, 1872-12-28
Another Serious Connagraticn III
New York City.
Several Marrow Escapes from
Burning to Death-~-
Loss $25O,Oo0.
Several Warehouses Destroyed in Dos.
ton---Loss 100000.
Disgusting Red-Tape Proceedings in
Connection with The Centre
Street Fire.
!Stecidl Despatch to The Chicago Tribune.

e"seA '"S'
spscfdl Despatch to 1he cheayo 1rid1ne
NEW YORK, Dec. 27.-One Of the ugliest cases |
Of "red tape" on record has appeared in re1a- |
+ion n t1a ran+ra a+reat Ara Tho1cb +hraa |
oAss na'o e,apesu alu:e .no - e1s ane4 ono
we're burned anu oorieo unoer the 1alhn6 walls,
not brick has been removed to ascertain their
fato. The Suporinteudent Of Police saws he is
not snra tha axnonaes will ba mid hv the citv
.ss -sssuS-5 H. -antta. - 49, 1a..o.,t;o,
ano LAS feiolieu 'ne Al!1t'e1 ~ sno ooipoiAt1on
Counsel. The proprietor OF tho property de-
stroyed saya the lessees arc concerned and not
himself. Tho lessees assume thoy cannot dig
it, ;'.--. - 4,.o; :-,.,s,.o-
WV t10 ooa'e7 w ,~oN -11soA '@Doo
claiuls. 1Ao WILLIS 4eA LII ~ nucH I'LL esl15 sta5e
Of the fire that somo of the victims nc ro proba-
bly, but slightly burned. The delay in searcbin
~ +ho,, 10 7;arracof,, r. not criminal
~ t1- i ,so.;ot,d n...,7
H.. ~ rn,o 5ah.;. ~ .,,o ou4
NJ" Aoi'A' 80 49,, ''7 - tno 61eae
Centre street ire IS stli covered with sno" a. and
ice, anu untouched oy the ehoTe1 or PICK. Ihe
ing at Yonkers, has been telegraphed to several
times, but made no reply. The police have no
authority to touch stone Of stick Of The burnt
tesidos. are s'I afraid to employ laborors for the
purpose lest the Comptroller may refuse to pay
the bill. Meantime the Police Headquarters and
the Sixth Precinct Station Houses are daily be-
Eeiged by relatives Of the unfortunate deId, de-
manding that search be commenced, and eagerly
Offering assistance. Coroner Herman this
afternoon officially requested Superintendent
Kelso to evacuato the ruins, expressing the
belief that the Board Of Police Commissioners
or Department of Public Works have power to
order tho work performed, and saying that no
red tape ought to be allowed to interfere with
humane duty. This appeal ia expected to be
successful. 4 formal investigation into the
causes of tho fire will commence after search
has been made for the bodies. Several young
girls employed in the burned building visited
the ruins today and cried bitterly over tho grave
of their fcllow-workers.
The City Superintendent OF Buildings in q
card to-day, says there are thousands ofbuildings
in the CITY moro dangerous tnan the one burned
in Centre street.
About half-past o'clock this morning irewaB
discovered in the basement Of the building Nc.
| 160 Mercer street. The firemen were promptly
on the ground. notwithstanding the snow, but
| the fire had gained considerable headway, es it
| had doubtless been burning for some time inside
| of the huildinr hefore it Vas diecovered. Az
other alarm drew TO the fire IN additional force,
| including the Chief of the Fire Department..
| The flames soon apread through the block
to the buildings Nos. 615 and 621
Droadway. The property belongs to the
! stuyvesent estate. Tho tire on Mercer street
| extended to Nos. LOS, 1Oo, and 1862, and caused
| damage exceeding Sl5, GOO. The property on
/ Broadway was occupied by Mailard as i hotel
and confectionery store. The damage to the
building and property 1s over ,0Uo. daus
! tauorstore on broadway, and one or TWO small
stores on Mercer street, were also damaged.
| Among the buildings burned In Mercer street
were two tenement houses, and several families
were rendered homeless. The total Losses are
| said to be not less than $250, ,00O.
| A German girl waB dangerously wounded at
| tho Mercer street fire by jumping from third
| story window.
:, Soon after tho fire broke out, the windows Of
the rooms On the upper floors OF tho Broadway
buildings were filed by persons who occupied
them a. lodgern. Some women were shrioking
Tor help, under the impression that the means OF
escape we're cut off. The majority escaped BY
| ment, did not avail themselyes Of this means Of
exit. Two men and three women were rescued
from tho upper floors by means Of ladders. 4
man and woman who were found on a, stairwny
near the third floor we're nearly eufocated. Solo
mon J. Gordon, lawyer, WHO lodged on ono OF
the upper floors, was also rescued as late as
| II o'clock this morning, in condition approach-
| ing sufrocation.
ment-house was ono narrow. ziczag stairway.
covered with snow and ice. Tie tire-escapes
we're in dan ;erous condition. b. the efforts Of
the police. ali were extricated from tho burning
building. N.snT Of the rescued rescue i've were so only half3
clothed. Their condition was truly pitiable, and
their lamentations. while eliyerinc in the snow.
were almost as painful as their shrioks when in
danger from ire.
and the eyidonco TAKEN thus far shows that The
stea,n-pipes did not CONS in contact With tho tic
woodwork, though running within pi1 inches Of
tho aoor-beams: Tho Superintendent expressed
fro n nsed
roast;nr cocaa. ava
Tho loss bv tho Frnnklin street fra Inst NIGHT.
ia fn1iv cogayad ~ ;ns,1rnnca 49, @'s9'
WnnSoroS4 % 4. c.. Dec. 27.-rwo private
residences' tbree storea md othor smn11aT
| buildings vera burned % Inst nieht The loss ia
s49 0oc SN''' 1''o'''' 4~00 40
PTmAnE1p77A Dec o7-Tha Fairk;u Ro1,;no
nr;1i rae hnrnad +b;s rcor1e- ~ -. -oooh;aa, >