The New York herald., 1876-02-09

seconds the glass in each was shvered and fell IN
molten showers, compelling the nremen again TO beat
retreat
WHOLESALE DISTRACTION
Window after window became filed with flame; the
root went crumbling down, and another building was
added to tho general destruction Pillar alter pillar.
arder after qrder became distorted from the plumb
line aud piece BY piece they fell until the entire front
on broadway had disappeared. The next building
above shared a similar fate. and the same was
enacted and the torrent Of flame from house
to house until Grand street reached Building
amer building caught up by the FIRE hidden by
black volumes of smoke and then cYumbled.
Along the Crosby street front Of the block the flames
made similar progress. though it rapid In its
visible effects owing TO the tenacy OF the brick work
forming tho walls; bus the centre OF each building
being secthng OF fame il cat out the heart OF
the block and made its appearance the Grand
street corner, which point reached in precisely
sixty minutes after the nrst alarm had been given.
Along the front Grand street the flames fierce
and intense and had the been less wide another
block would have been in danger Thus the hre did its
terrible work with CELEBRITY and completeness and over
100000 OF property lay smoudering and blackened
The fire, already said brilliant spectacle
Viewed while at its height the connagraton reminded
old nremen OF the night when the Academy of Music,
the College ofPhysicians and Surgeons and adjoining
buildings went down ten years ago. At ono
time the flames TO a height Of over
100 feet above the housctops, and lowered up
above the city like q huge torch, Illuminating
with its light the country around for miles So diverse
and nammabio the contents OF the several build
ings then In progress of burning that ever and anon
brilliant showers OF blue and red sparks shot up into
the air like pyrotechnics q Fourth OF July. Above
all the moon which, viewed through the lurd tower
OF the ame lost his svery appearance and seemed like
disk OF steel roasted In furnace The singular ap
Of the orb attracted every eye on Broadway
Added TO these adjuncts there from the burning
block showers of bright sparks which were borne up
ward by the heated and then waited far and
wide by tho breeze At tmes these showers Of sparks
looked moro like golden in a theatrical specta-
Gle than the od-shoots Of burning Aamcs The smoke
heavy, owing the heat and aerceness Of the
fire.
WORK OF THE yREMRS.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed on tho IRE
companies that had the seemingly thankless task OF
saving the buildings threatened by the arreachinG
tongues Of flame The stores with iron-pant
coated fronts were almost licked by the fiery forks
aud seemed every moment In imminent danger OF
being involved in the general conhagration But the
of the engines detailed for the duty of preser
walton wcro thrown upon the of the whole block
the opposite edfces wet and cool, without breaking
the windows This q work that called out the best
judgment and the most skifu efforts of the nremen,
because within the thousands OF dollars
worth of valuable goods that would easily be ire
treivably damaged by the water as by the fire,
that 1t absolutely necessary TO avoid breaking
pane Of glass The streams directed oblquely on
the houses TO wash rather than strike them;
hence their force was lessened and no damage was
done by water. Had window been broken spark
might have flown In and spread destruction on the
other side OF the street, but thanks TO the cautious
endeavors OF the flremen, all danger from either ee
ment was obvated and vast amount Of property was
saved. On Broadway, in Grand, Crosby and Howard
streets these rowing streams were maintained and they
played upon the walls heated by the fire the way
The water converted into vapor and ie npon the
nremen and police like aheavy shower of rain which,
though it wetted their clothing grateful to their
faces for is dsadened the heat to which they
necessarily exposed.
ILLUMINATION.
One ofthe most remarkable effects Of tho fire was
its Illumination OF ths city. Looking down broadway
the eye sisar'; e..nsd every prominent house
top Banks and stores stood clearly defined
as in the MONDAY Tho ponderous Post onice
building with its magnificent dome, could be clearly
seen while beyond stood the steeple OF ST. Paus the
peaked roof OF the Western Union Telegraph Building
the clock of the Equitable Life Insurance Build
ing and the fretted spiro of noble old Trinity. Each
reflected the light of the nre and wherever
metal formed the component part 1t glstened
like silver. The upper windows of every
house in the vicinity were moro like FURNISHED
mirrors than sheets OF iimpid glass. Looking up
Broadway the St Nicholas Hotel and tho Metropo
tan were clearly visible, while the calcium lights in
front Of the variety theatres In that neighborhood
lost their power and were moro like gowworms by
the waysidc than binding streams Of light Above
and beyond could be the graceful granite
sieepIe of Grace Church. which appeared by its dis
tinctness, only few blocks or In fact ilumi-
nation the fire was a success though q very expen-
slve one to the sufferers
SCARCITY OF WATER.
One Of the principal for the rapid destructive
course Of the flames the positive lack of sufficient
water to feed the steamers brought upon the
ground. These powerful machines actually
drained the hydrants, the natural pressure
in the mains being insufficient to supply them
This fact was apparent by the want OF force In tho
streams thrown upon the buildings and the frequent
fattening OF the leading hose lines as the labor.
ing steamers failed TO Gil them. The Fire
Commissioners, who were the ground frequently
stated that their 1remen were helpless, because OF
the nsuficency Of water. Indeed this wofui lack OF
the necessary element to extinguish It's Antagonist
was the subject OF comment among insurance officials
and others conversant with the needs Of the city
this respect
THE cRowDs
Tho fire occurred just at AN hour when, Of all others
In the day. It was calculated to gather crowd Had It
occurred during the hours Of daylight preceding
NJ. the many pedestrians on Broadway would have
been busy stop notice 1t and would have passed
on confident Of being able TO read all about In the
evening papers Just twenty-five minutes before the
Ore broke the hundreds Of factories below Grand
street began pour forth their crowds Of weary work.
Broadway n search OF short spell or
free breathing Immediately amer the nre lIne
was formed general block was occasioned above be-
low tho right and to the eft Of the FIRE, and in
few minutes the police formed thin line, dividing
suruinc thonsands from tho raNng flames The great