The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-30
Firemen and Civilians Buried Be-
meath the Failing Walls.
TEN CHARRED BODIES REMOVED
List OF the Killed and Wounded
Details OF Injuries.
Icy TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

I'VE stories, quit oil WOOD, with no extra amount OF
supports to 1T for the business carried on IN H. and,
moreover, though this morning condemned In tho
strongest terms by tho Inspector OF Buildings al
lowed tobe put mp and occupied by mon and machinery
without word hts part tho contrary. II md In
tho rear a thin veneer of brick. while front Il
was somewhat stronger, but In no way sufficiently
we'll supported, the sad story havc to relate de.
monstrates.
DISCOVERY PRE-
At i've minutes past nvc O'Clock tho nre was dis
covered and the alarm that was given, py whom It
Is not known, quickly brought tho whole OF the de-
partment to the OF the connagration Tho flames
were ut first confined to the upper story Of the build
ing, and their Roadway for time prevented by tho
copious flow of water from tho thirteen nozzlos
directed upon them, but quickly as II fed with the OIL
they busst forth In great volumes from the windows
Tho fire men, with the untirihg zcal for which they
are know, working every portion OF tho build.
Ing as VOL outside.
Tho fire seemed to descend TO tho lower stoyy
with extraordinary rapidity, which the men could not
withstand, ana which caused many expressions OF
horror. Shortly the six the lower stores wero
called from their posts, and had thoy de-
scended from the windows than tho flames belched
forth spitefuly as IL to overtako them.
PREM@N TERRIBLY BURyEn
Heroic In their efforts to get tho upper hand OF the
and three of them assembled with the The water
they poured the lower seemed Tor tho mo.
mont to havc obtained the mastery. but suddenly the
wind changed and the flames developed tho whole
street. When 1t changed again the brave nrcmcn who
had assembled found the foot Of the ladder
dead, but terribly burned No. ! station placed one
detachment of It's mon In the undertaker's lane and
another at the Craig street side Other companies Of
the brigade had parties on St. Urban street, In the
alieyways on Vtr6 street and In ST. Charles Barrom6
street. Chief Patton actively engaged IN St
Urban street, wniic Sub-Chici McCulloch ana Sub
Chief Hand tho rear Tho excitement after tho
accident to the men on the ladder. became intense
THE INTENSE HEAT.
The heat on ST. Urban was so terrible that the
shinglo roofs door and window frames ignitcd, but
were prevented getting ablazo by the Arcmen, who
had their wits about them and laid themselves
protect the lumber yard, which has It's entrance
Craig street. It was closely Watched and may DO said
miracuously escaped well as Charbonncau's saw
mills which adjoin tho blnzing pile. and had an en-
trance on ST. Charles Barrome street. About six
o'clock the wind assisted tho flames moro terribly
than before, raising clouds OF red hot spntors from
the fearful wreck and depostng them on tho roof
tho adjacent dwellings on vitrec.
TExEMExTs VACATED.
Tho occupants OF the wrctchodly built tcnemcnts
became alarmed and shifted their goods in remarkably
short time. Charbonncau and tho owner OF the lum-
Dor thought Of by the citizens well by tho
nrcmen, who guarded tho promises though they
their own. The hcat from the works set fro to
the root of tho saloon kept by tho we'll known crcketer
Tom Ridley and the dwellings adjacent, ibut a con-
tnuous flow OF water soon put that out.
heard somo prominent citizens remark that II was
wonderful how any man could endure such heat
rs tho poor nremen who were fighting the
fiery fond on ST. Urban street had to do.
and l can fully indorse their DEVELOPMENT
for 200 yards away tho very men who mado tho re-
mark had been compelled to shield their faces with
their hats. The fire In the upper Nat did not appear
to abate IN intensity oven when tho very basement
had become a blaze and the roof, which fell in by
small sections without lesscnng the glare Increased
tho fuel that icd the flames below.
PERIL.
After the whole OF the roof fell tho upper portion Of
tho two gable walls bulgod literally outward, and as
tho volume oil flames within their confines increased
as the several floors fell II apparent to all the on
lockers that the walls were suro to fall and that
nothing could the buildings adjaocn t---common
wooden shantics-or the devoted aremen who IN
tho locality Chief Patton, who had his men into
the undcrtakcrs alley, was awake TO this fact. and
rushed into tho allcyway call his out. Rcddy,
Nolan and Hobby, of No. /, tho roof OF
Bcauchamp's store, playing on the houses In vitreo
street.
BURIED AND cREMATED
The Chief had barely got tho words out OF his mouth
calling them away when the portion OF the wall
fell and buried thcm the Chiof himself receiving nju
RIGS from which II Is doubtful whether ne will
recover. The cry instantly went up that the
buried. Jack Rockingham, Of No. 0, as fearless and
undauntcd fireman drew tho breath OF lie,
rescue tho buried men. Hobby by this timc had
wrigged the ruins, but the other two. bur,od
almost up TO their necks were powcrless. but con-
scous and were literally crematcd alive, Beck and his
mate being utterly poworlcss Chief Pa,ions res
cucd his father with tho assistance of Mr. Charles
Garth and Beck went cut for help, which he shortly
obtained, among them hts devoted branchmap, Perry.
Even with tho additional aid tho two buried
alive hrcmcn could not DO exiricated and Beck went
on, for more assistance Ho had got out OF
the alley OF death than tho other portion OF the wall
fell buryng MURDERS In the ruins No save those
present can imagine tho agonizine excitement that
followed, not only among tho rcmcn but the civilians
also.
COUNTING UP THg MISSING.
Who were among the ruins none could toll and gen.
oral roll call INDUCED In with nrcmen and civil
ians Mcrcier, the balliG. was running around
champ, OF ST. Lawrence, Main street. was.
When tho wall fell tho las, ho saw OF
him was at tho mouth OF the alley OF death.
others who had seen George Lynch, tho foreman OF
the water works. enter tho undertakcrs building by
the window. questioned where he was. Firemen
rushed franticaly about looking for comrades Poor
Book ngham sat and wcpt like child. because, MS he
said he thought when he took the into the alley
they wouId not come out alive.
Tng cnARRgD BODIES
The Chief and Hobby had been sent homo and
a sort Of resurrection movement commenced amid
tho scorchng pile OF deDrs. IL was found
that the falling wall had RACED to tho ground
the portion OF tho undertakcrs sorc ana there
amid ruin lay the bodies II was sickening sight
to look upon for within foot Of the surface was
found a heap Of bodcs-somc ilfclcss others IN the
throcs OF dcaih few others just conscious and
that IS about all