New-York tribune., 1877-12-21
RAPID uEADwAY MADE BY THE FLAMEs--F


IyG OF THE wALLs-cARRYiNG AWAY THE
WOUNDED.
People in Barclay-st. were greatly startled a few
minutes after o'clock yesterday afternoon at sec
ing cloud OF dust and smoke shoot suddenly across
the street, accompanied by sharp report like the
explosion of a large piece Of artillery and followed
BY the crash Of a falling wall. immediately a,ter-
ward the ruins burst into bright flame, and in
wonderfully short time the whole tuildlng, Which
had been thus shattered, was burning iercoy. Par
cay-st was at once scene of the widest terror
and confusion. Men, cut and bleeding, rusLed
hither and ththcr in an almost dcEcntcd state,
while Others were dragged in a senselcss condition
from beneath the ruins Of bricks and mortar. The
street was throngcd at the time with its usual
crowd hlrryIug TO and from the ferry, and numbers
were buried beneath the fallen wall which lay
across the street.
Upon examination it was found that boiler in
the cellar of the candy factory of T.. Greenfield q
Son. at No. 63 Blrclay-st, and at No. College,
place had exploded, completely shattoring that
building, and the walls of the two adjoining siIuc-
lures. Three fire alarms were sent ont IN rapid sue
cession and the adjoining streets were soon blocked
by engines aud trucks. Before they were web ~
work however, the whole OF Greeniclds building,
including the l. which extended into Coiicge-place,
as well as No. 81, used by Daniel ID. Iomp"lnS rs
paper warehouse aud by 4. Rich, wool merchant,
and Nos. IS and 81, occupied by Green X shee-er,
toblcc0nists, were burning rapidly hcr.c Wind
was blowing from the west, and it seemed prob
able. at the time, that the fire would get
beyond the control of the ircmen. The building on
e corner Of BatcIay-st. aud Coll, gepace, oceu-
bed by the Grocers' Bank, was touched on two
sides by burning buildings. The paper ware
house was burning most erccly the iissurcs III ITS
walls making them especially accessible to the
flames The College-pace l. Of the candy factory
vas also burning brightly the fierce wind tanning
the fire into a flame which endangered the opposite
building, by its intensity. In the opposite dlrec-
ton the flames travelled more slowly, but the IeaIs
of Nos 80, 81 aud 80 Barcay-st. were seen to be in
q blaze.
from second-story window in No. 81. A ladder
was at once raised, and two policeman entered the
room. already almost insutierably hot Here they
found lad of about twelve years Of age, buried be-
meath fallen wall, and being slowly roasted whlle
tbus imprisoned. 4 few vigorous strokes liberated
him from the pile II bricks and mortar, and he was
tendcrly carried down the ladder and placed IN an
ambulance. Although his face was badly burned,
aud MS limbs seemed parayzed with the terrible
sc5rchug they had received, he was conscious when
ne reached the street but seemed dazed and half III
sane with pain and fright.
Meanwhile the ambulances were busily engaged
in carving away the wounded, who had been res
cued from beneath the fallen wall III Barclay-st.
Men, cut and bleeding, with torn clothes
and broken limbs were taken to places OF safe
ty An old gentleman, OF over sixty, named James
f. Wright, glass merchant doing business 9t No.
225 Grecnwicb-st, who was passing up Barclay-st.,
ON the opposite side of the street had his leg broken
below the knee and was taken home in carriage.
nlel her ll-
joining buildings or in the street. But those vino
were unable to escape from the Greenfield building
and those directly beneath the fallen wall, the
north sidewalk Of Barclay-str were probably in
stantly killed, or soon perished in the flames
The fire was at It's height at o'clock, when tho
Grocers' Bank building was in a very precarious
position. But the skill and energy of the New
York iremen began 10 assert themselves, and de-
spite the fierce wind the well-drected streams be-
gan to have an effect. Suddenly the order was
sounded TO clear Barclayst, in front of No. o. and
not any TOO soon. il proved for suddenly the iron
front of the paper warehouse toppled forward aud
fell with tremendous crash, shaking the very
ground across the street. IL was tall building
lone of the oldest iron buildings in New-iork),
and it tore hole through the iron
doors and shutters Of the building opposite,
occupied by tho firms Of Meyer Brothers, James II.
weaver, ana thompson q LSVh' lVi ich nih-
utes it was feared that this accident would prove
fatal to the building, but the danger OF fire quickly
passed away. This fall gave the tremen a control
over the flames, Of which they took immediate adj
vantage besides removing all serious danger from
the threatened bank building. by half-past
o'clock An hour and half after the explosion, the
fire was completely under control Most Of the oe-
cupalts OF stores upon the burned block stood on
guard in their respective places of business ready
10 clear out their stocks il any danger should
arise.
On College-place the efforts of the iremen were
directed 10 keeping tho fire within the Greenfield
building. They successful, both the adioin-
ing buildings were strongly made. No. 2 College
place, which is occupied by W. II. Ii. Rogers d Co.,
aud by Avery, Pcnebert II Co., was somewhat In
jured by water, but escaped With comparatively