New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-04-05
CALAMITY IN BROOK
LIN.
nrenking I'm Of Roof-Tcn Mon Precipf'
tafcd Into the Ruins Beneath Five
Killed and Six Injured.

A disastrous fro occurred in this city yester
day morning. between and o'clock, resulting in thu
killing Of five men, by falling through the roof and
tie injury Of six Others beside involving loss Of prop
erty to tic amount Of about $4,000
The flames were first discovered by private watch
James Donghery. breaking cut on the third fool
of No. 80 Furmanst., occupied as hlacs lead mann
factofy ty Mr.. Thomas j. Clubb. In consequence OF
the comlus;ihle nature Of some OF the contents The
fire communicated 10 the adjoining premises No. 9j,
occulied by Mr.. C.. n. Flanders a5 mandatory OF
Iarainc uhrll aing oil.
The buildings ere o. bIicF .lree stories IN hight.
on Furnan.st and the but,ing against the blnk
upon which a, Light of perhaps 60 feet are tbs yaids
end gardens of resi0ents IN Coumoa-s'. These gar.
dcns OCCUPY tie roofs of the Furmnnst factories which
covered with sod sufficiently thick to allow the cui-
! tvaiiog Of shrIctoIy
Nhle he fire was IN progress soro twenty or tniF'!
frcsen mounted the roof with ladders ir"ul the street
below, and oilers not connected with the Dprtncnt
entered from tie Colpmbia-st. tide The foor' ana
reiters having been completely burned out inside The
roof weakened t. snch On c1t'Lt that the pressure
caused II 10 bend IN. and. peIceiyng their dihgrr
number or Some ierr. however. could not MAKE
their escape In time. md were precifated mo cne
fiery gulf beneath. a distance Of about 80 tect Inc
earth I'LL which the roof was covered, aHd the pFck
from the walk. followed and five men were buried be'
meath the ruins, two Of them SIX or eight ic,t ocp
Several tl upon the ton OF the dcbiis. ana otLoi
tnmblcd out into the street through cavity In tho
front wall. These latter escaped instant death. Sey-
eral were but slightly injured.
Tic speais were iaInc dlatcy turned upon TIE hehp
of ruin beneath In ;hc hope of savh at least some
and the effort far succeeded that al but thOse uhde
the runs were able f. escape.
The names of the dead are rs follows;
Alexander Benson. foreman OF Hose No. II, lately
disbanGed clerk IN the County REGISTERS Oace and
residing with Wis parents O; No. 37 Jaysi ~.
Caspar Carlmcyer OF Lose No =, residing A. NO 20
StaniOnst and doing business IN GfdnG-st, W H. rs
shoe merchant - 80
Lewis Gardiner Of Hose No. J. residence No. Lit
test Mr. g. is brother Of the County Treasurer T.
JOSEPH n. Brown Of Fnginc No II, clerk in the
BROOKLYN gaek. residing at No "A Miidsei.,,.
Eugene Baker, member OF Hose 20. NO. G.
Those injured are ~ follows
William Williams. Engine No. II. taken to tie City
Hospital, seriously hurt. but improving.
Idsard Be;,ei HS L. r No. S ;rsct' .y,s-sv
The above are at he City Hospital
James gugeles Of No. II; William A. Levy Of the
same Company, and Thomas II. Gibson. not connected
with tie Department were br' slig q! Injured.
Mr. J. Merritt the owner II tie buildings. whose
residence l. ou the Heights above them, being fearful
that The roof wqnld s IN worned the Chief Engineer
aud Others II their danger but no heed was Id to ms
advice. Mrs. Merritt implorod the men To rove 10
p OF safety hut she had M mere inagerce han her
husband. md In a few moments thereafter sNerai oil
them were engul, he'd IN the ruins beneath.
One of the assistant engineers. Mr. Robert Barr be
leying tia, there danger. directed stream from
No 20 be- thrown upon the crowd ON the roof in the
hope II driving them OF Many fell hack, and thus
There were several narrow esc1ps Mr.. l.. y. Trout
man q member 81 No. L. fell with the rest but vas
caught by Messrt. James Mathews and Augustus Tor
but, Of the COMPANY and dragged out of danger
IL, head aud shoulders hanging over the wall at
the time.
The necessity for ordering Lien 10 ca upon The roof OF
building Ike this may well be questioned. as they could
ia M rosille manner play ron the flames Will any
eject unless they should bust cut aud endarges TIE
houses on the Heights.
The bodies Of two 81 tie victims Messrs Brown and
nj. go. LIST
uudcr hcep ~ ruins six feet deep Ii was nearly Two
honrs lator before tney could be cNtricated.
Tie Coroner will Investigate the affair and " WI
then be ssceTained Who fany is to blame for this
fearful loss ~ lie.
The buihin.s were owned by Mr. John j. Merritt
and are vaael nt about el5ec. No. 81 where the
FIRE originated. contained .aIrc amount 81 stock hid
material together with machinery. The loss viii reach
SIS COO on which there !, m insurance ~ -oep ~"
- contained about 2OO barrels Of whale sperm aud PIE.
pared oils. which with presses &c. were valued at
tl9 co On which there i IN Insurance Of s3,OtO
The cause Of the FIRE Ia not definitely kno9n. Nohre
had been Used In either Of the buildings 10 day pre-
ylOIs.