The New York herald., 1877-09-04

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upon the fire, but they held only dry
nozzles toward tho burning buildings Then mad
TO take up tho hose ana so 10 Eleventh avenue all OF
which consumed time and allowed tho 6ro to get head
way" II is estimated that fully threequartcrs Of au
hour was lost thus way, aud to this fact is attrib-
ued the dest.uc:ivencss OF tho Gre. While the Ere
men thus powcress to contend with tho flames
tho fire roared nnd burned aud spread out its wings
In every direction. The whole block soon
ono sheet OF fame. The heat became intense
that for q time IT was Impossible 10 fight
the fire, and No. "a engine had to be abandoned tho
street where It stood. The want OF water had para
lyzed everything, and the excited and impatient fire.
cursed and cursing and swearing would
remedy the scarcity Of water put out the connagra
ton. When they ready at last they were almost
powerlcss before. The flames licked up tho water
when II was thrown upon them as II it only so
much fuel to feed the fire. No efforts, however
heroic could now save the burning buildings. and
the walls began 10 crumblo and FALL and only ruined
and broken chimneys and piles OF d6brs marked the
spot where an hour before Immense factories and
crowded tenemsnts had stood
THE FALLING WALLS.
The walls Of Hae's piano factory were tho first to
fall. This building loosely constructed struc.
ture and part oft was unfinished. While was being
built tho walls had fallen and was unlikely they could
long withstand such condagration as that OF yeser
day Tho factory was eight stories in height and as
hollow as u bogus piano. When the flames had licked
up the floors the walls bent and fell. This was only
half hour IRON the beginning Of tho fire and IL Is
noteworthy that the debris spread every direc
ton. Tho inner walls they fell seemed 10 como
together and embrace as II they had long de-
sired to meet On tho Thirty-nth street side
,,laA
Engine No. "a and dling the street with
bricks and mortar ON tho opposite side Of the way
the tenement house walls also foil, PROBABLY by tho
mere force oil example. bystander declared that no
never a pret;ier sight than tho falling of the
wall OF McMaster's house '!lt did not follow tho
usual custom Of falling walls at ALL no said, ''but
turned over with graceful curve and then broke on
in the middle" II It fell by the mere forco OF ex.
ample it is plain from this that IL had profted some.
Thing from observation. Few fires have done thoir
work moro thoroughly, aud tho block presents In
immature picture OF burned Chicago or Boston, or
Portland, little Chambersburg to which the rebel
McCausland put the torch. Frowning and weird
looking chimney stacks and broken walls and piles OF
debris every where to be seen. and they seem to
mock and laugh the misfortunes the children Of
men.
TENTH AVENUE FIRE.
When tue fire extended To Tenth avcuue aud bey0nd
tho brick buildings TO row Of four frame buildings
occupied by lager beer saloons and barber's chop a
most exciting scene occurred. Tho houses we're
rckety old-iashoned three -storied affairs with tin
roofs and plenty OF big windows, through which
draughts could have full play. Tho frcfcns ladders
up against their fronts and the brave fellows
crowded the roofs with hose playing ard active
In the midst OF their ab0rs spear OF fame shot up
ward II from some internal subterranean cavern
this followed by a dense volume OF smoke
that envcloped tho 6rcmen; a moment atcrward
there was a crash-a cry OF horror from
tho crowds-the roofs had fallen and carried down into
1ery interior the splendid fellows. Their assisting
brothers had ladders up to the windows in an Instant
and tho crash OF shverng glass and shattered case
incpts told how well they using their axes Soon
however, the brave fellows climbing out OF
the windows scramblng out from the debris as
they were salaInandcrs and had charmed lives
To the question from their foreman below,
''Are you all right tho clear response,
"We all right'' and shout, or cheer
went up from the crowd below. 4 barber Jonn
B. Stroh told the reporter that he occupied
OF the frame buildings burned on Tenth avenue.
AS evidence Of the quick destruction the lrc made
he said :--''Men Gottl was shaving Elm customer
am before could take the ather OF nit him lace
mein roof WAS of over mcin head" Jacob vettcr,
who keeps lager beer saloon, which burned, in
the same block, said that HaIc's factory gave employ
mcnt many people, and its destruction would prove
a great loss to tho acighborhood w. Schmoor's brick
house, next TO Vcitcrs and adjoining Joyce's was
almost a complete wreck. What the nro did not do
the water accomplished in tho work OF rain.
STREETS.
When tho smoke and fimcs hai partially cleared
away all along Tenth and Eleventh avenues, in Thirty
fourth Thirty hth and rhrty-sixih streets were to
be seen groups Of unfortuna,cs standing among damp
aud charrod mattresses broken furniture, poor rem
mats Of carpet, clocks, cracked mirrors, rocking
chairs and tho thousand and necessary but com.
mon uteass used in the homes OF the poor. Around
nearly every family there wasa lttio group oil sym
pathizcrs but abou. them, too, the puff, puff of
the fire engines tho cracking Of the near flames, the
hoarse shouts OF lrcmen the tramp of the march
ing police. and the excitement OF tho hour which
soon drove out the thoughts OF the suffering women
and children grouped on the pavcments.
Adjacent TO the broken walls OF hac's factory, In
Thr,v.Gfth street stood the dsmanilcd engine No. a.
rs il bewaii.ng ITS own misiortaucs III common with
all the desolation aroundit. little further down the
street was broken street lamp, from which the gas
was escaping and burning lcrcoy all the time. Tho
engines we're still playing upon Mr. Goodkind's house,
and all about wore the disconsoIate victims OF tho
connasration. Tho jagged walls and chmncys of
the piano factory seemed reDocs In the scene OF
desoaton and to threaten still on tho Thirty.sixth
street side tho scene presented desolatc
appearance A bureau stood the rocks where a
fused to burn. Where the next shanty had been an
forgotten by the nre which burned away tho wall