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GREAT FIRE AT PHILADELPHIA.; Loss 8100,000 Two Hundred Operatives Thrown Out of Employment.
Published: November 1, 1861
[NOTE: I have excerpted this article to only pertain to what is important for Civil War authenticity]
The three-story buildings, used as an engine, boiler and drying-house, were occupied by JOS. M. DAVIS, who has a large contract for furnishing knapsacks and haversacks. Only the painting and varnishing is done here, the making up being performed elsewhere. The second floor was used for drying purposes. He had about 20,000 haversacks on hand, about one-half of which were in the drying-room at the time of the fire. The greater part of the knapsacks and haversacks, as well as the material, was saved, only about from five to ten thousand of them being destroyed. He is insured to the amount of $3,000 in the Royal Insurance Company. The third story of this building was occupied by BARR & KEHRUM, also manufactures of the same articles. Their loss is very heavy, and not covered by insurance.
The fire originated over the boiler, and under the room occupied by JOSEPH M. DAVIS. It is supposed that the mixture used to paint the knapsacks dropped from them while hanging to dry, and fell through the flat floor on to the boiler. The flames almost immediately shot into the main building, and soon the whole of the mills were enveloped. The flames, as they burst through the windows, upwards of 200, presented a most beautiful sight. The fire gained such rapid headway that the employees, who were all engaged at the time, had barely time to escape, and several received slight injuries in the attempt. This disaster will Interfere with five Government contracts --two for the manufacture of knapsacks and haversacks, two for flannel, and one for shirts.
Published: November 1, 1861
[NOTE: I have excerpted this article to only pertain to what is important for Civil War authenticity]
The three-story buildings, used as an engine, boiler and drying-house, were occupied by JOS. M. DAVIS, who has a large contract for furnishing knapsacks and haversacks. Only the painting and varnishing is done here, the making up being performed elsewhere. The second floor was used for drying purposes. He had about 20,000 haversacks on hand, about one-half of which were in the drying-room at the time of the fire. The greater part of the knapsacks and haversacks, as well as the material, was saved, only about from five to ten thousand of them being destroyed. He is insured to the amount of $3,000 in the Royal Insurance Company. The third story of this building was occupied by BARR & KEHRUM, also manufactures of the same articles. Their loss is very heavy, and not covered by insurance.
The fire originated over the boiler, and under the room occupied by JOSEPH M. DAVIS. It is supposed that the mixture used to paint the knapsacks dropped from them while hanging to dry, and fell through the flat floor on to the boiler. The flames almost immediately shot into the main building, and soon the whole of the mills were enveloped. The flames, as they burst through the windows, upwards of 200, presented a most beautiful sight. The fire gained such rapid headway that the employees, who were all engaged at the time, had barely time to escape, and several received slight injuries in the attempt. This disaster will Interfere with five Government contracts --two for the manufacture of knapsacks and haversacks, two for flannel, and one for shirts.
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