The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-02-16
the RECENT FIRE IN BROADWAY.

Examination Of Officers in Reference 40 the
Orfxiu Of the Fire -. ID. Chittenden g.
Co.'S 6esre-The Fire Believed 90 Have
Been Accidental, &c.
Yesterday afternoon, at Fremsn's Hail. before FIRE
Commissioners G. G. P'nckney, who presided, and G..
Able, n B. Brown and p W. Engs. an, investigation
was hold In regard TO the origin Of the recent confaga
ton on Broadway which destroyed the store occupied
by B. Chittenden Co, and other valuable property;
and also the management Of the Fire Department
ON that occasion h.4 sr
The examination was begun three o'clock, at which
hour Commissioner J. @. Able opened the proceedings
by stating their precise object he spoke ~ follows
REMARKS By COMMISSIONERS ,. q. ABnx
Mr.. PazsmDr:-Before proceeding with this examine
tion propose that definite course OF action or line
Of examination shall be agreed upon, in order that ws
may come atthe facts proposed by the resolution
submitted by Commissioner W. Engs at the last meet
ing Of the Board and under which now convened
That resolution calls for examination into the origin
Of the late ire the southeast Of Broadway and
Leonard street. and also for Information regarding the
general management Of the nre the efficiency Of this de-
partment and matters generally In regard 10 the first
proposition apprehend that the origin OF that DIRE Will
svss remain . nystssy. do mot know
any one Of The house Of 8 D. Chtttsnden = Co.
has been invited TO Be present and 70 give evidence IN ~
iaton to suppose they A.va not IS pren-
-arv examination made by the proper ofoss Assist
ant sire Marshal Baker. the day Of the nfe Beng
presens> It that time enabled 70 say that nfor
maj ion wss elected which would tend in the least to
that had bean their custs AFTER the CLOSE or the days
business for os Of The onios partners to make tour
q The ' Sndns AM !. Relation to .s safety against e
This was dops at about six o'clock on the evening
ne ''1 partners who was present At that time
This was all that that informal examination
revealed The store was closed soon after six O'clock
n ODoe m had n tOr0 n thor
the keys Of the vault usual apprehend that the
information TO DO gained on that point by this Board
must lie mere conjecture, based upon the evidence
which may be ELECTED by individuals who earliest
st the scene OF confagration. have NO particular
ges that questions Of facts only be propounded to wit
nesses regards the discovery Of the fire and subse
the efficiency Of this department. And in reference 10
the origin OF tho fire. as stated before 1t would per-
men who may appear before Us as may be deemed or
value. The verdict am, and have no doubt al the
TO leave to an intelligent public.
Presiden-Then you have no proposition TO make
Abbe-I propose that the line Of examination be as
regards rst the discovery Of the nre and then the &C.
neral management
PresideDt-Has the private Waterman Of Chitenden
q 70. any information to give on this subjectp
EXAMINATION THE PRIVATE wATcHMAN
Peter HONEY was then examined as follows
Question by tho Presdent-In whose employ are yon
A. am employed by several firms.
@ What is your beat' A. From Walker. street to
o On what side A. On the side where that store is
loca' ed.
Q wero yon patrollne your beat about haif-past S
O'Clock on the morning Of the 1ref A. Yes; at that
hour came up Leonard street and indication
Broadway and looked toward Catbarne ana and saw
aush Of steam or smoke eoiDg mp hore Thought there
went around H. who're che boiler IS bsiow, and looked
Bso whevs she dummy is but could no sSgn q ne;
whi!e looking there something went on like gsnahos
Preslden.-In she basement or sub-bassment, Jon
mean? 80
c,uld hear nco like as II wood burnnc sor. Of
cracking nose; then thought tbs stoso was on nce
scbnb A. vent down 70 Inc ssstion bouse;. going
do.n to tho SIKH precinct station house i
on Leonard street met olhoer Frear; wen. doxn e
tar as engine 81 and gave the ALARM and the engine
out; then went far Broadway and Leonard street
again. and thon went to notify the proper paries went
Mr.. Kano, who carried the keys Of tho arm.
@ Are you engaged By Chuenden Co as q
private Waterman for that s'orsf A No; am watch
Q From what part Of the building did the cracking
noise Gomez A. From where the boilers were
O. Was there any haichway or fuc therep A. There
ID An IRON grating there
Q InsIdo the grazing meons A. had discovered |
r n,d there r long hoore and also whom Appleton 60
Having stated THE, 40 desire e know nsre, among
asn- ~. o. course 10 70 the origin Of the IRE,
out ge " ~ oscipiine OF Cur affairs; how long
after you ran dasp leonard street to engine hous
y before they came A. They rushed ous imme-
I.
How lor.s was II before the apparatus camel A.
cos,a not ELL did not remain about the building long
emo went after the proorie,ors Q! the STORE;
We after Mr. Peck and MI. Kane-Mr Peck, OF the nd
joining building-and Mr.. Foster.
O. Do You know as N the Construction OF thai build
There are iron shutters on the basement all down TO the
dummy elevator; the basement strikes from that
down and there arc ron shutters on tho hrs nocr also
@ What is this dummy that Won speak OF? A It's
place to hoist Rocds up-a haichway.
a. flxrey q ttln An1nv wknwa <ISnco
boilers are on tho Catharine lane sde.
9. How high does Il ex'ends A. Itruns up story.
glas. sash ' and 'h iron bsrs running mp and down
Does that dummy OF which you speak open MP all
through tho buildings. or has II coves' A Il has
O. On each noorP A. do not know Ell
9. Where Is tho covsrf A II is up higher.
Is that used for tho purpose Of hosting goods up
by steam or by hand powerf A. That don't know; I
O. You did not remain there around the building did
your A. No, mot longer than = moment
\ EXAMINATION =
Question by the Prssdsns-whst do you know about
ss Ssns g "a sDS sso wv.
cred . smoke coming out o.: The dummy, whsrs they
snS Ss IN =: ,: s q
kuow.rhc was; halloed nrs and rspPco swo or
I'VE mssss ssr; shss were sSsa up shsis on The cor.
ner OF BIO Say mL
wsss . s &: ssn lsuss and 'e cane back ds
again. N ~ VI. I7sg 80 I~4 IN
a where was this elevator or dummy or which you
speakon which side Of the houseY A. On the Leonard
street SIDE between the tenement house and the
Of Broadway. ~
q You dopp know anything about ~ construction
inside, DO Jour A know ~ goes up md down with
Questions By MI Engs-pid you notice anything
about the side BY which they sand goods from tho cellar
into the snbeeiias' A. There u : long iron slide by
which they stnd goods into the cellar On the Leonard
street side -
3 Nov seeg az zen sec No q there, A. A soon
riehs out o. the door Of The engine house, sSou
fvs minutca sit ~ $50 H.satNtH rM
d. How npg was u before they got work. rhey
were IN to the eosner 81 Broadway In I'VE mnutes and
had The nose stretched ufeouard src but they could
NOT 0es TIE doors 0psn and Quitting them on &C.
CONT ~ their being made OF iron lr
Dta yen remain In that pos tIon for some timer A.
After cars back from The slasion houss remained
q were yop shers tine enough " enable you 70 SEQ
how long aef tA0 first 0uRinc arrived the sccond A.