New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-02-09


buildings in Grand-st.. between No. 125 and the
corner Of CrOsby-st., were partly ON fire, and the
flames were frequently driven through the windows
facing on Grand-st The upper stories Of the build
Ing at Nos. 448 and $50 Broadway were occupied
for manufacturing ladies' wearing apparel, and the
light material added to the force and heat Of the
flames.
The building at Nos. 448 and $50 Broadway was
quickly burned out, and the flames attacked the adj
joining structure. The first floor of this building
was occupied by Powers, CASTOR & Co., jobbers and
dealers in Shoes and the upper floors by several
firms who manufactured jcwery and other
light articles. Here the firemen began to
gain the flames, and the vast volumes
of water that were poured upon the fire began to
tell. The Pattulo HOTEL at No. 125 Grandst., and
the three adjoining buildings toward Crosby-st
had the walls burned through, but here the fire
came under control. The building on the corner Of
Grand and Crosby-sts. was saved, and also that at
Broadway and Grand-st. The whole front of the
block along Grandst. was burned only little, and
the flames were beaten down rapidly.
At the lower end of the block the flames were still
raging in the Continental Hotel. There the fremen
had disputed the progress of the fire inch by inch
Slowly but none the less certainly the flames adj
vanced until the whole interior of the building
and its contents were destroyed. The iremen
driven before the flames until they were
forced ont of the building on the Broadway
side and back on the roofs toward HOward-st. The
men on Engine No. 20 had just been forced out Of
the building on to broadway when the wall fell,
burying three beneath it, Some one shouted out,
"Thcv have blown up the wall of the Continental
Hotel" The sound was like an explosion, but was
caused by the breaking of of the wall at Its
foundation. One of the men snatehed from the
Of 4, tha all
tumblng but several were buried beneath its ruins.
FIREMEN BURIED BY A FALLING WALL.
THREE MrN KILLED AND TWO MEN WOUNDED
SCENES IN THE SALOON TO WHICH THE BODIES
WERE REMOvLD-EXCITEMENr AMONG FiREMEN
AND SPECTATORS.
About half past o'clock portion OF the party
wall between the Continental Hotel and the build
ing above fell in, throwing much Of the debris upon
the sidewalk The cry went forth that several
frmcn were buried IN the ruins. People
nocked to the place, and, almost as soon
the wall had fallen, begun to dig in the ruins to
rescue the 6remen Ernest Egler Of the lioboken
Fire Department ~ the wall fell and barely
escaped being buried He hand extended
from beneath n pile Of bricks and immediately
sprang forward. grasped the hand and began
to throw the bricks aud mortar from the mans
the first man was taken ont. several fire.
men eprang forward and tendery carried their
comrade to the oppose side Of Broadway, where he
was laid on the sidewalk. He was inscusIble, his
face so covered with blood and dirt that he was
hardly recognizable. After nnsuccessfully trying to
administer some stimulants, he was removed 10 the
saloon of John j. Dowd, at No. 439 Broadway
where n doctor who happened To be on the spot at
tended Ia him. lie soon regained consciousness
and gave his name a. John III. Burk, Assistant Fore
man If Engine No 80. In the mean time the officers
and firemen were busy digging out Others who were
buried, who brought in the saloon, one by one,
as they were extricated.
The groaning OF the wounded and dying and the
CHASTITY spectacle of the blood begrmed men as
they were laid side by side made the scene painful
one The second man extricated was Thomas
Cortissos, fireman Of Engine No. 80.
lie also was insensible when taken ont.
After the lapse OF some time he also regained con-
sciousness. The next man brought in was Lindsey
Williamson. IL took the doctor only moment to
discoyer that he was dead. While the flremen
expressing their sorrow and fears for the future Of
his poor wife and children another man was
brought in aud laid beside his comradc. He was 80
covered with blood dirt and mortar that he could
not he recognized. He was breathing, but no more,
and was pulseless. Several attempts were made to
get him to swallow stlmulants, but they we're
Intellectual. His rcspiratons grew less frequent,
until finally they ceased altogether. After tia
blood and dirt had been washed fSum his face by o
fellow fireman, ne was recognized as David Null
drew of Engine No. 80. lie was tendery
placed TO side, his face covered with
q napkin, his hands placed his breast,
and his body covered with blanket.
The last victim the driver Of Engine No. 80,
David Clute. He was unconscious and bleeding
copously from a wound on his head HE shirt was
also covered with blood. He lived only short time
and died without regainng consciousness. lie was
cared for and laid beside his unfortunate comrades.
The ambulance having been telegraphed for, soon
arrived. and the Ambulance Surgeon, after attend
ing to the wounded men, two IN number, removed
them to Bellevue Hospital. Coroner WoltInan
viewed the bodies of those dead and ordered them
removed to the station house.
As the wounded were brought into the saloon, the
sobs OF the attending hremen could be heard all
through the rooIn and cries Of Poor fellow and
Cant do something for him. doctorT were heard
above the din Of many voices. noteworthy incl
dent was that of a fireman bending the body Of
David Cute with his ire-hat held before his face az
if 10 hide his sorrow, weeping and sobbng though
his heart would break.
The excitement caused by the accident great,
and il took all the efforts of the police to keep the
crowd from crowding the saloon where the men
were. Az fast they were driven back by the
police others would take their places and persist in
entering the saloon that it almost impossible
to keep the room clear and thereby give the
wounded men chance to breathe. All the dead and
wounded men were fremen attached to Engine No.
80. The wounded men were John Ii. Busch assist
ant foreman, and Thomas Cortissos, fireman. The
dead were Lindsey williamson fireman David