The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-21
THE STORY OF THE FIRE.


tits just year and nflesn days since the whole
country appalled, by the terrible disaster In
she Brooklyn Theatre. Not until last night did any.
thing happen in this Vicinity OF such : heartrsnd-
Ing character Now. however. another disastrous nre
may have resulted In frish,fal loss OF lie. I. hap.
psned At No 81 Barclay street. ave O'Clock in the
evening, IN sudden and unexp ected manner that
shose who occupied the building fronting on Barclay
street could hardly have escaped. Up to late hour
last night the extent and number OF tho casualties
A. will DO seen from the accounts gwen below there
vas way OF learning Just how many peo.
pie were IN the building At the time OF the
ore breaking out or how many OF shem
escaped. All sorts Of rumors were anoat, but noue
o. sbcm could be verified One thipg Is certais--
many persons were badly hurt and quite a number
we're missing u midnight. Their friends sought
them ~ the hospitals and police stations, bu,
whether those undiscovered lie buried beneath the
ruins Of the buildings not to-day will perhaps 70.
veal.
,nE FIRST ALARM
II was Just nve O'Clock In the evening and people
were about winding up the business OF the day in
their stores and counting rooms Barcsy street.
Some were hurrylng toward the car lines and Broad
way; others route 70 the ferries the North
River The street, too, filled, as usual, with itn-
Srant vendors Of knickknacks and Yankee notona
period On the corner OF College place
stands the Grocers' Bank; few doors below
II Ernest Greenfield & Co.'s confectionery This was
No 90 Barclay. While horses, carts and mon wore
passing TO and fro a sudden explosion rent the air,
stunned the pedestrians and frightened the horses
the startled people looked tho spot at which
occurred and front Of Grecunelds confection-
cry rock and, splitting pitch forward into the middle
OF the street minute later flames lcaped forth from
she ruins and envelopcd tho buildings adjoining The
wind blowing freshly from the westward, and in
moment the connagration assumed dangerous and
threatening proportions. The scene was one OF con.
sternaton without and within by magic the
crowds in the streets caught tho whispered statement
that there were hupdred Of boys and girls employed
in the building and that most OF them wero buried
beneath the ruins In a twinkng word was passed
TO give the alarm Gods sake" and Ofcer Grow.
10y and Deteexe Mulvey, OF the Twentysevsnth pre-
sines, obcyed They sort out the rst alarm from the
box At she corner Of Washington and Bar.
clay sireeG While the crowds were assem-.
bling and waiting Tor tho engines they had
time notice that screaming, terrified girls and mon
pouring OF the College place entrance 10 tho
confectionery, and that many OF them scalded
and badly burned These were buried by Kind,
though often rough, persons TO Dnman's drug store,
under tho Astor House, and to other drug stores In
the vicinity.
THE ENGINES ARRIVE.
The mass OF spectators surged In and out oil Col
lego place In frantic endoavors TO touch tho
iugtivss from tho burning building when tho cangor
0f tho bells Of approaching 0ro engines them
10 clear The way, ana in less time than takes TO tell
II the engines Nos 20, ~, truck TO- hook and ladder
company 4 sams Numbering down Barclay stree. and
Park place and got into position Immediately, too,
Captain Saunders with his police from the Twenty.
seventh precinct appeared and drove back the sway
ing throng to give the nromen room TO
work. Captain Mclaughlin and Assistant Foreman
Murray got streams upon tho burning houses at once
and ladders were placed against their Sides Daring
bremen mounted them In quest OF fa:ntinQ or half
smohered inmates, while other bravo fellows dashed
in through the open doors ana tried to noun, the
stairways. But thcre Is record that any
OF these bold efforts were crowned with
success All who had the good fortune 10 escape were
out OF the building before tho nrcmcn got into H.
Those who pershed were dead n few minutes after
tho cxplosion and now, the Ore had gained tremcn.
dous Roadway. II burned and bazcd luridly
FORKS OF fame, a. II fed by innammable
ssuns beneath, leapcd into the air ana
licked the sides OF the adjoining buildings9
Another alarm sent out and still another for the
District Engineer became fearful that tho whole block
bounded by Barclay street Park place and Green
w,ch street and College place, would surely DO con.
sumed In an Incredibly short space or time tho cIat-
terng hoofs OF the teams bringing the auxiliary
dsss were heard ringing on The pavsmsns, and ere