The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-09-13

TERRIBLE FIRE DISASTER In
NEW YORK.
4 Large Plano Factory ana Nuuher
er Oeher Dullalngs Dessroyea-Sev.
eral RefponD Perth In the RlnuAa
NEW Yoax, Sept. 4
Shortly after nine O'Clock this morning
one of the most disastrous fires that has
visited New York in years broke out in
Hale's piano factory, situated about the
center Of the block bounded by Thirty.
fifth and Thirty sixth streets and Tenth
and Eleventh avenues. The buildings
were of brick and of the flimsiest con-
struction, being eight and nine stories in
height. The newer Of the two structures
was built ON the ruins of the factory
blown down in 1871, at which time sew
eral persons were killed. In the old fac
tory some $50 hands were employed. No
one of these seemed to think Of turning
in IN alarm, and, when the first. en-
gines arrived, the whole factory was
. mass of flame and smoke. The work
men on the fourth floor and below gsk out
without trouble. The floors above speed
lily filled with dense smoke, causing most
of the occupants to run to the window and
roof. Two men, Greb, aged sixty-tw0.
and Albert Lee, aged fifty, were seen to
tall backward from . window into the
flames, and, undoubtedly, both persisted,
NO traces Of them having since been found.
The flames, famed by brisk gale, spread
rapidly, and at ten O'Clock the walls Of the
old factory fell with crash that was
heard . mile. A moment later the new
factory was sheet of flame. and speedily
five factories, twenty-five tcnements, If
teen shanties and eighteen stables and
sheds were burning.
The people of the tenement-hous and
shanties saved scarcely any of their ef-
fects, being driven out by the intense heat
The sparks were carried in every direc-
ton, and were beaten down by citizens
armed with brooms and pals. Graham's
silk factory, ON Thirty fifth street, could
not be saved. Robes immense packing
establishment was saved by private hose
conveyance.
The scene was grand. There was an
area of fire extending over two blocks.
The flames leaped Thirty-fifth street and
swept nearly the entire block. They ran
across Thirty sixth street and destroyed
five bulldogs. Nearly all the houses
facing on Tenth avenue were licked up.
At one O'Clock the fire was under control,
leaving two or three tall chimneys and a
few lettering walls with great heaps of
steaming bricks and huge pile of glow
ing charcoal to mark the site OF over sixty
buildings.
From the first the rumors regarding the
loss of life began to spread. From five
men buried in the ruins, the number was
run up to over . hundred, and kilograms
sent to the hospitals brought thirteen am.
balances to the scene-many more than
were needed. tits not possible yet to as
certain the actual loss of life. Two men
were killed by jumping from window,
and three others are missing The fire.
men say there are not less than i,rty bod.
les in the ruins. The number of men on
the upper floors at the time of the alarm
is not known. Various persons living in
the vicinity report seeing numbers of men
fall blackened into the burning buildings,
and all sorts of stories are aflost.
The losses on the property destroyed
and damaged will not much exceed $780,
600. In all, eighty buildings were either
destroyed or damaged by the flames.
The fire began in the drying-room on
the fourth floor of the old factory. In
this apartment the sounding boards for
pianos were laid away until they became
properly seasoned. The room was about
twelve feet square, and filled with lum-
Der. The remainder of the fourth floor
was occupied by the carvers, about forty
in number. These men discovered the
fire before nine O'Clock. They thought
it of little account, and gave no alarm.
Some of them busted themselves in re-
moving lumber from the room, while the
others threw upon the flames all the water
they had on the floor. Not more than
half dozen pals full of water were thus
expended. After thus combating the
flames for about ten minutes, the carvers
gave up the work, and, seeing the fire
likely to spread into their room, busted
themselves in packing up their tools
and clothing for removal. None Of them
thought Of giving an alarm to their fel.
low.workmcn on the upper floors. The
flames. meeting with no opposition, grew
in strength. Very soon q draft caught
aad hurried them beyond the doorway Of
the drying-room into the apartment of the
carvers. At once they ran from end to
end and from sido to side of the room,
driving the workmen out.
1t was then that the peril of the workers
on the floor was thought Of, and they
were given the alarm. All the carvers
escaped, carrying with them their tools,
and the workmen employed on the three
lower floors also got out in safety, but
some of them lost their implements.
Carl Carlinski, of No. ia Broome
street, . varnisher, jumped out of the
eighth.story window and was instantly
killed. Otto Pissinger, of 40 West
Forty eighth street, varnisher, also
jumped from q window ON the eighth
floor and was instantly killed. His body
was picked up from the sidewalk. by the
police, and taken on q street-car to the
West Thirty seventh Street Police Station.
Paul Hess and Thomas Ludwig, varnish.
ers, jumped from windows and were bad
" bruised and cut, and Frustrated by the
shock. James Roland, of kngine Com
pany 10, had his leg broken and was bad.
" bruised by . falling wall.
On Thirty sixth street at the rear of the
main portion of Hale's factory, and west
of its northern wing il . small mound Of
rocky formation upon which was cluster
ed number Of shanties forming q Minia.
ture hamlet. The little houses, badly ap.
pointed and not over savory in condition,
were the homes of 200 people who had
gathered around them of horses, and dogs,
and pigs, and goats ~ many as the neigh.
bors would endure without complaint to
the Board of Health. At the present time
these poor people are wandering without
homes or means to procure food. The
descent of the flames upon their homes
was 90 sudden that none Of them had an
opportunity to remove an article from
their shanties, and oil were glad to escape
with their lives.
The Late Brigham Young.
FoR thirty. three years Brigham Young
was the head of the Mormon Church, and
his word was . law unto his people. He
was native of Vermont, having been
born ct Whitingham on June 1, 1901. In