The New York herald., 1872-07-25
Three and a Hall Million Dollars Worth
Of Property Consumed.
One Fireman Killed, Two InjIrel
and a Man Missing.
Yw snty.flve Locomotives Destroyed ami Eleven
\ NuRdred Men Thrown Outfof
Employment.

CURED last eve.ng. At eight O'Clock iame was
seen to burst from window in-the carpenter shop
In the machinery construction department OF the
Erie ,sailwaS. Fully twenty minutes elapsed be-
fore the alarm was sounded, and when
tho engine companies had all arrived on
tho, ground a work of colossal magnitude
lay before them. The immense brick building
co1npfisfcg the carpenters shop, machine shop,
ratstern chop, copper and tin shop, boiler shop
ev d stofcroom seemed to be enveiOped In
ONE SHEET OF FLAME.
!. Tho ailtling had only been erected about three
years. and occupied space OF one acre. 1t was
bounded on the north by Twelfth street, south by
Eleventh street, west by Provost street. while the
east vas open space entirely devoted to railway
purposes
:. O. the Provost street or west side, tenement
AOnses occupied chiefly by employees OF the Erie
Railway thickiy planted, and prOvidentialy
sEe wind blew towards the North River. Had the
breeze turned in the opposite direction the de-
etruciion and destitution would have been indeed
appalling. AS it was, only one house-that occu-
pied by Mrs. Geary-was injured, but through the
enorts OF the remen it was saved from total de-
struction.
When the general alarm sounded by the fire.
bell Engineer James Mccarthy, OF No. engine, had
just returned from the picnic OF Hiram Lodge, at
Dudley's Grove where lie had passed pleasant
oiA
companions met him with "Hulo, Jim, where are
You going ~
-why man, don't vOu hear the bell ?" was the
response.
ayes; hut you've got Off till eight O'Clock to-
morrow morning, and what have you got to do
with II ~
''Oh, nonsense; do you suppose that would let
Old Three go In the hands of another man and
herer
and the ''Od Three" was putting away at q furious
rate, that made
THE SPECTATORS STAND AGHAsT.
Women with children in their arms rushed out, the
large population Of laborers who tenant that dis.
frict were driving along to get good position from
which to view the conhagration policemenwere
nsing their clubs and shouting ''Get back there !"
The horses attached to the engines were tramping,
rearing and backing, creating CONSERVATION among
the crowd that was pressing forward and the hardy
nerves of many brave fellows strained at this
moment. The eyes Of hundreds were set upon
JIM MCCARTHY,
whose face was lighted up with the fiery glare as
he stopped to see If the fireman or stoker was keep
Ing up steam for him. He posted Hender-
son street, and as the engine sent up huge stream
Of water he looked as II he were about TO achieve
great victory. Never was there seen a truer, a
more faithful picture of the enthusiastic fireman,
Suddenly gust of tame swept towards the sky,
accompanied by q roar that made mems hearts
quake. Ii was
that mocked at the puny efforts of the painting, per-
spring hremen. The roof had fallen in with a
crash Snd it seemed as II 1t melted in an instant
IAN, what's the use of the engines agin' such a
ears OF the group of ilremen Of whom jim was the
centre. Jim was just darting look at the idle
spectator who had opened his mouth, when an Or
der came from Chief Engineer Farrier that
A DESPERATE TASK
had TO be encountered, and "Threc Engne' was
srhen we ire the boys for it," said the stony
''Come boys, or she goes" and the engine
hurried along to the corner OF Provost and Twelfth
streets, where the heat was intense.
''Get your hose on to that hydrant," was the
next order of the Chief Engineer And Jim
Jumped into the breach, where other fremen had
Just ialtered, ana from which they had retired In
rterror.
LOOK out, eok out, that wall is giving ont
EaS heard from several quarters. But Jim was
siesf the voices. The length OF hose he had in
his ke.sping was unusually short and he backed the
engine up to the totterng brick wall. He caught
the bot e, stopped to connect IL and
THE FIRE FlEND HAD rrs REVENGE.
ghe h 'avy two story wall settled for fora an instant,
then le, med over as If pausing before 1t accom-
plished & he bloody work, the crash came and the
intrepid i'm Mccarthy was
BURIED IN THE RUINS.
cry 4 horror aros. from the multitude: the
Gremen be came absolutely steeed with fortltude in
their effort to rescue the veteran OF their COM
pany hut efore they could attempt it, his soul
had passed nto the presence of its Maker. He had
bat,ied with the devouring element, and
roRFEl TED HIS LIFE IN THE STRUGGLE.
" II was jut three minutes past nine,' said Mr..
BENJAMIN f. [ .oberts, a bewlldered spectator, who
pulled out his watch to mark the exact date OF
tragedy which will ever llnger IN the aisles OF mem
Ory Nine min, ties elapsed before the load OF hot
bricks was I emoved from the spot where
the fom OF poor Mccarthy was laid.
horTid spectaci e presented, itself to his
The body was car1 led OF in haste TO the nearest en-
gine house. where HERALD reporter saw it at ten
O'Clock The right side OF ne d loTenead 10, was crushed
fallen out: The fcatu were bruised and distorted
almost bcl ond recoy. litlon.
A poOJ c + CLoTTED BLOOD
covered the ground beneath his head, and the
bands which had toast ed his friends TO "health for
hf.np Erf alnsn
A despatch was mme iiately sent to his wife and
three children who re spending the summer
st Boston. Mccarthy " as yet young man, al
though the Oldest engine er in the department.
The stoker OF lis engu q, Charles Maggie, was also
crushed but he escaped ith broken leg Another /
fireman, whose name not ascerained was ill.,
IuTcd, though not fatally
The macDlnsts cmplpye u IN the shop, who re- |
sided the scene, Il sh,, TO the building whel |
the Ere broke out in the hop o! saving their tools,
seen to enter on tie welth street side,
who dG not return thence aud aud it is feared he
pcrished in the ruins. There were nany VINO at /
tempted to enter, but we're fore ed to retire.
THE LOSSES.
Thc concluding portion oi the toly - brieHy told.
AZ hairpas, ten O'Clock the Dire ad done IL work.
devourng within the short spa se oi Two hours
property amounting to
THREE AND a HALE MILLION DOLLARS.
In the shop were twenty-five loco hotNes, Vaued
at s45o,OoO. The machinery ana {. o.s Mere very
the tools was fully insured There is ne act con-
ncced with this ire which may posses sGine 80 r sgii-
h'sihNt III tFdtlllE oIlEii W hAi'
the superintendent had employed IN Il W ptuuIne
Paterson and New YORK mechanics ca % %DlusiveS.
Only one Jersey City man 0ut.of several .'hnureus
was employed there II Is well known that uurlhg
the late strike, threats were made that tht Jcisey
City men, OF whom many were employed Tn ere ~
that time would not be again employed, AM the
threat was carried out.
Another fact worth remembering is the cilT OF
universal ccnsnre on the chief Engineer, no
ordered poor Mccarthy into that terrible breani, |
where certain death was visible TO q man OF ordu-
AIRY discerninent.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS
While the fire at its height the scene was
magnificent and a number OF startling incidents
occurred IN quick succession. Ever ana anon the
crash OF The falling walls would push back the
cited crowd 10 safe distance but they would
press toywarh again as soou ~, the danger WAS !