The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-07
BURIED IN TIE RUINS YET.
rur RrCOrERY or THE REMiINS UT
NILES UORKMEN DELJlED
e,.. u,,.h,I shcidon's Investiaation into the
,,u.e OF the ,onnngration-The Factory
I,cI OF Fire Extingui.hers-On ""ndre"
.,a Tventy Families Made Homeless

VIZ ~ ,.. ,,,onsra,ion-The Fnctory's
I,cl OF Fire Extinguishers- """o'e"
aud Tven,y Families Made Homeless
: ,,irn Marshal sheldon concluded his In
,ea,i,aiion into the origin OF the great IRE III
TLil,y-nith street. in the Thirty-seventh street
r,li,. station. Yesterday Henry Hornnatt. who
worked in tho fourth story Of Ilae's factory
unAer n contract with Foreman Van Buskifk 10
make sounding boards and bridges Tor piano
iortcs testified that his bench was next 10 thc
irving room. He had made fre IN the s'oNo
tutsidc tho drying room several times on 'ho
morning of the disaster. to hcnt glue that he
Nna usng The fire was made for the last tme
nv one of his men, named Stevens. with shaw
,ngs about fifteen minutes before the drying
,oor vns discovered to be ablaze. When the
ritncss heard the cracking OF the fire In tho
drvinc room he opened one OF the doors. ana
,,v TINT some OF the sounding boards in tho
rack near the chimney were burning Inc
enls of the boards nearest the wall were on IRE.
Ue cried Fircl and with the help OF others
hogan to pull out the boards. which they threw
an the floor outside the drying room. Tho men
tried TO put them out 10y stamping. No water
sould I've drawn in the fourth story. The men
working there always had to 80 down stairs for
wafer. There was water in the lee cooler and
apaufu near the stove hut none was Kept Tor
uniting out fires. There was no arrangement
Tor that purpose in the building. 1t had been
nearly two years sinec any water could be had
from the hydrant in the fourth story. There
were ,hnyings around all the benches. and tho
xnlows and hatchways were open. The fire
WA up to the top story before tho engines
tsmo. The smoke was SO dense on the Thirty
ffth street side that the men could not set down
l,e Are escape ON that eide.
George b. McDan.rls. a porter In Hale's iac-
tory testified that hc was unpa"king pianoiorte
seys in small room IN the first story when he
heard men running down stairs. They SAID
there was lrc. Mr. stone. the son-in-law OF
Mr. Hale told the witnrss's brother James To
run up stairs and sec what was the matter. Mr..
Stone gave the witness the key Of the fire.
alarm box and he gave the alarm. Then he ran
W 10 the fourth story. whore he saw Game and
smoke. Water WAS thrown on. but in vain. Mr.
Van Buskirk and his son. and man from Ora
ham r factory who had a fire cxtinguisher. were
h. only persons there.
james McDaniels testified that there were nc
fro extinsuishers in Hale's factory to his
knowledge There were four or Ave pals Of
ys,er in the top story to bo used in case O, iire
Mr sheldon also took testimony in reference
l. lle ack Of water in the hydrants on the dal
O. the fre. Edward McCaho Of jO3 Tenth ave
iue testified that on the Friday or Saturday
lrrcedug the hrc lie SAW four nr nNe men II
thn middle Of the avenue az Thirty ghtl
f.rs.t turning ofl the water in the main. The
I4ui the water of 81 that not drop could be- go
IN the house. In about two hours the men cuin
back and turned on the water. but the prcssur
was not nearly So great ns il had been before
j. lad previously run freely IN the f"urth stur
Of M Wtnrss's huiliing, and now 1t would no
riu uH0Nc the thlfd. ana IL W., hpt hraIi a
strong ON the first as before. Onthe ~, rninI
It the nle tAs pressure was very low. SrNern
lpuls after the fire broke out the witness say
several men in Tenth avenue, rs he supp sod
!urnlA- on water at the man. since thrn t@ler @
mon Turn OF thc' 'wHter there before. hut tho
All ialways given notice. Tho men he saw oi
IrIdny or Saturday gave no notice.
Dir. sheldon Will make hls report IN lev
Superintendent James Reagan. who ha
charge Of thu Croton water mains in the lis
lrt in question. wncn informed OF what Nj
hCahc had told the Fire Marshal. said at hrs
hat the men whom Mr.. NJ rCahe saw on turnin
tn the water, and att'rWard turning II on
rApairing pipes In houses. ain ugh unauthor
l'Hd 10 DO 40, sometimes turn on the water u
pans 70 relieve The prossure' without "a
uuently' Mr. Kergnn said. his men found thg
tho water gates had boon thus tampered w, VIII
none in that way. lie added that
was true thai water was turned on al i,hth nv
tnue and Thirty eighth street at about o'cloc
on the day OF the fire. he sent men To turn II o
T. Increase tho pressure for the engines.
tlat point the unfinished forty -eight-ingh mai
ends. and below there IS only IA slN-inch mali
partially supplied 10y the twcnty-in h mai
iunnng through Thlrv-eigh,h street Whn9s
| iroton water wns scarce about "A year ago, NJ
Ieegan said, tho water in this twcnty-inch maj
wa partially shut of from the six inch maj
e. prcssrre throaghoUt' s'r the city. II lad re
LdurI thus until II was turned on Tor the Urf
iir Keesan added that the lire lad illustrate,
danger that had always existed from ~
tmHllhrss OF the mains IN some oi the SIC
EIr"t- end avenues ~, !.