The New York herald., 1874-11-15
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
Two Lives Lost and Two Persons
Severely Injured-severai Dwellings
in ThfrtY.eiRhth Street DAMAGED.


Severely Injured-severai Dwellings
in Thirty.eighth street Damaged.
week, during which the local occurrences or
this city have lacked the element OF horror, was
closed last night, but It's latest event was one
that embodied all the ptlful details that pre-
vlously absent. fre began about five O'Clock in
the evening at No. Sls East Thrty-eighth street,
between First and Second avenues, and although
IL did not achieve much damage to property, 1t
was fearully destructive 10 human life. At the
place allowed named is cluster OF shanties.
Some are on the street proper; others are built
back Of them and have inets through dark and
noisome alleys, whose plank pavements have
rotted and oner to the feet OF persons unused to
treading them numberless stumbling blocks and
pitfalls. The tenements fronting on the street
are worse or aspect than those which
they keep from the view Of the casual
passer-by. They appear to have the ricketts,,
ana to he IN continual danger OF falling
spar. under the weight OF their occupants. The
latter, though doubtless honest as they are pow
rty-stricKen, do not commend themselves to
esteem by clean aud orderly disposition OF the
effects in their residences The houses In the rear
Of these infirm dwellings are larger ana better
looking. It was In one OF these that the Gala nifty
happened last nignt--a tw0-storied frame edifce.
1t was occupied BY three families and owned by
Mrs. Mary Reilly. TN the top noor lived James
Riley and wife, their son James, child about iour
years, and an old woman named Mary Whelan.
These were the victims Of the calamity. As
they were getting ready for supper about dusk,
hames suddenly burst out on the story below
them. aud, spreading rapidly. cut them or from
escape down the starways- The ire speedily
communicated to ting front OF the house and ran
up to the roof. so that there was no possibility for
them to let themselves down into the co lrt be-
tween the burning building and a tindery wUoden
stable which abuts on the back OF the shanty on
the street. The fear-sficken victims were. there
lore. driven to their rear rooms. Meanwhile the
fire had caught high ience between the
court yard and an empty lot. and hadlasO laen on
The root of the old stable In this lot aud IN the
court yard were gathered q crowd OF spectators.
hremen to arrive, the loss o the lives OF two human
beings, and. II may he. OF four, must be attributed.
IN ese careless or panc.str,cSsn spectators had
and TO uprear them against the back oil the burn
ing mouse IN order to rescue all the persons who
were In 1t. The poor people had been driven
by the advance OF the names TO the back
room on the third moor OF their house. They could
90 no urther. 1t was their last temporary refuge.
seemed incapable OF using the simple and eiectnal
o. tnat were a At Their hands sn Tne
the ground, Fsily !. and his !, wiie Il see, see,
a horrible death leaped rom the windows to the
ground, ana each fractured their legs. They were
: picked up anu DOrne 10 BELLEVUE aOSpIldl. Inc
other two occupants OF the house were Margaret
Whsian, over sixty years OF age, and the child
James Reilly. Both were too feeble TO follow Mr..
and Mrs. Reilly out OF the window, SO they were
overcome by the acrd smoke and died
OF suffUcaton. Just alter the two fran
tic people had leaTea from the window
the nrcmen arrived. The names now sheeted the
front OF the house and had caught an adjoining
dwelling; they were running quickly along the
high renee at its side and were eating through
che roof Of the rotten old stable. AS soon as they
reached the fire the members OF Hook and Lad
der Company No. 4 fought their way into the
house OF the Relilys with the hope OF rescuing the
Old woman and the lad.
They were successful only in nnding their bodies.
The fire now seemed very likely to destroy the
ntire cluster OF frame structures, but as the fire.
men worked with skill they soon subdued the
flames. The home Of the Reilys was destroyed,
the frame OF the building was left standing,
but It's entire front was burned away
The other bndines we're only slightly damaged.
and the entire monetary loss occasloned by the
fire was probably not more than So, 900. The
burned dwelling, which was owned by Mrs.
Reilly, was not insured The cause OF the fire is
unknown, and the flames must have been pro-
crossing some time before they were noticed by
ANYBODY.