The New York herald., 1872-12-25
CONFEDERATION In CENTRE STREET
Supposed Burning Of
-Four Women.
THE LOSS 100000.
Exciting Scenes and Incidents in the
Vicinity Of the Fire.
TROUBLE IN THE ToMBs

Another Glaring Case of Negligence
and Sinking Of Duty.
evening nre broke out on the third noor OF the
six story brick building Nos. 81, SO and 50 Centre
street that caused damage OF about $s75, ,000 The
building stood In the centre OF the block bounded
by Centre Leonard. Worth and Elm streets, and was
known as the Caxt0n Building. 1t had formerly been
. c0l0red church, and was one OF the most
dangerous structures In the locality. The fire was
first discovered by Mr.. Hopkins, foreman for the
firm OF Anderson, Archer & Co., bookbinders who
occupied the fourth, Hfth and sixth noors. He
noticed the flames dashng through the front win
dows, and Immediately warned all the people in
the building OF the accident rush was made
for the staircase, but this was cut on, and the
only means OF deliverance left was by the fire
escapes on the rear and at the north side. The
frst moor being vacant
THE FLAMEsr
had plenty OF room to play. and In an
incredibly short space of time the whole
front Of the building seemed enveloped
in mass OF flame. The material
in the house being OF very innammable nature
the flames were abundantly fed and gathered
strength in short time very unusual In connagra-
tions in large buildings. The heat was SO intense
at one time across the several streets In the vi.
cinity Of the burning house that great fear
was entertained for many OF the fine build
ings close at hand. The ground upon which the
burned property stood belongs to the Ludlow
estate, and the building itself is owned by Mr..
Craighead. The ground moor fronting on Centre
street was fitted up for stores, but they
were fortunately vacant The 1rst 1oor
was also vacant. On the second moor the
New York Newspaper Association had their estab-
lshment They suffered.a loss OF about $4,000,
and were insured for $4,000 The third noor was
occupied by Dunn Barlow & Co., who sustained
| LOSS OF 100000.
insured for more than that amount. The fourth,
| fifth and sixth floors were occupied by Anderson,
Archer Co., bookbinders, who sustained loss
| OF $4,000. Insured. This firm employed about
| sixty women and the same number OF
men, oil of whom were caught in the
building by the fire. From there the fire
| spread to No. 81 Centre street, q two story
brick building occupied by James Gallagher, brass
| gong and bell manufacturer whose stock was
damaged to the extent OF e. 0G0. The building was
! injured to the extent OF $1,000. No. SO Centre
street, two story brick occupied in the basement
by william Bohn, lager beer saloon; damage $500.
Tie first noor was held by George Middleton
as wine room. His loss will amount to
$4,000. The second noor occupied by Messrs
Howe Hummell, lawyers, was injured to
the extent of $780, Damage to building,
| $1,000. No. 10 Centre street-a two story brick,
forming an with the junction Of Worth street,
occupied by E. b. Cunion-was damaged to the ex-
tent OF g. 900 and the stock sl5Oo. No. II Centre
| street, occupied by II. Williams as
| LAGER BEER
1 ualnnp do nod tO tho aunnnnf 0f 0on IN
stock 81 000 The two and half story brick pulld-
| ing 100 Leonard street. occupied by G. L.
| Albrick as Q grocery store, was injured
to the extent Of $500, stock $500. Tene-
ment house 1872 Leonard street was damaged
TO the extent OF 900 by water, and several per-
sons in the house lost personal property. No. l27
| Worth street. occupied by Maher Miller as q
on prahs the upper door and saooo to building. Mr.. Z.
Price lost quantity Of valuable law books that he
valued at about three thousand dollars. The cause
of the fire is supposed to be an explosion OF kerO-
scne. Some ofthe men in the employ Of Dunn &
Barlow had used 1t TO- clean the roll
.asr II hands rSsss s stun men snss$ ss$
been cautioned against using kerosene several
times, but Notwithstanding that they again re-
Yesterday when the walls OF the building fell the
nre followed them, and the entire vicinity OF the
| building soon became mass OF SecthiDg flame.
| WHEN THE FIRE FIRST BROKE OUT
one OF the most exciting and thrilling incidents
u
presented to the surrounding crowd. On the fourth
noor OF the building, occupied by Anderson 4
time s
they were accustomed to quit work was halfpast
I'VE, and 1t wanted but q few moments to that
half hour to STRIKE when suddenly some or the
shs G G% as apar%ens S SsSw %a the s'fa
gence that the building was on nre. A
The oniy mode of eQregs from the uuuer floors was
by means OF q narrow stairway and
/ DEFECTIVE FIRE ESCAPE,
! and TO these two points an lndiscrimnate rush
was made when the alarm was first given. In the
direction Of the stairway. with such terrible
! beginning to rise, and the panic was further
incurred by the suppositon that the connection
Wild terror OF the moment, lost all control OF them
selves, and their screams could be heard for blocks
away. Some ran % the win. windows 90 OF the rooms 10 10
/ the hurry they knocked and trampled each other
| down. The few men who worked on the same noor
frightened as the girls, and completely lost their
| presence OF mind. The excitement on the street
and their salvation was depending almost entirely
| on their own efforts. There were
| BRAVE MEN AND TRUE
! in the crowd hremen and policemen, who were
willing to risk every danger n they could be OF SER
| vice; but until those VINO were within had made
some effort those without could render little or no
| assistance.
Some OF the girls, more courageous than the
Others, determined TO try the stairway, and as the
communication with the lower part OF the building
was fortunately not cut on, they succeeded, after
penetrating through the smoke, in reaching the
| street. In the meantime higher and higher leaped
the names. Stone and iron offered but o
feeble resistance to the dread element, and
nrst alarmed by the cry Of "Fire ~ II had reached
almost to their rooms. As stated before, the nre.
escape was defective, ana 1t was not without ex-
treme difnculty that the apparatus was got In
working order. At length 1t was attached to the
! window and number OF girls rushed on
| to it. william Dean, policeman or
the sixth precinct, mounted to the top
I and rendered valuable assistance to the Eirls