For our July Looking Back story we're featuring two Reading, PA fires that occurred the same year, 1888. Both of these fires went immediatly to a General Alarm and one of them is believed to have been started by fireworks. Thanks to Tony Miccicke, Reading Fire Department's Historian, for providing these facinating storys from our past.
THE READING HARDWARE WORKS
Monday, July 2, 1888
While night watchmen Issac Warren and Allen Lessig were making their appointed rounds inside the Reading Hardware Works, South 6th street near Willow, they noticed smoke coming out of the elevator shaft from one of the floors below them. Checking this more closely, they discovered that a raging fire had taken possession of the polishing room. While one of the watchmen attempted to fight the fire, the other ran to Box 16, 6th and Willow streets, and sent in an alarm of fire at about 21:20.
By the time Chief Engineer George W. Miller arrived on the scene, the entire main building was fully engulfed in flames. Wasting no time, he immediately sent in a general alarm.
En route to the general alarm, the Rainbow's hose cart upset at 7th and Willow. In their estimation, they believed they were close enough and decided to remained at that location for the duration of the fire, picking up their hose in the street and supplying arriving companies.
Other companies that arrived on the scene staged in the following areas: The Liberties, Juniors and Friendships took positions along the Canal street side of the building; the Reading Hose set up at 6th and Canal; a hydrant at 7th and Laurel streets was manned by the Hampdens; and the Marions took possession of a plug at Willow and Minor.
The fire spread from the polishing room to a storage warehouse where all the blue prints for the firm were kept. Within forty minutes of the initial bell, all the walls along the Canal street side of the main building collapsed inward. As the fire raged out of control, telegraph operators became began receiving inquiries from cities as far away as Allentown, Lancaster and Pottsville, informing the operator that they could see an intense glow from a fire and asking if they knew where it was. Sparks from the conflagration lifted high into the air, sending burning embers as far north as Oley street.
By the time the sun rose the next day, all that remained of the Reading Hardware Works were a few walls and a lot of rubble from major structural failures.
The Liberties and the Reading Hose pumped continuously from the first taps of Box 16, until close to 07:00 the following morning.
Neighbors reported seeing children playing with fire crackers earlier in the day. It was believed that one of the children carelessly threw some Fourth of July paraphernalia into an open cellar window. A smoldering fire began and went unchecked until it was to late.
City council discussed placing larger water mains into the principal streets a few days before the fire. The point of the meeting quickly became a reality as company engineers could not obtain enough water pressure to supply hose lines from their steamers with good streams of water. At the height of the fire, streams of water could only be thrown as high as the third floor of the factory.
Owners placed their loss at more than $470,000.
The Reading Hardware Company was established in 1851 when William Harbster began operating a small blacksmith shop at 6th and Canal streets. His brothers, Matthan and John, joined William the following year. In 1858, the firm had grown considerably. It was about this time the three brothers named their business Harbster Brothers and Company. Harbster Brothers owned and operated several buildings along five acres of land at the foot of South 6th street, many of which were between three and five stories in height. At the time of the fire, they were the largest manufacturers of general hardware in the United States, trading throughout Canada, Cuba, South America and several European countries.
THE READING COMPANY
LUMBER YARD
Saturday, July 14, 1888
While a resident at 1027 North 9th street was getting ready for bed, he noticed an intense glow coming from outside. Looking across the street, he discovered a raging fire at the Reading Company Lumber Yard, 9th and Robeson Streets. Keep in mind that at this time, there were no houses on the west side of North 9th street. The resident quickly ran to the lumber yard and aroused James O'Neill, a stock holder who slept in the office building, informing him of his find.
As the two men were attempting to quell the flames, Reading Police Officer Sands wandered by. After seeing the amount of fire the two men were battling against, he ran to Box 5, 8th and Windsor streets, and activated the telegraph station at 23:00.
Chief Engineer Miller maneuvered his horse and buggy east on Penn street, then turned north on North 8th street, at which time he could plainly see the intensity of the flames. Miller brought his horse to a stop at 8th and Windsor streets, manually tapped out the triple-three signal for a general alarm, then boarded his vehicle and continues full gallop to the blaze.
The fire was believed to have started in a shed at the lower end of the yard. Flames quickly spread to two nearby sheds on the North 9th street side of the lumber yard before the fire department was notified. Fire continued to communicate throughout the lumber establishment and before long, another shed was well involved. This one was located near a Reading Railroad spur that proceeded into the yard for shipment purposes. Three railroad cars fully loaded with shingles were also destroyed.
Radiant heat damaged several nearby dwellings on the west side of North 9th street, including the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 1018 North 8th street.
The Reading Company Lumber Yard's loss was estimated between $15,000 and $18,000.
John K. Boas, the previous owner of the lumber yard, incurred major losses on two separate occasions when the work of an incendiary ravaged his business. The first fire took placed on July 4, 1885.
