The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-09-06
BURNED TO DEATH.
Deetrneteye Fire In New York City.
a Large Plane Factory and Num-
Der sofOthcr Buildings Consumed
segerh1 Persons Perish In tho

4 OeGfrQet4yo Fire In New York City
l A Large Plane Factory and Num-
her s0fOther Buildings Consumed
-segeral Persons Perish In sha
NV Yoax, Sept. 5.
Shortly after nine O'Clock this mornins
one Of the most disastrous fires that has
visited New York in years broke out in
Hale's piano factory, situated about the
center Of the block bounded by Thirty
fifth and Thirty sixth streets and Tenth
| were of brick and of the tlimsiest con.
struction, being eight and nine stories in
height. The newer of the two structures
blown down in 1871, at which time sew.
eral persons were killed. In the old fac.
tory some $50 hands were employed. Nc
one Of these seemed to think Of turning
/ in an alarm, and, when the first en-
gines arrived, the whoe factory was
q mass OF fame and smoke. The
wolkmen on the fourth floor and be-
| low got out without trouble. The floors
above speedily filed with dense smoke,
causing most of the occupants to run to
| the windows and roof. Two men, Greb,
| aged sixty-two, and Albert Lee, aged
| fifty-two, were seen to fall backward
from q window into the flames, and, un-
doubtedly, both perished, no traces Of
them having since been found. The
| flames, famed by brisk gale, spread
rapidly, and at ten O'Clock the walls of
the old factory fell with crash that was
heard mile. A moment later the new
factory was sheet of flame, and speed
| lily five factories, twenty-five tenements,
fifteen shanties and eighteen stables and
sheds were burning.
The people of the tenement houses and
shanties saved scarcely any of their eff
fects, being driven out by the intense
heat. The sparks were carried in every
direction, and were beaten down by citi-
zens armed with brooms and pals.
Graham's silk factory, on Thirty fifth
street, could not be saved. Robes i'm
mense packing establishment was saved
by private hose conveyance.
The scene was grand. There was an
area of fire extending over two blocks.
The flames leaped Thirty fifth street and
swept nearly the entire block. They ran
across Thirty-sixth street and destroyed
five buildings. Nearly all the houses
facing on Tenth avenue we're licked up.
At one O'Clock the fire was under control,
leaving two or three tall chimneys and a
few tottering walls with great heaps Of
steaming bricks and huge pile of glow
ing charcoal to mark the site of over sixty
buildings.
From the first the rumors regarding the
loss of life began to spread. From five
men buried in the ruins, the number was
run up to over hundred, and kilograms
sent to the hospitals brought thirteen am
balances to the scene-many more than
were needed. 1t is not possible yet to as
certain the actual loss of life. Two men
were killed by jumping from window,
and three others are missing. The fire.
men say there are not less than forty bod
les in the ruins The number of men on
the upper floors at the time of the alarm
is not known. Various persons living in
the vicinity report seeing numbers of men
fall blackened into the burning buildings,
and all sorts of stories are afeat.
The losses ON the property destroyed
and damaged will not much exceed $780,
600. In all, eighty buildings were either
destroyed or damaged by the flames.
The fire began in the drying-room on
the fourth floor of the old factory. In
this apartment the sounding boards for
pianos were laid away until they became
properly seasoned. The room was about
twelve feet square, and filled with lum-
Der. The remainder of the fourth floor
was occupied by the carvers, about forty
in number. These men discovered the
fire before nine O'Clock. They thought
it of little account, and gave no alarm
Some of them busted themselves in re-
moving lumber from the room, while the
others threw upon the flames all the water
they had on the floor. Not more than
half dozen pals full OF water were thus
expended. After thus combating the
flames for about ten minutes, the
carvers gave up the work, and, see
ing the fire likely to spread INTO their
room, busted themselves in packing up
their tools and clothing for removal.
None OF them thought Of giving an alarm
to their fellow-workmen on the upper
floors. The names, meeung WIN no op-
position, grew IN strength; very soon q
draft caught and hurried them beyond tne
doorway OF the drying-room into tne
apartment OF the carvers. AT once tney
ran from end to end and from SIDE 10 slde
of the room, driving the workmen out.
1t was then that the peril OF the workers
on the floor was thought OF, ana tney
were given the alarm. All the carvers
escaped, carrying with them tnelr toois,
and the workmen employed on the three
lower floors also got out In sa1ety, Dut
some OF them lost their implements.
Carl Carlinski, OF NO.. l54 Broome
street, varnisher, jumped out OF the
e;ghth-story window and was instantly
killed. Otto Pissinger, OF 4lS west
Forty-elghth street, varnlsner, also
Inmna0 from n WInO0W