YORK, NE: FEB. 2, 1913 – Firemen arrived to find several homes in flames and fire extending through a door leading into the Baer Furniture Store. Once the firemen were inside the store, the flames raced up an elevator shaft and throughout the building, then extended to the second floor of an adjacent building. Several of the frame buildings collapsed in a shower of sparks and embers as the battle continued. The furniture company was a total loss. Two days later, a fire broke out in a building on West Sixth Street and spread to a half-block of homes, a grocery store and harness shop, the telephone and telegraph company and other buildings.
PITTSTOWN, NJ: FEB. 2, 1913 – Flames broke out in the Pittstown House at 3 A.M. People sleeping in the hotel escaped with only their bedclothes as smoke and fire pressed through the building. Volunteer firemen arrived to find a fire so advanced the building was beyond saving.
SAVANNAH, GA: FEB. 2, 1913 – Five blocks of waterfront properties, including the Merchant’s and Miners’ Transportation Co. wharves, Planter’s Rice Mill, American Steel & Wire Com. warehouse and part of the Seaboard Air Line Freight storehouses, were destroyed by an early-morning fire. Following an explosion on the Baltimore wharf of Merchant & Miner’s, the waterfront quickly became a sheet of flames. Firemen responded to find an acre of fire before them. They battled high winds and fierce flames and made a stand that saved the Ocean Steamship Co. and all its holdings and prevented the fire from jumping the Ogeechee Canal.
AIKEN, BRITISH COLUMBIA: FEB. 2, 1913 – At 11 A.M., a fire that originated in a basement storeroom raced through the three-story Park-In-The-Pines Hotel, driving people from the 177 rooms. Flames soon found an elevator shaft and spread upward. Hampered by poor water pressure, firemen battled the flames for two hours, but could save only one wing of the building.
DORSET, ENGLAND: FEB. 9, 1913 – A fire in Abbotsbury Castle, the summer residence of the Dowager Countess of Ilchester, was destroyed by fire. Among the many valuables lost to the flames were paintings by Italian masters and a treasured portrait of Princess Charlotte by Sir Thomas Lawrence (1769-1830), famed painter and president of the Royal Academy.
CHICAGO, IL: FEB. 11, 1913 – Two hundred families were left homeless after flames swept two apartment houses at East Sixtieth Street and Washington Avenue. Five hundred firemen using 43 pieces of apparatus worked for four hours battling the blaze. High winds fanned the flames and showered other buildings with flaming brands. A wall collapse buried five firemen who were quickly rescued by their comrades. Firemen rescued 100 people over ladders and fire escapes.
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA: Feb. 20, 1913 – In the early-morning hours, a defective stove started a fire that destroyed the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, one of the oldest and most historic buildings in city. The quaint structure was built mostly of wood, with a cupola and belfry, and contained many relics of Peter the Great. The czar himself had worshipped in the church when it was first built. All the historic objects and art treasures were rushed from the blazing church and were saved before flames consumed the entire structure.
TOKYO, JAPAN: Feb. 20, 1913 – A fire starting in the Salvation Army Hall spread quickly through the center of the city. High winds pressed the fire through the closely packed structures and more than 3,000 buildings were soon ablaze. Before the fire was brought under control, two people were dead and 100 were injured.
PHILADELPHIA, PA: FEB. 20, 1913 – Only a fortunate change of wind direction and the prompt work of firemen saved the Phillies’ National League baseball park, known as Baker Bowl, from destruction. Fire completely wiped out the huge grain elevator of George Egolf & Co. directly across the street from the ballpark. Faced with severe radiant heat, firemen poured thousands of gallons of water on the clubhouse to prevent its ignition. Just as it seemed the waves of heat would win, the wind changed direction and let firemen press the attack.
OMAHA, NE: FEB. 28, 1913 – Operating in near-zero weather, firemen battled a raging fire in the Dewey House hotel at 13th and Farnam Street. Most of the tenants were asleep when an explosion of gas ignited a hot, smoky fire that spread rapidly through the old, three-story building. Several tenants jumped from windows as firemen hurried others down ladders. Firemen struggled to rescue as many people as they could, but were soon driven back by intense heat. Twenty people died.
