The New York herald., 1873-08-14
FIRE AT HUNTERS Point.

Cabinet Factory BuEAs Down Last
Night-The City Alarmed by the APP
pearance OF = Great C0nflag agra ton
Total Loss e55,O0O-Fun Particulars OF
the Burning.
Last night, about quarter to eight O'Clock. fire
broke out IN the cabinet sewing-machine case and
refrigerator manuiactory OF Gustavus Autenreith'
In Hunters Point, on the Newtown Creek. When
the fire broke out the wind was blowing wildly,
and the flames rose up with great rapidity.
This created the great red light IN the
heavens which made New York believe that half
Hunters Point was on fire. 1t was indeed at
first thought that another great oil fire was taking
place. for the reraction was infinitely greater than
at any of the oil fires which had occurred In III
fated Hunters Point. This was owing, no doubt, to
the blackness Of the sky and to the innammable
nature OF the material which had taken fire.
A HERALD reporter was promptly on the spot
and 1t certainly seemed at one time as II the fire
were going to be q big one. The factories of Mr..
Autenreith consisted OF q two story build
ing, 3oxi00 feet, another OF the same kind,
77x77; still another, 45x60, and another, 35XS5
The first was used for the storage
OF refrgerators, &C.. the second for the manuac-
ture oil rerigerators on the hrst floor and as var
nish house on the second. The third building was
employed for the same. aud the fourth for water
tanks coal, &c. Besides these there was two
story building, 2oox35, Of frame, used for the sror
age oil tools and materials; four story brick build
Ing, 100x50 where the main part OF the machinery
worked and a one story shop, 65x75
Ali these buildings were III mass together, the
three latter buildings, however, somewhat sep
In one locality. The iOur frame buildings were
those which burned, while the more valuable ones,
containing the tools and machinery, were spared
mainly through the Intelligent efforts OF the Long
Island City Fire Department..
The fire, IL Is said, was first discovered in the var
nish ROOM This is all the more singular that ac
cording 10 the proprietor only one can of varnish
was ever allowed in this room at time in conse.
quence OF its nnammable nature, while the re-
mainder was Kept outside on the dock, which also
belonged to Mr.. Autenreith. THIS OF course was
burned also TO the water's edge. The varnish was
mainly cf turpentipe which, OF course, OF itself
threw MP bright shooting tame.
Alter being discovered by number OF workmen,
who lived around the factory, the general alarm
was soon gwen and the engines appeared upon the
spot IN c0mmendable haste. BY this time the
names had how ever, gained some headway, and it
became evident they could not he stayed so far as
this one building was concerned. But the wind
was 50 strong that the laInes were quickly
driven to the other frame buildings,
which, once ign.cd, there was little chance OF saw
ing. According to the directions oil the proprietor
the 1iremen and some men from the Long Island
tnguish tue flames then turned their atte ntion to
the most valuable buildings, where the machinery
anu materials were stored. Here, If the fire had
caught, would have been the greatest loss, and
here it was that all the efforts were now
made to save. The frame buildings one
after one caught fire and burned with
marvellous rapidity ana in. spite Of the
heavy rain which was tnen falling, and which
seemed not to have the slightest effect upon the
fire. One by one OF the doomed buildings, with their
valuable stock, gave way and burned like chips.
There was little incident aud no accident nothing
but huge volumes OF smoke and flame, which gave
forth so lund light that for blocks around the
smallest objects were as distingushable as during
the day.
Mr. Autenreith the proprietor, states that he had
taken many years In building up these houses one
by one, but that the saving OF the machinery saves
him from ruin. He employs 200 men, who will not
be thrown out OF employment for single day, but
VIII go to work in the morning as usual; so that
with u little delay on account OF the loss on the
stock, business win 60 on as usual He states the
losses to have been-on stock, $5O,OOO; on buildings,
$4,000, and on heating apparatus &C, $iA0OO,
making total of $4,000. In al he Is insured in
about twenty companies for 100000, but only about
$4,000 OF this is covered by the fire itself The
rest was on machinery, which was saved
Al present the ruins present singular aspect Of
des0ation. The fire appears to have stretched
over an area of about an acre, and now all that
remains are masses OF smOuderng ruins, around
which the flames still play right down to the
waters edge,
1t had been thought, from the appearance Of
things, that the loss was much greater than it
proves to be, mainly from the deceptive appear
ance OF a great con1agratlOn in the sky.