The New York herald., 1872-11-19

munger yneU nOL tongues i1CKeu bne nOn shutters
OF the windows and they warped like rubber, broke
from their hinges and fell, with loud clang TO the
pavement. Within the fire ran from pile to pile OF
the grain until the whole of the vast floors Of the
main building were burning. The heat, which from
this kind OF fuel Is always most intense, grew greater
and greater, and about halfpast four the surround
ing structures even where q street interviewed be-
tween them and the hre. became 30 hot that IL
was necessary to turn streams IN OF water upon them
burned burn building. On its roof and along its its
and between it and the storehouse persons were
standing on the piles OF lumber and brick which lay
1n ae1 IN these when ts croWd sU r
treated and two hose were turned upon the build
ing the water, on coming in contact with the wood,
speedily evaporated and rose up In white clouds OF
steam.
ALONG THE wHARvEs
steamers were early stationed to pump water upon
the fire from the bay, and four tugb0ats lying in
the slips set their engines at work and threw
powerful streams through the windows, which had
been wrenched open by the nremen OF the hook
and ladder companies. Along Amity street
se roo the lower
to the rear OF the burning storeh0use. Steamer
No. stood at the foot Of Pacific street and No. y
extended distance OF nearly two blocks They
drew their water from the city faucets.
ON CONGRESS STREET
point the labors OF the fremen could be viewed
with advantage as the wind blew the heated air
the low roofs OF the warehouses in the rear OF the
largest one which was burning, and from these
Sne. Sass ladders wcn REACHED Ss dS 10 The The 9R Of ns
on Amlty street. On Columbia street there is
pork-packing establishment, to keep the flames
window on the south side Of the large stOrehOuse
was broken open and through 1t strong stream
was poured. The roof upon which the dfemed
worked covered an immense store OF sugar and
moasses, which, from the commencement Of the
IRE, were continually being removed by the iabors
%mS anc9 e5 Of oH
poured two streams into the names. At about
OF the heated air and gases confined In the top
moor OF the blazing building occurred, and hurled
soe foof Of IN three Of re
men, who were trying with hooks end axes to cut
apertures in the metal, through which they might
however, able to leave the buildings without aid.
and the connagration shortly afterward was appa..
once were poured from the tor upon the furnace Of
nre, that was now bounded by
THE FOUR NAKED WALLS.
Stil at every moment tie danger OF its spreading
would seem imminent, and later an incident oc-
Cured which caused suddenly augmented alarm
The heavy brick wall against which the elevator
had stood, on the north side, and where the names
were 1ercest,
FELL OVER WITH GREAT CRASH,
and after it slid several thousand bushels Of grain
the greater part Of which went into the water and
sunk kissing and hot to the bottom. Some, how
and remained piled up in q huge mass under the
black and ruined debris OF the fallen wall. The
steamtugs John Fuller and SENECA crawled up over
attached to their donkey pumps and used with
great success.
Along the water front engines Nos 8, g. 8, IL and
played upon the hot walls and through the win
dows, and at five O'Clock there were employed on
this side no o Sss than N nine pouring
steamboats, at the docks.
The ConfiAgraffioai ii It's Height.
At this time the greatest volume Of fire was in
warehouse "P," where the flames were first dis
covered. This faces the river and extends along
Amity street. The flames gradually extended to
warehouse ~" adjoining, the interior
OF which was soon q great burning
mass. The iron shutters of both buildings were
forced open and the flames burst through
the windows and shot upwards to the roof Four
steady streams directed at the burning build
ings from the wharf, where five engines were To-
Gated. Dave Mcconnell had charge Of No. SIS
stream-the strongest-which shot up with power
full force over the edge OF the roof and fell on the
flames within. Both OF the burning buildings were
OF brick, four stories in height, and covered an
area Of l3Ox20O feet. Adjoining warehouse ~
and on the Congress street corner is three story
story brick warehouse, both owned and occupied
by Messrs. Woodrufl 4 Robinson. The building was
STORED WITH SUGAR,
which the men began to remove to the street as
soon as the fire began to spread. 1t was feared at
one time that this structure would also be de-
stroyed, but owing to the strenuous exertions OF
the firemen the flames were confined to ware
houses "P' and "J.n Directly in the rear OF this
corner warehouse, which is known as warehouse
"a" and on Congress street, Chief Engineer
Nevins and Commissioner Brown were stationed
for while. section Offremen were ordered to the
place, and ascending to the roof OF some low brick
buildings connected with the warehouse they were
enabled to pour several strong streams on the
buildings just In the rear OF the fire. These were
Bates pork packing establishment, which extends
from Columbia street back towards the river to
warehouse "P.'' When the walls OF warehouse ''Pn
on the Amity street side fell in with
TREMENDOUS CRASH
the wharf in the immediate vicinity was scene OF
great excitement. Then it was reported among
bia street that several fremen had been buried be-
meath the ruins. This proved to be false,
but several aremen had narrow escape
from injury. They saw the walls beginning
to toppe, and hastily retreated towards the
wharf, but before they reached there the thunder
OF the falling mass deafened them, and the flame
that darted from the ruins increased the lurid
glare that lit up the streets and harbor for great
distance around The fremen bravely returned to
their work, and an Increased volume Of water was
poured on the burning mass
.rhe steamtugs s. +. Babcock, John Fuller Ida l..
the wharf, and added to the streams now pouring
nt0 the burning buildings nom the river side.
BY this time the interior or warehouse "Pn was
pretty well burned out, and the flames began to
decrease there little, but warehouse "J' was then
completely enveloped. The fremen had long since
seen that 1t would be
IMPOSSIBLE TO SAVE ANYTHING
Of either OF the structures and their great effort
now was to prevent further spreading OF the fire.
This, il has been stated, they succeeded in doing.
They had the wind against them In their work.
fresh breeze rom the river famed the flame and
carried IL over towards the buildings facing on
Columbia street. but there band of
trusty men were working to repel its prog
ress Millions Of sparks new about in the
air and settled in street and housetop in the vi
cinity. On Columbia street, opposite the fire. there
were rows of rotten and rckety tenements, the
occupants Of which were terrified lest they should
be burned out OF house and home. The sparks that
fell upon the roofs, however, were promptly extn-
guished by men who had
RALLIED TO PRESERVE THE PROPERTY,
and the spread Of the fire was thereby averted.
The streets about the scene OF the confagration
at this time were jammed by the motley crowds Of
people who inhabit that filthy locality and hun
dra az on "a frou all no. af ihn