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Presently there was an alarm of fire. Some of the buildings spared by the flood were menaced by the flames. There were some Philadelphia firemen on the spot, with three engines, and they set to work manfully to subdue this new scourge. But in vain. The city water-works were in bad shape. There were few hydrants available, and even these were far from the fire. Several buildings were entirely consumed before the engines could be set to work. The stricken survivors of the flood looked on in hopeless dismay. It seemed as though the little there was left was to be snatched from them. But the firemen worked like heroes, and within an hour had the flames under control, though many of the houses and much of the debris in the burning district were still aflame. From these the flames spread to adjoining houses and lumber, until all but three wrecked structures in the district bounded by Market and Walnut Streets, and by Main Street and the river were consumed. About twenty-five buildings were burned, of which probably one-third could have been moved back upon their foundations. The three brick school-houses on the Market Street lot, which had been only slightly damaged by the flood, were entirely destroyed; so also were the residences of Messrs. John Allendorfer and John W. Leigh, which though floated from their foundation, were in such good condition that both would
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