New-York daily tribune., 1859-12-30
GREAT FIRE DOWN TOWN.
FIFTEEN BUILDINGS BURNED.
The Firc Sweeps frcm Beskman-st TO Fult'H-s'
DAMAGE HALF A MILLION.
INSURED FOR s250OoO.

iuy-class and picture frame mandatory. The build
ing was five stories il hight and extended from Beck
man street 20 No. 81 Ann street. The fire originated,
from all sppearanees in the second story, on the Ann
street side and when fIst discovered vas thought to
be of little moment Engine Company No. D, lying In
the immediate vicinity having reeeiyeda siiu alarm
hattened to the spot and got water upon the lire with
out delay. They had been at work several minutes
before the alarm rung and felt confident that they
could extingush the flames without further aid from
the Department but that they had made an erroneous
calculation soon apparent.
The building was stocked from top TO bottom with
finished and unfinished work, upon which the hre
readily seized, and within twenty minutes after the
alarm was given the interior Of the structure was all
in a blaze the flames leapng furiousy from the roof,
and from the front and rear windows. The fire nexi
extended on the one aide to No. ST. ive-story build
ing oc :uped By Nicholas Doll tailor, and on toe other
70 the paper warehouse OF Messrs. Buekley, Bro a.
Co. No 55 Beekmsn and No. 81 Anu street; thence
70 No 81 Beekman and No. SO Ann, occupied by Cyrus
w, Field as paper warehouse, and thence 10 No ~
Beekman and No. 81 Ann occupied by Haydock X
Co.. Wholesale druggists and Others
The interior Of the establishment Of Messrs. Black
& Grsmm having by this time been totally consumed,
the walls fell with a tremendous crash No. Engine,
working on Ann street, was crushed and buried be-
meath the falling mass of brick and mortar, and the
members Of the Company narrowly escaped with their
lives John Malone, the assistant foreman was IN the
building at the time, and sustained fracture OF the
right leg He was rescued, and sent to the Hospital
Owing 10 the large quantity of hgh and combustibe
material in buildings Noe. So, 81, and 80 Beekman
street. they were in incredibly short space of time
enveloped in flames and the fire became threatening
that the engineers almost ready TO sound gen.
eraI alarm. The atmosphere was intensely cold, and
several Of the engines freezing up the iremen were
compelled to abandon them. Many lengths OF hose
also frcze up, and became useless
The steam fire engines were sent for by the Chlef
Engineer and soon arrived with steam up, and ready
for service. Manhattan" steam fire engine No.
was among the first the ground, but the members OF
other companies with their foolish prejudice and jeal.
Gus fear refused to supply the steamer with water.
After considerable delay, water was procured, and
No 8 got 10 work in excellent style. The engineers
and members Of the Manhattan, assert that If they
could have obtained water when they first arrived,
they could have checked the fire before many build
ings were involved. Steam engine Niagara, stationed
In William street, was instrumental in preventing
general conHagration.
The Second Ward Police Station No. 4j Beekman
street, narrowly escaped destruction Ii was filed
with smoke and deuged in the upper part with
water On Beekman street, the fire was prevented
from extending beyond the Station House Oh one side,
and No. 60, corner of Gold, occupied by Mason Il
Dodge on the other The flames eaped across Ann
street, on the south side and destroyed number of
dweling-houses and iquor.shops of little value, and
thence extended TO Fulton ,roet, where the further
progress OF the confagration was checked.
The greatest excitement prevailed ON every side, and
many persons residing and doing business in the vicin
ity of the FIRE made preparations toremove their goods
SO intensely cold had the weather become that the
ordinary engines frozen up and rendered useless,
and had it not been for the steam-engines il is inn
possible TO say what would have been the extent of
the eonnagration. Several buildings on Gold street,
between Ann and Fulton Streets took fire from the
intense heat but they were saved from destruction
through the exertons Of the fremen. number of
buildings ON Fulton street were touched, bat escaped
serious damage.
LOSSES AsD ASSURANCES.
The losses and insurance. are as follows, near as
can he ascertained:
The loss of Messrs Black Gramm will not fall far
short of 500 600, the establishment of the
most extensive Of the kind in the city. Their entire
stock was destroyed About o'clock yesterday after
noon the members of Hook and Ladder No l3
ceeded after much labor, in getting out their safe,
when of the firm handed the foreman of the COM
pany a check for 500.
Loss of Messrs. Buckley, Bro, & Co. from $4,000
to goo. Insured in the following companies to the
amount Of $1,000:
Ailaptic.......... $500 Rutgers ss 500
Washington '''.'''''. soy Columbia -Oo
Their stock is a complete loss, and they have only
succeeded in saving their safe ard books The build
ing occupied by the firm belonged to the estate OF lsa
bella Nyman, and valued AZ $40, OOO; insured for
$40, COO.
Tie loss Of Mr.. Field is estimated at 500 900; moth
log of his stock being saved except lew bundles Of
paper. He is insured in the following companies
Manhattan IS 900 Peter Cooper. $1,000
Howard............ 5000 OIeekmsn............. 5ec0
Sontinspta......... ssGsSoo Equitable 5000
sS policies OF eco each in the various Hartford Cos. 5000
Three policies In other New England Companies l9OOo
Total....................... $4,000
The building belonged 70 the estate of MIR. Endicott,
and was worth about s20, ,000 Insured for So 0O0.
Loss of Nicholas Doll tailor who occupied the first
floor of No. 5l about s. 600; insured for y 900 in the
Hamilton and 81, coo in the st. Nicholas Insurance
Co. The upper floors were occupied by Messrs.
EdIelin & Co. perfumers; Robert Duncan iocksmith;
dealers occupied the basemen Their aggregate loss
is about sl0,Ooo and they insured about onehalf
in city companies.
Loss Of Mesers. Haydock & Co., druggists oesa-
pants of No. 50, about So, coo; partially insured
The upper part OF the building was occupied by
Messrs Endicott & Co lthgoraphers whose loss will
amount to about sl5,OoO. Insured 5000
No 90 Beekman street, corner Of Gold, is occupied
by Mason, Dodge, & Briggs, ron-pipe manufacturers,
whose loss will not probably exceed $780, Injured in
the following oompaI les
Commercial 500 Leaox x..............s5O0
Washlngto .......... 5000 sisrket........... 5eo
Columbia zsco Ruigers... ........ go
The loss Of Horace s. Tay Tor, who occupied the
upper part az printing establishment was principally
by wafer and Will not exceed s. 500. Fully insured
Freeman X Robertson had q, coo worth of paper