The New York herald., 1871-04-08
TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION IN ALBANY.
TWENTY BUILDINGS CONSUMED.
Destroyad-Loss Over Half o Million Dol
lars-A Fire ran Burned to q cinder.
From the Albany Evening Journal, April IL


establishment on Columbia street Thc names
spread with fearful rapIdirv. and before they
contents, and all the adjacent stores and dwellings,
on Broadway and Van Tromp stree., were reduced
to mass , o. burning ruins. From five 10 eight
opponent with all possible energy ana deterniina-
lion. In broadway Van Tromp and Columoia
streets steady and powerful streams were
shot into the Masses or flames, and
after three hours hard WORK limit was put to the
devastation. AS soon as IL became evident That there
was no further danger OF the spread OF tho lire
these living In the neignb0rhOod OF the burned dis
tricU thankful Ter their own escape, turned with
ready sympathetic hearts ana willing hands 10 do
what they could to help those ursed out OF house
and home, ana whose properly, rescued IRON the
fire, was scattered here and there over the side
walks.
The burned district presents a most iorlorn and
piiiful look. Walls standing here and thero IN
ragged aud begrinmed state loom out from amid
the dingy smoke OF burning emDers. while the lofty
cnimney stack or the ruined printing establish
monument erected TO commemorate the de5olatlon
OF which 1t is the centre and survivor.
ORIGIN OF TIL. FIRE.
Shortly before ive O'Clock his morning police
man going his rounds discovered flames bursting out
OF one O the windows OF the NTH Tor top) of
the printing house. lie ut once made the TACT known
to The night Waterman OF the establishments. who vas
IN the counting room, and then sounded general
alarm The WatChman proceeded co the hfh story, and
found that the fire Was TO work az the electrotype
room In this room there was a small stove, and It
Is supposed the fire originated from II. The alarm
was Immediately communicated over the city, and
the various steamers. flrcmen and q vast con-.
work with might and main to suppress the names
and save the great building from serious damage
But their best Efforts were III vain. In spite OF
perhuman efforts the fire
SPREAD WITH FEARFUL RAPIDTrY.
and in course Of Quarter Of an hour after the
the burning building, the flames every moment
gathering volume and communicating TO the
various stories beneath. The NTH story contained
in addition to the eiectrotype room, the stereo.
type room, litnographers' room, and designers
and engravers' room the fourth story was
the paper and cutting room, composing rOom proof
room and book room; the second story, the packing
the first story contained the several Offices, count
ing room, shipping room with press room In rear,
All these stores with their varied and valuable con.
tents, were
MADE SHORT WORK
OF by the blllOWS oil flame tnat rolled through the
building from one end to the other with terrible
and magnificent violence. SO irresistible was
the fury or the fire, ilnpetuous was its force.
that in less tnan an hour alter the first alarm
sounded the vast building was reduced to mass
OF burning. smoking walls that fell from time to
time with the noise OF thunder The books or the
concern, valuables from the safe, and most Of the
law. medical legislative and miscellaneous volumes
Issued by the house Were removed IN safety from the
first noor to the Deavan House and otner places in
the neghborhood, but with these exceptions 1t was
found impossible 10 save anything else from the sud
den ruin.
TUE FIREMEN WORKED WITH WILL;
r n % ba ansa and
was on hand ana did their whole duty, and ala 1t
nobly; but do what they might the great building
could NOT he saved By It's loss over three hundred
people are thrown out OF employment, while the
firm Of Weed, Parsons CO. sustain loss OF S250oo0
above their insurance, which amounts to Sl50,000.
LOSSES OF WEED, PARSONS 90.
1t is impossible to state the loss OF Weed, Parsons
& Co. with any degree or accuracy, there was such
large quantity OF unfinished work Ill progress, but
1t Will approximate S400,000. upon which there Is
an insurance OF sl5o0oc-s40,ooo on the building
and $1l0 600 on machinery. stock and material.
