The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-28

A BLOCK In FLAMES.

TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF ocKERsHAUsEN
BROTHERS SUGAR. REFINERY, LARGE OIL
FACTORIES AND OTHER BUILDINGS.
Shortly after four O'Clock yesterday morning two
watchmen in Ockkershausen Brothers large sugar
refinery, at No. $50 South street. discovered lire
in the rear Of the building, its southwest
corner. Some charcoal used for refining had become
overheated and fire to the woodwork 1t had
smoudering for time before discovered
and the flames consequently burst forth with great
lence. The men foosny thought that they would be
able extngush the flames aud lost several minutes
in this attempt before giving the alarm. Then
the the engine house OF steamer No Is at
No 26l Henry street and hold them of the fire. The
other took the key OF fire alarm box No. 49,
which was kept In the sugar refinery, and the
oil Jackson and Front Streets sound
ing tho first alarm at forty minutes past
four. Five minutes later second alarm sent OUT
and two minutes aiterwari the third alarm A special
call then for another engine, making thirteen
in all that the ground The police boat Seneca
arrived after and turned two large
IRE from the sugar house Slip
The delay occasioned in senang out the alarms by
the two watchmen gave the fire great headway. When
the eng arrived the danes, which first broke out
the third floor rear, No. 324 Front
street, had spread through the entire upper
portion OF the building, which was seven stories
high. The iron shutters OF the building heated to
white heat and the roof was curled over like paper.
Opposite the rear OF the bulong in Front
several little buildings inmates had been
aroused by the fire. Toe sap in the wood began to
boil and had the tire engines been few later
they would also have been in flames. BY great exer.
tons the part OF the nrcmcn they we're checked
in this direction The occupants had in the
meantime aroused the whole ncishborhood and
and neon from nurli of
and Water streets were on the AS the IRE pro-
crossed into lower stories, burning slowly down.
ward the large hogsheads OF molasses began burst
and stream OF their contents flowed IRON burn
ing building. Only low policemen were present at
this early stage Of the conagration The crowd being
undeterred. seeing tho river of liquid sweets
hastily snatcned up old cans, jars, and them
Old hats, which they flied from the flowing
Others assisted in saving few OF the
sugar barrels helping themselves little OF their
oontents But soon a terrible explosion caused them
TO retreat in hasty disorder. The fire had burned
through to South street anu gradually down the
floor Very little o! the upper floors and only
part of the roof left suddenly the boiler on the
first floor, which was half filed with water, becoming
ovcrbested burst and lifted bodily up through
the remains OF six floors to the root, failing
back with heavy thud to ITS previous po-
si,ion. The roof Immediately fell Part
tho south wall iel crushing in tho roof of the AS
bostos Fel,ing COMMANDS lu,laino adio,nino IN
a ~ :, p.,,s,, -, .o' -
rum s''ce' "u VI -. o. i'u"u y" Oil factory on
South street. Part OF the upper left hand OF the
rear wall also fell causing tho renen IN Front s,reet
to at little. The entire building had been SO
shattered by the force of the explosion that the walls
,,erc cracked som ofter tho nor,n wall fp hrop,,
in the roof OF Libby, Bartlett a. kimbe's
oil factory, anu partially destroying build
inn materials in Murpny 4 Nesh,t,,s yard ~, so,t,
street The scene now rlvallca tbst - III. 80,
/ Vro,swav IRE on the SIN M iast Fobrnorv m Sam
strert lie fire could be y,ew.d Il, M. orc.ts, 49,,
tsre althourh with ,he n,os, danger q IN. .,I 60.
+ HAVING nrc,ty sirop- tro,n tin uorfh 80, ' w
the IRE extended ON South strnel Iron, 4 r s,,,rs,
sbont var, uorc v.rro ni.d mn n,,,,o ' -, So
shooks or nogshead slaves Intended 10 he n,nn.a -,
INA West Indies whore ,bev va md, "a, ~, ~ -,
ro,d. ana s.nt naer al.1 ,s,,h s,,sr. ~ - ~ 49,,
w. yerv drv mud tbev bnrpsI h,,~6i,v 81, ~. ~.
/ vrr. snon oyt,nTn,shea he y ~ VII -, 80
s,,.ams from, 1ha -,os3,,ars "a, r. ~
wn,rn were arawnv the,r vaicr d,r.c,t, f,o,s 80 i
Nnrth River Next 10 tns cams ,h,, 80, ta,,ar'
n,,ia 4 ~, vvho<a ROM Md nee, e,rs,,d a. ',,' -,
,,Ii of Tho son vail ot orr,r "a, 49, 49,,
orv pense volumes of b.ct snnt. ,,.r. r,,rr t1r,h
and ut,,e river, OF oil s,resme ami of Tho tsc,or nm