The New York herald., 1878-01-16
BARCLAY STREET FIRE.

MORE TESTIMONY AS TO THE DISASTER, BUT
NO LIGHT THROWN UpoN IT'S c,UsE.
Fire Marshal Sheldon continued his investigation
to the cause Of the Barclay street fire yesterday, OK
aminng three Witnesses tho substance OF whose tesli
mony will be found appended:-
Mrs Mary Rodmar, OF No 222 East 12Sth street,
sad-l was forewoman in the retail department at
Greennelds factory behind the counter, the
front Of the Barclay street store, when the ceiling
came crushing down me and things fell from to
upper shelf; heard no sound OF explosion; alter
tho crash saw hre got to the middle OF the store,
when there was lire behind me and between and
the door, but nnay ound my way out by the
hatchway; Ernest Greonneld acting cashier; ho
sat IN the show window at the time and had just asked
me to help hm to roll up the pennies did not know
the front OF the building had fallen until got ouisdc
was not burned, neither were tho girls Who escaped
with Inc.
INSURANCE PATROL TESTIMONY
Abram e. Hull, Captain o. lower Insurance Patrol,
said:-My patrol house In Murray street,
Church, was IN the house at the time OF tho accident
ana received still alarm IRON foreman OF the Elc.
waited Railway Company; went down ahead OF my
wagon ana was there advance OF the rre depart
ment; went INTO tho College place little way;
saw number of people lhere male ana female anc
thought from their they were em ployes; thero
was some hro showing at the junction OF tue two
buildings; seeing that the trouble was in the Barclay
street building went Immediately around there; tho
front was down ana tho ROOT upper floor
resting on the fourth floor being kept apart only by
Their contehs saw several DO, trying To escape IRON
tho third ioor; then turned my attention to No 6l
Barclay street, gong lin the rst floor with the
tention OF protecting the STOCK That 1t lrc
at the rear on tho urst floor, aud abandoned tho
,dea did not so up stars in that building, nor do
know any person who did; II was not more than
minutes after my arrival IN College place that
in No. u and found II on hfc.
THE SHIPPING cLERK's ESCAPE
William j. McCielanu, OF No. 129 Webster avenue
Jersey CITY, said:--l was Shipping clerk AZ Green
held's NJ the time OF the accident was 1T my dcsk
about tno middle oil the Barclay street ore: heard
a NOISE like the cracking oil nmbcrs, and, looking up,
saw the ceiling failing between and tho front; the
celng was OF WOOD but nad been of plaster, winch
Tell when dry, and SO Mr.. Greenfield hnd IL ccllcd
over with wood started at once ior the front door,
passing between the counters and out by the hatch
way there was no ilro IN tho store until reached
the street, winch crossed, and looked at the build
ing; the front was down, and tho noors seomcd 10
have settled together; Mr.. Greenfield had an idea
that the building was weak about tue stairways ana
SO had piers aid in cement and iron pillars them,
supporting girde- that along the basement Cell
ns beside tho stars Tor distance about thirty feet
there were similar Orders the lrst and second
noors pieces oil plaster from the ceiling used TO tall
before We had tho wood ceiling put up; at the time ot
tho accident stacey, the exprcssman was a my desk,
aud Nelson Greenfield, Farley aud DR.. DICK were
standing near by.