The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-19
SUNDAY NIGHTS BIG FIRE.
WORKING ON THE RUINS AND IsCER-
TIININO WH.iT rs LOST
The Probable Origin OF the Pi-e-The city
Escape from Great Conaaw-stIon
The Eighth Resiueut's Irreparabie Loss.


The Eighth Resiment's I-reparabie Loss.
After Chief Bates had got the Twenty
third street nrc under control on Sunday even
ing. he saw peril lurking in the fragmentary
walls of the Excelsior building; but 1t was
deemed best to wait until daylight before pull
ing them down. A critical examination that
was made early yesterday morning showed that
part OF the rear wall near the western end was
tottering and would soon fall. II did fall ut 10
O'Clock. The frcmcn then began to pull down
the front wall. Nooscs were thrown over win
dow easements by fireman on tho aerial ladder,
and In several instances, in order to make the
necessary fastepings. flremen were obliged TO
crawl along the ragged walls and through the
windows. Spectators held their breath as they
saw the fremcn doing this. for the strong wind
occasionally swayed the walls. The ruins were
however. pulled down without accident before
sundown. Some of the partition walls remain
standing and seem to be very firm. The tall
chimney that stood in the rear is ~ strong a.
ever. Nothing Of the Excelsior building except
ing the bricks can be utilized In rebuilding. 1t
Ia Mr.. Oglvies intention to rebuild as soon rs
the losses are adjusted.
Little can be done with the ruins Of the Third
Reformed Presbyterian Church The front
seems TO be sound. and parts of the other walls
may be built upon. Yesterday the trustees
spent some time in looking up n hall in which
to hold services.
The front Of the West Twcnty-third Street
PRESBYTERIAN Church il perfectly sound. and 1t
IL believed that the other walls may be- repaired.
The insurance is ample and the church will
rebuild INN edatey.
The total loss IS estimated nj no, far from hall
mil on. The enormous frs, cost Of the EN-
ccls'or building. which was one Of the enter
rrs = Of the Tweed r NIX, tended to Increase
the first "st mate Of the loss. The Fire Marshal
srys thu, the build ng cpn be rrpnced Tor siOn o.
uo. There is lHrl," loss. however. TINT caunut
II" mad" l"od hv any amount Of mon v. Not "A
ing was saved from the Third Reformed Pr 's-
'yt"riun ChMlch. Even the pu PIT Bhe WINS
DESTROYED I'll" valuable records Of the Third
Hrls4dr ar gone. ami with ihrui many cher
,sh"i m"mon'c"s that the Eighth Regiment
Gross Co. recently failed and their business
NJ the uu."ui u" ilre Wi. b ius carried IN 10y
ture VI not exceed 81 400. and NJ = was insured
ioI 5000 for H." ben III, 1T N. rrrl tors.
1u" heaviest lo-Hr i- lh'olur" DO n'h. His
SO - ~ ,urhtur an harii n"ry ne estimates
1T sWo@ his insurance IL $4,000 II hons .
IN Iw ny ,s"ond street. ni tl. rrar 81 900 EN-
cts l'r u l'i ng, WAS dgmnsed about 81 900.
Mr. George DAVIS arrived from Albany y.ster-
DAY morn ng. ami went from the Grand C"nir 81
! depot direct t. the ,'n" vt the fire. H. " ~
do NJ large bus u 49,. and estimated Il sio *
sl2no0. H.. carr '-.l $4,000 Insurance.
byr IN Alg"r. proprietor o. tIr Manhattan
LtnnutN - less than 81 600.
K"uN Go. hal asmnll So X of furniture on
,"r 10000. tn firm sun red heavy loss al the
'pih STR. nr. n November L.si
,iani~d, Mr. L's,-y Wa at, the I Pr S"ien%t no of tie
broken Trade Savings blnk. At 220. Mr.. PIN
ION ana wiie & l"s thr n,onr} they had Exp nd'd
rlnk.
Oi the Eighth Regiments cff cts nothing Of
p"'uniary ynuo was saved. and but for the
would hHv. been lost. The uniforms OF the
Eighth Regiment. OF Gen. varian Ani -taff. the
a. iniulstoL Il .. the camp uipm-ntp. the
DECORATIONS. II = t-'li wed by good Judges. can
not nr r"plnred for much less than sG0.OpO. and
col; ; ott net several members Of his com
mand y"Si'rd and Will they were unaui-
on'e and by II little energy and pluck keeping
| w thr surits of the men, still they irhr de-
murHiizsitnn rs result of thu fire. An effort Is
| H Ht1 IL. inhur = once Tor an appropriation IRON
| the y ate 10 r"mhurS., the regiment. Coi. Scott
received a note from johnson Il shepherd Early
M'st"rdhv, on ring tho irrs usr OF the han at
! Twenty. seventh street and Ninth avenue.
fire Marshal sheldon. after thorough per
| spnal Investigation. has satisfied himself that
| III" FIRE orig mated in the plan NIX room in tn.
| basement AT ZIG THIS room wis used tor the
! storage OF lumber by the osrui,ants of the rn .
| "" building and some snwin. was don- in 1t.
| from tins basement up 10 the sev nth story
| th"r- were two iindrr boxes loo tho hrr To run
| through. One was the elevator. TINS was
! tfnpp'd with iron doors, and the traps may
nav" been closed. tut the lmpr.-sion oi III. FIR.
'lHINIlHl ana ill Spllt' OF tnH ln-urun 80 lutfDl
j. that II wts not. Then there WAS the stairway
p'tssug". OF lis"if suflici"ut to give tho IRE u
irre sw""r Of the building and OF the tnder-
| isr furniture ia the upper stprI-s.
Inc orlgln Ui th" lire ~ now charged t. care
| lr-sn ~. tn" Fire Marshal has learned that "A
| nunii"r ~ persons were in the building on sun
| duy, Rni among them some Of RouX II Co. :
| workm"n. VI. nv Of tn" wurkmrn IA furniture
hcIoric- have pirce work that dors not r,,Iu r..
| st"ain power and they often take spare hours
| ON sunday Tor inisuins H. There Is little doubi
thai some OF T." wurknen spent III" afternoon
| at Work on piece work. and 1t is known that tar
| hrt one dld not pult the building until } =
! "flp h. II u SUPPOSED that a irc WAS klnIl"G.
| AMI Then not properly watched.
The prop riy tt.ht WAS burned was classed hy
| lnsur4n e. mrn. the chur hes az NJ risks and
| inr TX '"slor huild ~ as very hazardous.
hVts on the latter and ia cont ,nis varied from
Two am "a half 10 it 10 p"r cent. The rhurrh Ii RISKS
| " r." taken NJ very low ngur p. Onr coup ny
| r'fusri to consdrrNn HupliYtinn On the Excel
| or bu aiding unless very nigh rat, . wnre Iaii.
| aud rrrcnt,y s5DOuO OF risks on the hulidln.
| expired nni wrr. not rem we'd. The amount
on the West Twrnty-third Street Presbyterian
| Church has always been thou ,ht large. but ihr
trustees have considered IN "iltctini. il-ur,nH Ht'
! III danger they were IN should IA. TX -'ls or
| building ever catch fire. Thc lnsursl - are.