthews nnd Norton bulldliu. and
nt 3.15 o'clock portions of the walls
between tho Norton nnd Henwood
buildings fell with a crash, carrying
floorings, nnd heavy Iron suppoitu
with them.
Another oxploslon occurred at 3 20
o'clock, which seemed to come from
the Norton building, and tho hose nnd
men In front wero given n temporiry
setback by tho forco of It. The hoas
was blown out of tho window nnd out
of tho fit emeu's hands, and a lively
scrumblc followed for Its recovery.
Tho hose wriggled around like a
snake, and tho onlookers were scat-
I tered In eery direction, It being neces
sary for several firemen to fall on 'he
Pipe and hold it down th'foio It cou'd
bo put Into nlav nunln. Similar In.
stances of this kind occurred repeated
ly during the nfternonn.
.1. D. Williams & Rio. carried be
tween JT.OOO and $tn,00O Insurance with
the companies represented by Phillips
& Holmes. This Insuianee was placed
on tho stock and fixtures In the ofiices
and wholesale department In the base
ment of the Henwood building, whore
the lire started.
The double fireproof walls between
the Shopland and Henwood buildings
wero really the banlers between tho
flames and tho tons of inflammable
material carried In the Williams stores.
Thero are two fireproof doors, one at
either end of tho massive walls In tho
basement, which woro the means of
keeping out the flames from their mad
attack on tho toys, dolls and other
stock In tho confectionery.
When the llames stnitod thoemployes
of tho wholesale department, located In
the basement of the Henwood building.
Immediately sought to assist tho book
keepers In placing tho books of tho
firm In places of safety, and this was
accomplished only after much hard
work.
Tho Immersion was sent abroad that
the candy-making appaintus whs lo
cated In the basement, and that tho
flames wero communicated from tho
stoves therein, but this Is erroneous,
as nil that apparatus is located on tho
top floor of tho Williams establishment.
BOOKS REMOVED.
All the books of tho candy flint wore
saved, and many of them wero locked
In tho safes, which are still in tho ruins
of tho Henwood building. A majority
of tho employes in the ofiices and
wholesale department, twenty-t.vo In
all, lost their change clothing, over
coats, hats, etc., In escaping from tho
flames.
Tho flames In the icar of tho Hen
wood building communicated to tho
rear elevator shaft of tho Williams
building, and caused volumes of smoke
to Hood through tho building. Tho
clevutor doois nt every landing weio
quickly closed, and several streams
wero turned Into the shaft from tho
roof of tho building.
On each floor a man was stationed,
Hwueping tha Hood of water Into tho
shaft, ami this alone Huved the Shot),
land building from destruction. It was
n close call, however, nnd much credit
Is duo District Chief Harry Greenwood
and the men on tho roof for their en
ergetic work nt that point.
A portion of tho Williams stock In
Romowhat damaged by wuter, but tholr
loss Is trivial compared to tho others
In tin block. Tho employes of Wlllinma
Company weie kept busy serving hot
coffee to tho ilrcmim on till sides and
mntoilally assisted in fighting the
flames, which nt ono time threatened
the building.
At 3.30 o'clock tho Williams build
ing In tho rear looked to be on fire
and additional water forco was ap
plied, keeping tho flames under con
trol, Tho streams of water flowing
from every sldo froze rnpldlv on tho
wires nnd timbers and rendered the
work of tho firemen extremely diffi
cult. Tho windows In several of tho build
ings on tho opposlto sldo of tho nve-
K-V
nue weio eiaekcd nnd broken by tho
heat and the wires strung along tho
street In front of the buildings wor
neatly all broken down.
The news of the Uro spread rapldlv
and every incoming train nnd street
car brought hundreds of spctators to
the scene.
Tho Lackawanna, railroad telegraph
lines weio crippled by tho nre nnd i
forco of railroad police wer kept busy
in clearing the unfits In tho rear of
the burning buildings for passing
trains.
SPARKS FROM THE FIRE.
When tin- fire was first discovered
in Williams' basement In the Henwood
building the Williams' employes made
strenuous efforts to extinguish the
blaze by the use of extinguishers but
It was like Mrs. Partington's attempt
to sweep back tho tide with brooms-,
nnd they soon icallzed It was In vain
nnd rushing Into their ndjolnlng base
ment slammed tho massive zinc lined
doors and baited the red waves that
surged after them.
About 5.15 ono of tho pipes of tho
Neptune steamer burst and all at
tempts to remedy the damage proving
Ineffectual tho old Neptune steiimei,
now owned by Sheriff Schadt, was
brought up und put Into service.
Tho Lackawanna car accountants
wero all calmly at woik when Harry
Walsh burst In upon them with lit
alarming news. A general rush for the
door followed, which was stopped by
some of tho cooler headed ones who
led tho otheis calmly to tho flro escape
One frantic youth held desperately on
to tho book at which ho had been work
ing and on being advised by a friend
to drop It an It merely Impeded his
progiess, subbornly lefused. As ho
was descending the flro escape ho
dropped tho book, and one of the mob
below stepped upon it. The flames
wero hissing unci roaring nbout tho
young man, and tho hot air burned his
face but ho stopped midway In tho nlr
and sworo till tho nlr was blue at tho
offender below. That's the way the ex
citement affected some of tho people.
Dr. C. H. Tllton, tho dentist, had a
patient In his chair nnd was busily
lu estimating tho latter's dental condi
tion with n small pick, when th-
warning cry of "Flro" was sounded.
With n yell the patient sprang from
his teat nnd with the dentist rushed
to tho tire escape, hatless and coat
less and mado their escape from tho
burning building.
Tho strength of the wind ngijlnst
which tho firemen had to contend,
may bo conjectured by the fact "that
burning cinders wero carried through
the air us far ns tho corner of Wash
ington avenue and Linden street,
where tho awning ut Chase's bakory
was set on llro by u spark. Like oc
currences huppened ut tho Newark
shoo store and tho muslo store of
Guernsey Rros. and office of M. Rrown,
at Il'.'-IH Washington nvenue.
Tho firemen claim thut they wen
handicapped tn fighting the flro by
poor hose. Four lengths huist on tho
Columbian alone.
Mrs. 0, K. Hill, whose health Is In n
very poor stale, was removed from
her apartments over tho First Na
tional bank, to tho Huhnumnnn hospi
tal during tho afternoon In the Laoka-
(Coiitiliuiil en l'a;c 6.
A
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