The New York herald., 1878-11-18
The Fulton Wholesale Fish Market
Destroyed by Fire.
HEAVY LOSSES SUSTAINED.
Magnificent Spectacle Offered by the
Burning Building.

day afternoon while two men named John Fisher and
Charles Kranck standing the corner Of South
and Beekman streets they saw smoke issuing from
the top Of the northerly wing Of the market kranck
rushed across and informed the watchman. while his
companion to Engine House No 32 in Burling
slip. BY the time the engine arrived OIL the ground
dense volumes of smoke pouring ont from the
roof, but particularly in the second alarm
was sounded, but in an incredibly short
time the whole upper portion in
flames and streams of fire were pouring out
from the windows and portions OF the roof.
light drizzle fallns-not enough to extingush
the fire-whe strong wind blowing from the
north toward the Fulton ferry house. from which
the market separated by only very limited
space. From the first there not the slightest
hope Of saving the building. and the efforts Of the
fremen were directed mainly toward preventing
spread of the flames to the Fulton Market opposite
and to the a1joinrg shipping.
Sergeant Fitzgerald, with force of forty police
men, was early the ground. and the police boat
Seneca was teleeraphed subsequently twenty more
men came the ground from the First precinct the
entira force being under the control of inspector
Murray.
THE BUILDING.
In order to intelligently trace the course Of the
flames it will be necessary first to describe the build
ing and its location 1t erected about nine years
ago on the site Of the old FISH market which
long reproach and nuisance to New York The hoor
supported by 247 spiles some of them being sunk
to depth of sixty feet. 1t built entirely of
wood two stories high had frontage of 199 feet and
60 feet deep. The roof surmounted by three
cupolas, each surmounted by flagstaff, the centre
one bearing weather in the form OF
fish. The interior. the ground floor, was
divided of into what called stands These
~.
Of the building except three in the centre. two Of
which ten feet and feet wide. As
of the directors said yesterday leach owned his
stand from the floor to the roof Above each stand
an Office counting feet by nine. In the
centre elegantly fitted up apartment designed
general meeting and for the of the di-
rectors. There eighteen entrances to the front,
and each hung large globuar lamp At night it
was lighted by 144 gas jets. The original cost was
$123OOO. The institution formally opened by an
elegant entertainment Monday. October 1s. 1869.
The present stand owners John Lynch, J. W.
Campbell Co., Campbell & Storms, A. L. Rogers L.
Co., Caleb Haley Co.. Rogers Edwards, Wooley,
Iamphcar 4 Co.. Wallace Keency. Null &
Eldrdge. Powell. Clark Co.. s. b. Miller Co.. D.
Haley Co., John Comstock 4 Co.. E. B. Rogers & Co..
J. NJ. Harris Co.. Moon Lamphear and Benjamin
West As stated, the fire broke out in the west end
yet impossible to determine Mr. Haley. one OF the
directors Of the association. said to HERALD reporter
that in his opinion il eccasoned by the gnswing
OF matches by rats with which the building had been
ovcrrun of late, and about being taken
to exterminate them This theory would appear to be
the only that could be reasonably advanced, as it
was stated positively that there not .
for heating purposes. portable light in the
building and Jet Of gas lighted at the time
the fire was discovered. 1T is i'll wind that blow
nobody good s old adagc. and it certainly proved
in this At the pier west Of the market
two immense shps-the Alexander Marshall. OF tho
Black Ball line, and the Transit. owned in this city
In the rear Of the market feet OF fishing smacks
least fifty sixty in number, which anchor
in the basin formed by the piers jutting out
from Fulton and Beekman streets. Had the
wind been from the west they would certainly
have been destroyed. while had it been from the east
the collection Of rookeries the opposite side Of the
street would have disappeared In fact. il blow
ing from quarter whence IL could do the least HARM
the nearest building southwest is the Fulton ferry
house, which is built entirely Of iron. The upper
portion Of the market packed with old barrels
and dried fish, the barrels than which there could
not have been any easier food for the flames. burning
like finder. The centre cupola the first to go. and
the Flagstaff was seen to totter wild rush OF the
remen and spectators was made for place Of safety.
"
| and hurt. The cupola fell next, and the
last to fall the that portion Of the build
Ss stated above. the original cost was $IascOo but
$150 of this amount was expended in the erection of
bulkhead Up to Friday last there had been $4,000
insurance the building and stock but the directors
had decided that there no necessity for keeping
large amount. and two days before it de-
stroyed the insurance the market was reduced to
| $4,000. This placed by the Mechanics Insu-
| rance Company and apportioned among nine other
| companies in risks of $1,000 each.
4 pnkIA II INN
The Fulton ferry house was the objective point for
many sightsecrs. Thousands Of persons crowded
the wet and dirty passage in South street leading
| from the Fulton Ferry Hotel to the ferry house.
| Many lsdies accompanied by gentlemen. remained
msdly l swept the roof OF the market. and eagerly
watched the drenched firemen. The boats leav-
ing the slips every ten minutes were fllei
| who was prevented by the police from view.
| ing the nre from the sidewslk. crossed
the ferry and said to HERALD reporter on his
turn :-:.Never have finer sight. The Never
sink she towcd up the river nothing to it.
stop the United States Hotel and have taken great
delight in looking st the large res that have occurred
| In this ncighborhood have seen many. and the
scene presented by this one is superior to all When
came over 70 the New York slip. few minutes ago,
| the darkness mingling with the light. With the
blazing fish market ss background and the tall
ma mas.s 81 t1e 1 nsmns ,hn nna ~, .ne ,d vrr ,
gliterng sign boards on the side of the slip the tall
nasts Of those giant ships the north. the strug
Cling rcmen on the reboats It was picture grandcr
than any ever painted. The drizxng rain rather
added than took away from its grandeur
FORMATION OF THE rIsHMoSGERs ASSOCIATION.
Thomas Crocker an old Fulton Market hsh
dealer, IL was said. was the original protector Of the
scheme for the erection of the building From the
ideas furnished by him in July. 1860. II was
decided to form stock association, to be
known the Fulton Market Fshmongers'
Association" The stock placed in l.l55
shares, and IL was originally intended to
keep IL among tho dealers TO be located in
the market. But time and circumstances prevented
this. Each share valued at 500. and paid quar-
tery dividend of two per cent IL was eagerly sought
for and held in great demand BY the large FISH deal
Of this city.
The stock was all held by the fish dealers located in
the market as said heretofore. till failure Of one
of the dealers two years ago. Each dealer had his
shares apportioned to him by the
citation but the failure this dealer threw his seventy
shares into the hands " president of Brooklyn
bank. As time wore on other dealers, pinchcd
for money, disposed OF some Of theirs
outside Of the dealers at tho Market there were owned
seventy one shares by the bank president mentioned
above twenty shares by Miss Jennie pearsal thirty.