The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-09-04
Hard Work By the Fire Department.

The Fire Department responded to the
alarm with promptncss At 0.3S A. NJ the first
alarm was sounded and in less than two min
utes Engine - wns in position for work on
Thirty nth street. in front Of the factory. and
making her water connections; but before the
men could get water started. whirl OF flame
drove them away from their apparatus. which
took fire and was destroyed Chief of Battalion
Wilhelm was first 10 arrive and next came Chief
Ben Gicqucl. who Immediately. and for the first
time since the organization of the department,
sounded the simultaneous ALARM bcttcr
known among members Of the department ~
the three siXcs.' 1t is six sounded three
times In quick succession and warns every fire.
company in the city TO bc instantly ready. II ia
Immediately followed by another signal telling
which companies are wanted and whore they
nre to 20. By this means in Just four minutes
from the time the first alarm was given. all the
engine aud hook and ladder companies be-
tween Canal and Fifty ninth streets were sum
moned. Two minutes latcr they were ON their
way to the nrr. But whom they arrived they
were almost useless. There was no water.
They would connect with hydrant, and in ten
minutes suck II entirely dry II seemed ns
though IA soon as they had exhausted what
watcr was in tho pipes there was no more to
come. Ia several instances there WAS not water
enough To- feed the engine boilers and in ono
ease at least. Mt Tenth avenue and Thirty fifth
street the watcr did not rise TO tho mouth of
me hydrant. Whom water could be- had at az
10 work their engines at half the usual speed,
for fear the boilers would blow up. Engine 2
street. where She could have done good service.
and probably have kept the IRE back long enough
To- have saved lives but in less than ten min
utrs from the time she got to work the
water fnilrd completely, and she was rendered
useless until she could connect with another
hydrnnt "A little nearer the river. which lasted
hardly as long. The ilrcmcn say they saw three
wurkmrn come to the window who Were driven
back 10y the flames. and probably prrished.
It4f - lk Il
less 10 help them. Nearly all the engines wcro
in this way, c,ippled until the Fire Department
the Fuller. anchored III Tnirty-sIxth street and
gave river water THIS they nd tO convey
rrIuircd two engines, The men fought the
flames with determined energy and bravery.
and 10y IL o'clock had III" fire confined So that
there was no fenr ut its extending and by
o'clock had II we'll under control. chief Of De-
Iartmcnt III Bates was out II town, having quit
The city only the night before. but Assistant
Chief oscar Shay started a. soon as the second
alarm reached headquarters. and. driving at
hreakne'k speed arrived at the fra almost be-
fore the second engine got her water started
and took command. which hc held until after 4
o'clock. when the lire was pretty well subdued;
The extra engines were then Scnt home. and
the watch lines set Tor the night. He was as
sisted 10y Chiefs of Battalion Wilhelm. Girquel.
FISHER. Bonner. and Campbell The men sui-
frred terribly from the binding smoke. which
was of a peculiarly irritating nature and which
affected their eyes seriously. The lids swelcd,
the eye-balls became red and intlamcd. and
there was scarcely n company that did not have
one or more men disabled from this cause
Medical officer Ives WAS constantly circulating
among tn" iiremen, striving TO ease their ssf-
tssringf from tbs ,,spu-eeii, but a.. long
give IN One urawny fellow whose eyes
were swollen terribly lyrs ordered home.
hut he refused suyirg, To IN" devil with
going home-wait an the fires out and then
you can doctor me-" " So II is with all OF them. "
said IN" Doctor. cannot do anything with
them. They will MOI, leave Jas. Roland ~ Eng NJ
Il. had his lcft leg badly fractured. This sthe
second time he has been injured while on duty.
At the burning Of Barnums show. five years
ago he had 10th legs broken.
The ronpanics at the fire were: