The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-08-06
THE FIRE ON BROADWAY
Testimony ELECTED this Morning.

The inquest on the bodies OF the TTe-
tins Of the Pelstring fire, last Fridsy,
was resumed this morning before Core
uer Slich and a jury.
STORY OF THE ENGINEER.
A. G. Black sworn-I live at No. TY4
East SIKH street. l am an engineer,
and was employed by Benjamin Nlrre,
about five weeks ago, for the firm Of
Pelstring q Co. have been
an engineer for thirLy-eight years,
but did not receive scientific ednca-
tion. Be ore going to Pelstring & Co.'s
| was employed at the new Governments
building for year, and was dlscharg d
on account OF work getting slack. l
have United States liceAse ana rec
concentrations as an engineer. l.haFe
spent a great deal of my Lille on the
river. l was In the Peistriug factory
last Friday morning about an hour be-
lore the fire broke out. think il Orjg-
mated from spark from the
furnace door, which was closed at the
time, but which had been open tsn
minutes previously. About four or fSe
leet from the door there was about
cart load Of saw-dust, which had been
wetted, and between this ami the fur
mace there was water about three feet
deep and three inches wide. The slw-
dust was used as fuel tor the furnaee.
The furnace room was about twelve feet
long and len feet wide. The oeilIng oi
the engine room, which was in the
cellar, was at least eighteen feet high,
and was accessible to the main building;
there was also an opening above IhH
furnace, but there was no stuff thrown
through here, the waste wood was gen.
orally sent down on the elevator. Ths
boilers OF the engine were under grOuad
and there was an iron door between The
boilers and cellar. The furnace room
mad no connection with the Interior aud
the bull ling. l only know of one staiE-
way leading up into the building, which
was about three and half feet
wide along side OF the wall
with banister on one side. | don't
think the stairway was very steep. i
saw but one stairway and that led from
the cellar to the ground q Jor and about
sixteen feet high. L was III the engine
room when the fire broke out and was
getting ready tor WORK; had been gone
from the turnace-room about twenty
minutes; when Ireturned l discovered
fire in the shaving DOM. This room
was made of brick, and was closed at
the time. AS soon as | saw the flames
l hallooed as loud as | could
and tried, with the assistance Of my s0n
Edward, to stop their progress, but tue
fire got too much headway. used the
hose Of the building about five minutes,
and while l was thus engaged boy
named George went out and had an
alarm sounded. The doors leading into
the lurnace-room were all open at the
time. Three days before the fire the
dust which had accumulated in
and about the shaving house
was swept out. There was no persun
with me when | discovered the blaze.
My boy came in, in response to my cries
for assistance; Also boy named George,
who caused the alarm to be turned IN.
About five minutes after the fire started
the fl .mes hld reached the fifth story.
When l got outside the engine room, the
whole building Was ablaZ:, and tn Fire
Department not there yet. Ibid not turn
off the steam before leaving the builG-
ing, as wanted to p event an explosion
by Iettlng the steam escape the natural
way. L took of the cut-Jt rod, aud
shipped it up 10 work full struke to
cause her to work of her steam last,
thus preventing an explosion, as by ey-
cry revolution OF the wheel she would
throw off five pounds OF steam.
EDWARD DoLAN,
of No. 90 East Elguth street, testiffea
that when he got to the place he saw
his own house all ablaze.
GEORGE CRUSoE,
a telegraph line repalrer, who resides on
sycamore street between New and
Sixth, was questioned but knew nothing
bf Importance. Mr.. William IL. BIRD,
one OF the jurors, asked the witness why
he was sub @ .aed. CruSOe regarded
the question as cOnundrum and gave
it up. But he gets his little 70 cents as
a Tee all the. same.
JOHN COOLING,
fire man of tue No. Fours, and living at
No. 23i iaSycamore street testified that
when he got to the fire, minute OF SO
after the alarm sounded, the Pelstring
building was ablaze all over.
FRANCIS HEUN,
pipeman of No. EugLne Company,
sworn: l got to Pelstring's bull ling
three minutes after our bell was pulled.
but by this time the building was all on
fire, and the heat was so intense that
could not get near it. The walls fell ten
minutes after reached the spot. l as
sisted in getting out five dead bodies
from the ruins.
JONATHAN CREAGER,
a sawyer liVlnS AT NO. l0O cutter street,
and who worked in the Pelstring facto-
ry for eighteen months, testified that
there was but one stairway, and tnis
was on the east side OF the building, aud
about three feet wide. There was also
an elevator on the west end, which
passed close to this furnace, ami was
used Tor taking up lumber AM letting
down boxes, There was no other way
Of egress, unless by jumping from tho
winuows.
Adjourned until 10 O'Clock tomorrow