The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-12-17
CONGREGATIONS.
ANOTHER TENEMENT HOUSE HORROR
A Woman, Five Girls and a
Boy Smothered to Death.
Five Other Persons in the Hos
pital.
SUPPOSED INcEND,ARisM M.

GREAT ulsasters are II not consequence concOui
ant OF modern civilization; but everything notice
able only by comparison, succession OF astounding
has prepared against surprise that matters
OF great import frequently pass observation Lnnc.
noticed and unthought OF. Occasionally. however,
something happens sudden 10 It's nature fearful
in its effects that the most calous imagination Is
appalled, and tho most hackneyed mind arrested in con-
temptation. or such q nature disaster Ia Second
avenue yesterday morning. In tenement house not
differing from tho ordinary plan OF buildings OF
that character tho various families occupying
apartments there retired at tho usual hour in
the full vigor aud strength OF health, many Of them
to wake more. No doubt fatgued from tho
recreation tboy Ind INDUCED 10 the previous
day, and looking forward TO a week OF toll,
slumber visited them without much woong and dulod
their senses all outward perception. The
ing Of departing time rolled Its increasing
mens INTO hours and midnight found the occupants OF
this dwelling wrapped In peaceful sumbcrs Some
four young ladies' boardes who had in the true
spirit Of feminine coquetry adorned their persons in the
expectation Of seeing. probably preferred friend,
hibcd in their Inconsistencies signs Of the TASTE
which had been exercised in their toilette
One O'Clock struck, bat awaked echo In the
OF those who slept here; two O'Clock passed.
but had long registered Its testimony OF departing
time upon the Of the night. before cry rang out
sharp and clear in the early morning air. "Fircl Fire.
Fire fire. was repeated inside In smothcred accents
and forms seen the windows In frantic gssticu
ati0n and fearful efforts visible the part Of the in
10 escape from what seemed inevitable doom. No
flame was 10 be seen. no spark no sign Of FIRE, but
p0lriug from every chink and crevce and loophole
dense volumes OF smoke broke forth thick and menace
ing. giving narrowing testimony to arriving
In this house, and from suno alton thus caused
persisted Mrs. o. Meara aged o. Eliza aged 10, Mary
Jane aged 10, and Catherine aged IL her daughters
liam Mnrun cad
10 Besides these Cornelius o. Mcara and Rosanna
Murphy arc now ia hospital In very critical con-
dion.
No 500 Second avenue, the scene OF this calamity,
was occupied as ~s:-Basement and hrss floor
bakery aud residence o. Maximian Miller and wife.
Second floor rear front being anoccupied Jacob Camp.
bell aud wife with two boardcrs. Emma + bridge and
Alice Davis Third floor front, John OMeara and wife,
three daughters and one son rear, Mr. Thomas Kelly
wife and two children. Fourth floor front, Lawrence
Cunningham wife and four children rear, Patrick Muir
ply, wife, four children and Ellen Duffy boarder.
As can be ascerained the ire broke out very
after two O'Clock in the morning, wheD all the
in profound sumber At that time the attention OF the
police was attracted 70 the vicinity By piercing shrieks
sounded. and . number OF tho Twenty first precinct
force FASTENED to the corner OF Second avenue aud
Thirty. third street. For some moments they were
unable ascertain the precise locality n the fire, the
strong northwest wind which prevailing at the tme
keeping the smoke from issuing into the street. Al length
the frightened and agonized voices Of persons In
the house directed them TO the fated 500. Bursting in
the hail door, an effort was made TO exreate he endan
gered tenants; but the stiff ng smoke rendered all at
tcmpls entrance futile until the IRE had
ceeded IN subdning the flames IN the basement During
this interval The occupants OF the behind the
store as well several OF the up stairs
ceeded in making their way 70 the street. portion OF
the police mounted TO the roor OF the adjoining
bu,ld 81 and by means Of ropes ex.ricaIed the family
in the 'front.' room Of The top floor BY bodily hoist
ing each person 10 tho root through the win
have been iesened had ii not besn for an
Al this ume Is matter Of surmse Ono OF
ing 10 the skyiigh and placed n tn position for
upon the roof lie had ascendsd only few steps mhcu
il broke pieces beneath his weight ana prec:pstei
him 10 tue floor. subsequent examination of the
ladder showed that II most fgnii affair. Tue wood
the sides had been cut bias 70 The grain, and IL
wonder that II had not heretofore proved It's weak
AS IL was the weight OF Tho ascending man had
snapped II across 10 tao places II did not
break. The wood split OWING to tho grain being
ut an acute angle the length An gat OF the
basement showed the woodwork cnarred TO such
that Of grdcrs ha1 broken and fallen asaat
floor The fire, however entirely confined tails
portion OF tho building IL did not even make its way
above the ground noor except In the vicinity OF the
staircase where II climbed up tue surrounding wood
work. In the front Of The basement the oven OF
the bakery aud 10 the rear was arded oil mali apart
room. dcadigbt opened out the yard, and a mar.
