The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-11
TERRIBLE DISASTER.
FIRE IN A TENEMENT HOUSE.
NINE PERSONS sUFFoCATED.
Three Families Found Dead in Their
Rooms.

Nos 2l5 and 2l5>s Division street.
ORIGIN FIRE
The fire originated the cellar Of the four story dwell
ling place, which tenanted by three families. The
first floor is divided into stores occupied by NJ
Deegan q lamp and kerosene oil shop, the other
rented milk store by Patrick Kelley. These places
numbered respectively 215 and 2l5, the basement
Of No 215 being occupied = dwelling by James E.
Mclaughlin and the basement Of No. 2l5, being in
habited by Mr. Deegan, who kept the premises
small quantity Of kerosene oil and number Of empty
barrels The cellar under the basement Is fitted up with
wooden sheds for the Of the tenants. That the fire
originated in this cellar there is but little doubt,
IL being understood from the statement Of Assistant
Fire marshal H. O. Baker that the leakage OF oil from
the barrels had penetrated the flooring and trcked into
the cellar and the gas rising from the fluid had probably
been gnted by the fame Of lamp which had been
red into the cellar by OF the tenants while from the
lower portions of the edce the smoke assembled to the
upper part Of the building filled tho rooms whose
occupants lay wrapped in slumbcr.
THR FIRST ALARM
sounded at forty Ave minutes past O'Clock but
minutes previous to the taps of bells the Fire De.
partment were on the spot The smoke was already
extremely dense, and filed the hallway and corridor
entries Of the house. effecualy preventing egress to
such OF the tenants had not been fortunate enough
to make their escape The families Of Mrs. Allen
and Mrs Cash, who dwelt the second
floor, and those Of Mr.. Burns, the third and Mr.
Valentine on the fifth floor, reached the sidewalk in
safety but the other occupants OF house far
less fortunate. Ladders placed against the win
dows OF the upper Stories and the remen ascended in
haste, hoping in this manner TO such Of the
wretched tenants known to have remained in
their apar tments
Of the fire then discovered to DO as foilows-On
the third floor OF the house No. 1l5 resided Daniel
Phalin, his wife, and Maggie, Nellie and Thomas. his
three children On the fourth floor Of No 1862 dwelt
Mrs Mary schilllng, a widowed female, and only
child, Ida, with her sister, Mrs. Euphema
Galpin, and her daughter 1t was ascerained
beyond a doubt that all these unfortunates
in the tenement house when the fire broke out and
the nremen, forcing open the windows, leaped into the
rooms and cropping through the darkness and
smoke sought to the missing One
by the members Of the department reap
peared, each bearing in his arms the inanimatc
form Of q child, . Nine
persons then taken from the house. and carried
and Drs snodgrass and Brdsa endeavorcd in vain to
life TO the puscless clay. Only Of the
BEATING Of hsr sear SeS ssoonSs
aftcr they had been carried into the street, was
hushed.
OF the deceased tenants removed To the Seventh
precinct station house, whence Captain Jameson de-
patched notice to the Coroner. VINO will hold in
quiry on the remains to-day The names OF the poor
beings who have met such an untmey fate are as fol-
lows -
Daniel Phaln his wife and three children aged respect
lively tcn and two years, Maggie. Nellie and
Thomas by name Phan native " Ireland, and
thirty two years Of age. He was formerly an active
member Of the Volunteer Fire Department, and had
been Assistant Foreman Of Hook and Ladder Company
No. 81.
Mrs Mary Schiliinr and her infant child the latter
aged seventeen months
Mrs Euphemia Galpin and her daughter Ida, aged
THE SCENE AT THE STATION HOUSE,
was hear,rendina In one OF the rooms In the rear OF
the main buildng dimy lighted by single jet OF gas,
lay stf upon boarded platform the bodies Of the de-
ceased persons All we're habed in their n,ghtciothes.
the poor little ones swadded In long gowns the male
adults with hci- shirts half covering their shrivelled
limbs the females with bare legs and scanty garments
thrown upon their shoulders The faces not much
dscoored, and from the fact that death the result
Of suaocaon, the flames not having extended
eegnSe o her Tho nos wIse wer.
somewhat distended, and the eyes half opened,
looked out upon the living world with stony gaze.
cod their heads and Kept the lower jaw pressed against
the upper one The limbs stiff the hands slightly
by side, old and young and female all haEing laid
down 70 rest but few hours previous having doubt
below, but having, after BRIEF struggle for life, re-
lapscd into that sumber which knows no waking
LOSSES ny TIRE AND WATER
arc slight Tho damage 10 the building will not exceed
$500 Damage 10 the stock OF kerosene, lamps &c.
the rst floor $780, such loss being covered by insurance
for 500 n the State Insurance Company Of Jersey CITY
j. f. Mclaughlin also occupied Of the easements
n dwelling place; loss $500 by damage TO property,
which Is injured for $500 In the Rutgers Insurance. Com
pany Patrick KolIy loses 500 by damage stock In
his milk store; his loss Is not covered BY insurance
be learned by the terrible results OF this IRE. The
destruction Of life again directs our attention 10 tho
reckless disregard tho safety OF tenants manifested
by landlords In general The laws at present enacted
inadequate 10 the protection Of the occupants
Of tenement houses, and IL 10 be hoped
that the Fire Commissioners will give their
this matter have such enactments made
by the next Legislature AZ will regulate not only tho
keeping Of all such combustbie articles kerosene OIL
hut 10 the provision OF proper means Of egress
by the window for all tenants Of rooms In large and
crowded dwelling places