Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-04-13
DISASTROUS FIRE AT ALBANY
Twenty-Five Buildings consumed.
A FIREMAN BURNED TO A cINDER
Loss OYER 4 HALF MILLION

A FIREMAN BURNED TO A CINDER.
Loss OYER 4 HALF MILLION.
At five o'clock Friday morning Albany
was visited by enc of the most disastrous
cenfagrations that that city has expert
enced for years. The fire extended from
Columbia to Van Trump streets ard along
Broadway, and in its course consumed
some twenty-five buildings. Weed, Par
sons & Co.'s immense printing house, bat
recently erected, the front of which faced
on Columbia, and the rear on Van Trump
streets, was entirely destroyed, together
with the entire contents. The fire is stat.
ed to have originated in the stereotype
room of Weed, Parsons s. Co.'S Office
They were insured for $4,000, but their
loss is estimated at 100000.
Since the memorable confAgration Of
August 18th, 1S4S, which burned over 6
large part of the lower section of the city
Albany has not been visited by any ca
lamity that has produced such wide.
spread feeling of horror and insecurity
For three hours the fire department
fought the flames with apparently but lit
tie effect Until eight o'clock, the spread
of the fire was not effectually stayed.
From Weed, Parson & Co.'S mammoth
printing establishment, where the fire
originated, the destruction made its way
to all the adjacent stores and dwellings on
Broadway and Van Tromp street. The
heaviest loss by the fire will, of course
fall on Messrs. Weed, Parson & Co., whose
mammoth printing establishment was
completely destroyed, from cellar to roof,
together with the entire and valuable CON-
tents of machinery and stock. The fol-
lowing full and accurate account we ex-
tract from the columns of the EUening
Journal.
Shortly before five o'clock this morning
policeman discovered Hamoc burotins
out of one of the windows on the fifth (or
top) story of the Printing House. He at
once made the fact known to the night
Waterman of the blishment, and then
sounded general alarm. The watcbman
proceeded to the fifth story, ana found
that the fire was at work in the electro
type room. In THIS room uuere WEE d
small stove, and it is supposed the fire ORR
ginated from it.
In course of quarter of an hour, after
the first alarm was sounded, the roof fell
in. The fifth stery contained. in addi-
ton to the electrotyping room, the stereo-
type room, photographers room. and de-
signers and engraver's room. The fourth
story was devoted to the book bindery,
the third story was the paper and cutting
room, composing room, proof room aud
book room. The second story, the pack
ing room, railroad ticket room and job
room in rear. The first story contained
the several cffices, counting room. ship
ping room with press room in rear, con
tanning over thirty presses. and engine
room.
The pillows of fl ,me rolled through the
building from one end to the "tber, with
terrible and magnificent violence. La
less than an hour after the first alarm was
sounded the vast building was reduced to
a mass of burning, smoking walls that
fell from time to time with the mise of
thunder. By the loss of this building
over three hundred people are thrown out
of employment, while the firm of Weed.
Parson & Co. sustain loss Of $250,000
above their insurance, which amounts to
$4,000.
The flames specify commune ted to
the two,story frams bu lding. No. 606
Broadway, owned and occupied by Ben
jamin Tapptn, as n fish, fruit and oyster
h. Il
his stock.
The hugh volume of fame from the
building of Weed, Parsons and Co, was
so intense, and threw its heat so far that
it drove even the fremen from their
lasors. In consequence. the fire rapidly
ran along. enveloping the building ad-
joining, No. COS, occupied by Frank s.
Graves as an electro plating establishment
Mr.. Graves was insured for $1,000 on
stock, in the Albany City Insurance Co +,
but his loss will not exceed $500, a. near
" all his stock was removed in time.
This building was owned also by Mr.
Happen. whose loss on buildings will be
about $4,000
The buildings next destroyed were W.
H. Early, restaurant, loss 81 SOC; Rich
ard Brown, crockery store, loss $4,000; g.
P. Smith, orockery store, loss $4,000
Four buildings were next destroyed but
their contents were saved. Loss $4,000
From the rear of the printing stablish-
ment the flames extended along the fences
and outbuildings to Van Tromp street,
destroying several buildings and much
property.
Several accidents and narrow escapes
occurred, among which we learn of the
following persons who sustained Injuries:
Owen Rogers, a member Of the Hook and
Ladder Company No. 3, burned severely
about the hands Alonzo Koonz, of Stea-
mer No. l, hand burned !; Daniel O'Brien,
slightly injured by falling timber Ed
ward Van Vechten, of Steamer No. who
was overcome by heat and smoke.
A number of men had been set to work
about o'clock to unearth the safes buried
ia the ruins of the front or main build
ing. They had been at work steadily for
an hour throwing off the brick, timbers
and rubbish, when to their utter surprise
and horror, one of the men struck his
shovel in the head of human being.
tearing off piece of flesh.
As soon as they recovered from the SEN
sation of horror that ran through them.
and carefully removed the brick and other
materials that lay upon it, the PROSTATE
body of man, with arms extended, the
hands burned off at the wrists, and the
remainder of the body SO oharred and
blackened as to defy recognition was ex-
posed to view.
"Who was he ?" was the almost whis-
pered interrogatery that ran through the
little crowd of workers, but none present
could tell. The legs of the unfortunate
fellow. together with bis clothing and
everything that could lead to his identifi-
cation were entirely burned.
How he came to his horrible death ia
not positively known as yet, but just be-
fore the volume Of fame burst from the