The boilers may not be greatly injured, and the
engine may be restored. one OF the hydraulic
fr1 arnnf lint fhn hnp oil! nInI
1t is hoped that the stereotype vault has not beer
penetrated by the ire IL contains large quantity
OF plates and other vauables. The rubbish prevents
access TO 1t.
The following are the insurances:-
on BuadDQ-Imperial. London, $4,000; Fremen's,
S5,0o0 Capital CITY, 5000; Albany City, 5000:
North American, $4,000; Western bunalo, 5000;
$1,000 IN Republic and s4oo In Springfield. Total,
$42,4oo
New York, $1,000; 4Etna Hartford 50, 900; Imperial.
London, $1,000; Phoenix, New YORK, $4,000; Attain
tic. providence. $500: Putnam, Hartford, s2,soo;
Freman's, New York, SO 600; Albany city,
5000; Albany, $4,000; North American New
york s'es Roya
s., 900; Glens Falls, $4,000; International, New
York, $500; North American. Hartford $1,000;
Atlantic Brooklyn, $4,000; Long Island, $500;
Howard, New York. s3.500; Irving, New York, $4,000;
Manufac,urecs', Boston, $4,000: star s., 800; Man
land, $1,000.
on Engine and Machinery Hartford,
$4,000; Imperial, $1,000.
On stereotype plates, $4,000.
FROM THE PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT TO THE
BUILDINGS ADJoINISG.
The names speedily communicated to the two
story frame building, No. COS Broadway, owned
and occupied by Benjamin Tappen as a lsh, fruit
ana oyster depot ana Notwithstanding the utmost
efforts to save it, was entiiely consumed. The
proprietor fortunately nearly ali his stock.
The huge volume OF flame from the building OF
Weed, Parsons Co. was so intense and threw its
heat so iar that IL drove even the fremen from
their labors, and the spectators, who completely
blocked up Broadway, were compelled to seek
cooler and more congenial posts OF observation.
In consequence the fire rapidly ran along, en-
by Frank $. Graves as electro plating establish
ment and 1t too fell into the embraces Of the con-
on stock, in the Albany City Insurance Company;
but his loss will not exceed $780, nearly all his
stock was removed in time. THIS building was also
owned by Mr. Tappen, whose loss on buildings VIII
be about $4,000.
The uexr building adjoining on the north. No. 6lo,
was also frame building story and half high,
and was occupied by William Il, Early as a restau-
rant. He lost nearly everything, and estimates
his his loss at $1,000, which Is fully covered by In
The building adjoining, also frame, No. e12, was
occupied Dy Richard Brown, as crockery store,
almost totally DESTROYED. lie estimates his loss at
about $4,000, ana has an insurance OF between
Devlin Bros merchant tailors who owned Nos
Co.'S go, Oh and GA broadway, lose $4,000 on their
buildings, on which is an insurance OF 1880 in tile
Howard Insurance Company.
The next IN order was the building No. Ola, oc-
cupled by James Jones, cigar manufactures. He also
loses on stock.
James O.. Jones, merchant tailor, owned and
occupied No. GIG. but succeeded in removing
nearly hls all stock lie had recently purchased
the building for $4,000, on which there was an
insurance OF $500 lie also had an insurance OF
$1,000 IN the Albany city Insurance Company on
the stock. Mr. jones' insurance Is divided as fol-
lows:-S3,500 on building In Albany City; ST. 900 In
the Albany CITY; $4,000 in a Pennsylvania company;
Commerce, II, 900; Irving. $1,000 on stock.
The next building. No. go, occupied by George p.
smith as fancy goods store was also destroyed.
Loss about $4,000; insured for $1,000 on building
and 81, 900 on stock In the Fremcn's Insurance Com
pany.
No. 62o was occupied by Chance 4 Smith ns
boot and shoe store. The Grm succeeded III rem0v-
ing nearly all their stock.
Henry Graham occupied portion OF NO. 622 as o
confectionery store, and the upper part as resi-.
dence. His loss viii be light.
Louis Spoerhase, eweller, occupied No. 624, both
as store and residence. lie, too, succeeded in