The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-02-22
THE crush FIREMEN.
The Testimony In the OmciaI Investigation
before Coroner W Gilman.

Coroner Woltman began his inquest, yes
terday IN the case Of the nremen David Null
drew, David CUTE. and John Buck, the victims
OF the great fire in Broadway. Frank f. Day OF
$50 West Eleventh street was FIRST sworn. He
watched the 1re from his place Of business at 443
Broadway Saw the nremen 60 Inside OF the
building at "A and 40 Broadway. They
had been IN then about i've minutes when
part Of the south wall Joining the Continental
Hotel fell IN. Some one shouted as the wall
toppled. The nremcn rushed In and extricated
four men. James Otis Of III FIN avenue test-
fed that he was standing near the nremen Of
Engine 80 and heard the Chici order the men TO
turn their streams upon the sufes. This was
prohAhly fifteen minutes before the wall t. !.
THE men played q while from the sidewalk and
then became venturesome and entered the
burning area, working their way In gradually.
Waiter W. Adams. supcrintendent or hhe
ings at a. 446, as, ami 40 broadway have been
destroyed turee times BY IRE. The last struc-
lures were begun in March. 1895, and were
I'm shed IN August. lNB. When they were erected
the law req firing Ii inch walls had not been
pas and those walls consequently were only
given tine men To play upon tue safes whl IN
were supposed TO be close under the wall. lie
also saw the men advance gradually inside the
buildug. For some time after Chief Gicquel
gave the men orders to play stream 90 the
safes the pipemcn OF Engine 70 stood either Ia
| the roadway or on the sidewalk. II was lmpos-
stole to see the conditon OF the wall on account
| OF the Smoke ana steam,
Beniamin A. GicQuel Chief Of the Fifth Bat
| talon, was next examined. He had charte OF
the three COM anies that were stationed m front
| Of the Continental Hotel. lie was inside the
hotel when the front walls fell. when he again
| reached the sidewalk gentleman asked TO have
| n 8 ream directed upon safe that lay within six
feet OF the sidewalk, just at the foot OF the Con-
| tnonfal Hotel wall. The safe was red hot, and
| was in n very hot blaze. Witness ordered the
| Captain Of Engine % to turn Il stream upon the
| safe That was the only order given 10y the wit
| resa. who Immediately thereafter reentered the
| Continental Hotel to superintend operations
| therein. when he came out some ten minutes
| afterward he noticed thtt the men OF Engine 81
were witnin the building line, and seemed t. he
! trying TO turn their stream toward hole IN the
| Continental wall, through which they hoped %
retcn the fire that was burning violently inside
| the hotel.
Pmlip Pitzer Of Engine 80 testified that he was
| one of the five men who carried the hose into
the dangerous place. They had turned stream
| upon the safe IN a'cOrdance with the foreman
| orders. Acting on the suggestion Of Clutc they
| advanced the line gradually uutl thew we're nj
| standing inside the building line. CUTE SAID
| that we had hotter 60 further IN, whore the heat
| would dry our wet clothes. The party advanced
| on Clutc's sucl ostiOn. Capt. ward, ths fore
man. drew Clufe back and ordered US away; hui
| the Captain went away TO get some oil Just theI
| and turned the command over 10 Assisthn
| Foreman Bush. After he went away they wen
| In again. Witness got thirsty and went out g
| get s1me water, and while he was away the wal
| fell and the other men were buried.
John ward, q 1ptain OF Engine 30, Fire Marsha
and the jury declared that David Cutc, payi,
huldrew, and John II. Bush game TO thet
death bS the falling Of an independent, unsup
ported WALL