row stone stairway al the 'front.', covered with
DESCRIPTIONS or rHx rRrsrsEs.
The OF this fearful tragedy four story brick
tenement house OF what Is known IS the second third
class. The ground iioor - store, with sitting room
the rear The per three tcne-
mcnt occupancy. In the front, loor IL little
parlor embracing two Of the windows, with kitchen
taking in third, and two dark bedrooms in The mid
die OF the houss occupying the space between the wall
and the hsna as. ooa e9en lhs INTO the pSO Toe
sion OF The space. The house Is twenty i've fee wlue
BY foriy-1vs depth. TIE apartments arc con.
trivcd counterpars OF those IN 'front.' AMI
prise sitting room, kitchen aud two bedrooms The
house Is substantially bu and Is unobIectonablc on
this score
A the visitor mounted the dingy stairway he had
fearful evidence OF the destructive nature OF the
dealing heat and smoke that had assembled from
burning basement The yellow Rrcenish paint on The
walls shrivellcd add scorched whlo In many piac
i,s color had been bistered dIerent nue. How SO
heat could accompany the si.peuetrating smoss
10 OF the most TemArKaee " not mysterious features
VI the disaster The interior OF the house. from what
apparent TO the spectator must have been hot
the furnace OF foundry. lu tho front ROOM on tue
taird story evidences were plainly visible the uuex
pcctcd calamity which had 90 suddenly visited IL IN
mates The apartment vas the comfortable homo OF
working and bis family who had retired calmly 10
rcpose liille boys sled was 10 the corner, whiie
jaunty jockey hat, With q red flower, and the
coil aud comb cf o chlgnon, laid aside from
female toilet tod how unicoksi-or at The time OF
firing the terrible VISITOR death Even tie morn.
irg's moal, ready for cooking set apart GU tray
the fearful fright and conuson which ensucd when Tue
danger was discovered vas loo truly portrayed IN me
scal,ercd garments and general disorder OF tue room
Into this ev Dc "a, wbcn tho alarmed inmates opened
the door, rushed tho deata.isden sfoeo OF smoke s
oseocr:ng tue paint on the woodwork and even tue
varnlsh on the fsrniure Everything was npregna.ed
haan,sd ,hr nosirs 81 the visitor long after he emes
into the oyen ar.
TiynAG B1Dxs.
Immediately up3n the arrival Of the po.e AMI Gre
oHort vas made to give 10 tue info trnsle
people wno WAS known were inside tho bsaldnx
captain Aiare, Of the IucriY.frst precinct, who
early en- tho around. and Deputy Engineer W. W.
Rhodes ESSAY "a 10 mount the stars but forced
back BY the volame OF smoke winch niied lie entire
passage way Alter much persistence however, they
Enally succeeded, and having reached The hra iooF
SD spectacle was presented 10 their Ihs three
girls, Eliza Mary 3ane and Cathar nc uAeara wee
The floor IN Tie last agonas 81 dissolution, ineif
mother be.rs uHto dead, vLac their ia her,
Curnsus vas struggling. with tho most tear.
full muscular Effort against suifocsiloa In This
connection yeFy touching circumstance was observa-
be The girls were Of course in their nl4li c.otnng
but one OF them stu bcre ia tho arrangement or hat
hair evidence Of Tie feminine instinct which had pro-
baby on The previous day induced her TO "isisx."
curl u, or onsra.so drcs. u Ia sDic patton OF visit
from some sdnltsY IA no expectation OF ~ being
lsst toilet Having removed hoso bodies and them
10 tho hcspita. ~ hopeful desire that sparks Of
life IN sht remain The poiics and nramsn penetrated 10
40 t..nF swtn stm~ ~s.AA