The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-07
A BLAZE AT NIGHT.
Burning Of a Great Brick and Iron
Structure on Bond Street.
THREE F1REMEN INJURED.
Probably Over Half a Million
Dollars Loss.

the ponderous machines up Broadway followed by the
lighter hose carriages and hook and ladder trucks
As the engines hurried along a trail OF hre
was left from their furnaces on the pavement
and pedestrians hurried the street 10 avoid the
headlong rush OF the fire apparatus In unusually
short periods second and third alarm was Sig
nailed and soon all the engines in the lower part Of
the city hurrying TO the scene OF dan
GER The building on fire proved to be the
largo iron structure which three full
lots located in Bond street, broadway II is one
OF those mod,rn edinces built OF combination OF brick
and iron, the latter material forming the front, which
are springing up In great numbers over the city
Being divided into many floors It's interior supplied
abundant material for combustion. Independently oil
tho goods stored tho several lofts ana II
therefore, from the start Of the fire, gave
promise of an extensive and expensive conlagration.
When the FIRST batch OF lremen arrived the men were
puzzled by the appearance OF the building 1t roso to
an imposing height and covered all its front
with g.lded and ornamental signs and other decora-
TONS Silence regned in Its interior. and there were
indications whatever that the great destroyer, fire,
was at work dcvouring It, No smoke Issued either
from door window, and not trace could be discov
cred OF tho fierce flames that wero eating through the
floors from the cellar. The basement OF the building,
however, proved to be wrapped In fire, forming
great furnace, that sent up Its flames through
the elevator shafts and ventilatng nues The spaces
between the brickwork and the iron front were SO
many lretucts which quickly carried the flames to tho
top stories Soon, however the whole building burst
into grand glow Of light and the great tongue like
flames leaped from the root and the upper
windows and roared loud defiance 10 the iremcn.
The strong southeast wind soon began TO haveits ELECT
on the burning mass and famed the fire with most
appalling intensity The rolling volumes of smoke
that moved obiquely across broadway we're ilumined
by the eaping, dancing flames and presented TO the
spectator most alarming picture.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The fire, II seems originated IN the basement OF No.
Bond street. where Messrs TAYLOR Oimstead IL Tay.
lor. dealers in fancy goods had stored n large number
OF packing cases and light material How this mass Of
innsmmabe matter caught tire knows as yet anu
II will OF course become question Tor the Fro Mar
shall to investigate The first intlmaton that the
iantor and occupants OF the building mad of the peril
they were IN was the appearance OF smoke and flame
issuing through the upper story. which the fire
between the brick work and tie IRON
front already referred to. The alarm
was given at once, but the cellar was encased IN
iron and its entrances located to impede the pro.
gress OF the remen while helping that Of the fire and
conccaling its destructive advance. The building
being thus complete furnace tied with combustibe
matter, its complete destruction became matter
OF time. Shutters, grating, doorways, all were
nalet Tell without effect For a time tho street re-
sounded with the cang OF steel upon iron and tho
hook ana ladder men, annoyed aud excited at
being bailed by this unwonted obstacle, Piled their
implements more wildly than usual and hacked away
the iron sheet beneath which the fro burning
FIRENEN INJURED
In the middle OF this cangor were carried
thumb cut oil by blow OF his comrades axe; the
otbor had his forehead and nose mutilated by
the recoil of AN iron bar. Al length the
Iron work gave way and then there burst forth vol.
ume oil smoke that 10 an instant filled the hboug
streets and rolled upward in dark clouds. Al the
same time the rcd glare OF the fire was thrown
from the windows Of the upper story ana
from that moment the conlagration kept
steadily gaming Roadway In spite Of the efforts OF
lrcmeu O As
an entrance had boon effected into the cellar
OF water from dozen engines were turned INTO II.
and several plucky members OF the companies
on hand attempted descent into It, but could
face the sitting volume Of smoke that rolled up from
IT, and few only reached the real scene OF the fire to
be driven back halt smothercd.
AN INSURANCE PATR0LMAN HURT.
In this attempt TO reach the basement Edward Shell
don OF the Insurance Patrol, came TO grei He was
prccipitated from the lower floor, and when lie had
pcen with difficulty carried out his leg found to
broken and hc was severely bruised about the body.
Tho fire by this time had burned through the floor
the first story and socn tho flames were coling
about the iron pillars and volumes Of
smoke hid the entire building from sight
II was on the south side OF street and on
Broadway Had it been ON the latter the
prevailing wind would have insured the destrucson Of
oil buildings to the noriward aud pchaps tremendous
conhsgrntion, involving many blocks. might have
suited.
BLAZING ONT
The moment the flame forks showed themselves
from the upper story OF the building Bond street
It's iate was apparent Gases and smoke burst through
tn. aos outlet, and pieces OF flooring were hurled
across the street aye. even over tho roof
porium into Broadway. Tns was about
twenty minutes to twelve. The whole thorou ghfare
and buildings were lit up so brightly that the small
est type any sign could be read easily At this
time II became apparent that the wind, which was
quite strong, veerIng u little more TO the
eastward, greatly impcriliirg the edilce fronting
Broadway. Flower d Hill carriage mandatory was
In great danger The long tongues oil lire licked
the rear walls and cracked the windows. Then be-
came necessary to save the property Carriages,
coupes andaulets, Broughams Rockaways, victorlas
barouches gigs and every style Of vehicles
we're hauled INTO the ST. Get and placed upon tho oppo
site sidewalk under the shelter OF tho Grand
otseiac H xe1e ordered ne % &c OF the Eighth
OF Captain Byrnes was sorcly pressed TO keep the
crowds back. Nearly every that came along
seemed TO have some claim TO recognition Nv the |
police, who really sadly driven 10 prevent |
persons IRON having their brains knocked Out by the
brands and flaming missiles that were falling all
around
SAVE ADJOINING HOUSES.
Now 1t became evident that the most strenuous ef-
forts were needed to stay the general CONFEDERATION
Therefore the hremen with coolncss and nerve not
often excelled stood almost immediately under the
FuIIcr's place tNo. s.. and ,pto tn, he" alley.
way In the rear Of the sewing machine ware |
house. Each minute their position became moro and
more untenabe, and The byslanders exclaimed, as |
piece alter piece OF the metal root and cornices foil
almost al Their feet Take the men away! They'll be
Killed That building Will assuredy TALL out! No |
order was given TO Withdraw tire They were lett
TO their work and fate, hundreds OF thousands
dollars were at stake.
WALL FALLS IN.
Just as the midnight hour ringing out from an
adjacent steepe the flames were shoot upward
IN an instant as II carried b. WIND at
the same instant dull, runbllng sound heard.
Hoarso roars from the bremen Oh the roofs re-
echoed by their fellows IN the streets and |
the crowds instinctvey withdrew a pace, as with |
crash like thunder the west wall OF the building fell
charrcd ana smoking heaps into the opening A por-
non OF the falling struck the adjoining building
toward Broadway and shattered the cofnices and |
some OF the window glass. The removal OF the wall |
permitted free OF 10 the flames |
they roared and cracked with renewed yigor An.
other moment ana second roar from the bremen,
followed by crash, announced the fall OF the |
rear aud East walls The crash dread
full, and burning masses OF wood and textile
material were shot up into the to an
ssonshing height, and carried by the wind could be
seeL lyng lar above Fourteenth street. slowly descend
Ing az they clrclcd along
Great fears had been entertained that the
Blocker Street Savings Bank, which stood
iirsctIy In tho rear OF the burning building,
wouId be damaged by the rear wall wncn II should fall
hat the roof least would be crushed In every body