New-York tribune., 1878-02-19
SCENES AMONG THE RUINS.


THE WORK or TEARING DOWN THE DANGEROUS
wAIIs-FURTHER INCIDENTS AND DETAILS OF
THE FIRE.
The r,Iins of the fire in West Twenty-third-
nj LIGHTED I'D the western part OF the city with duli
GLOW until morning broke yesterday. Then the hrcmeh
who had been working through the night as best they
could keep flames under control were eoe 10 get
a correct idea extent of the damage. After mid
night al. except three engines were Withdrawn Those
shat remained continued TO play streams OF water upon
the ruins flashes of flame were seen through
the clouds of smoke and vspor Chef Giequel was al
his post through the night. and directed al the opera
tions yesterday tearing down The dangerous walls
Two squads policemenabOut forty in au-under the
charge Of Captain Alaire. of the sixteenth Precinct
were detailed preserve order IN the adjoining s'ree'S'
Very ugly and desolac the ruus OF the two cHurcheS
and of the Excelsior Buildings looked early Jeseioa!
morning. The front wall Of the EXCELSIOR Dnhoiss
re~embed a huge gridiron. The walls OF the cenilal
po,ton rose I'D three stores high and being supported
by the partition walls seemed very firm On either sie
however the walls appeared ready to erunoie anu lai
At the extreme side of No. 220, single spur o
brick rose about twenty feet above the other wall one
of the two partition walls which extended from the
front 10 the rear the building remained slnost en-
tire Al the extremity most remote from the street;
Two Jagged points of brick shaped IKE huge letter u
swayed slowly and fro in the wind, like gigihuc
pendulum. TAc motion was plainly perceptDlc even to
those a half block away.
In sripg contrast 10 the backened and stained stone
of the front of tins aiding the sign Of the Maii-
haitian steam laundry which was as fresh a. housh
,ust from the p,nters kand Even the gliding on the
pars at each side OF the door not tarnished Inc
rear walls ard the side wall the west had mostly nl
en- in On the east side the greater part OF the wall had
toppled over upon the Vest Twenty third street Presby
terrain Church, but the chimney Of the furniture
manufsc lOryn the southeast corner, wEcre the nFe
was first dlscOvered-remaincd uninured standing ou
against the SKY bold relief Near byand rising to almost
TN p,pliuc mil of
Sly chorred timbers remained pointing skywaTd, and
tremed with every passing breeze They seemed to he
burned almost through IN places, yet even the hefee
gusts Of wind that swept OF the loose fragments OF cor
nice failed to move them from their places Inc |
front of this church injured very slightly |
the doors and even the walls OF the Vestl- |
bulc were unharmec. The walls also appeared 10
have suffered little damage. Clouds OF smoke ana lets
Of fame came occasionally from the interior The Third
Reformed Presbyterian Church, however. was almost
total wreck, and it thought that there was small
hope of rebuilding 1t. The front presented deceptive
appearance of soundncss but the rear ana side walls
were crmhiug ana detached portions fell At Intervals
From al parts the ruins smoke continued TO arse
during the day. The calcincd walls enclosed mass OF
srnonldering rubbish Heaps of gssppcs twisted INTO
fantastic hapes half buried under great sheets Of
fin roofing fragments stone and piles OF brick From
The centre OF this debris single COrlnthan column,
with its entablaure uuh2rmed This, with broken col
un near base gave the ruins an antique appearance
In the engine yard at the rear of the building. two
hundred and fifty tons OF coal stored few days
ago This coal shoulders still. although water mas been
poured upon IL the fire The street in front Of
all three buildings is flied with heaps Of brick and stone
among which scattered large portable IRON i0rgrs
Twenty third-st., yesterday looked a. II II mob be-
learured IL at both Crowds OF curious sight
seers-rieh mainly in leisuTe-gathered at early
hour and seemed content If they could catch
an occasional glimpse of the scene OF de-
sruction. The burned buildings were about
midway between Seventh and Eighth-aveS. At
both avcDues, police lines were rgidly' maintaned
Endless were the devices get entrance, and many
Iudcrous scenes resulted. Here stawart policeman
eocld be seen walking of with tiny dis
tict telegraph boy under each arln. Near
by supple negro girl slipped, like an eel,
through the line OF guards and made Wild
dash IN the street; when in front OF the fire. she
was overnaued and thrust into the outer avenue amid
the ieeIs OF the crowd The TweDythirdst ears were
allowed TO run many rode through the lines and tn'n
eghtod These uterlopcrs marched on by the
police The windows snd soOps OF ali the houses oppo-
site we're filed with interested spectators
TEARING down TIL WALLS.
Among those present the street, yesterday morning
were Clle Gicquel Chief Bates, oi the Fire Depart
tneut superintendent WILSON, OF the Insurance Patrol
End superintendent Adams, OF the Department
OF buildings. Chef Gcquel had under his charge
Hook and Ladder Companies Nos. II and L.
about twentyfour men iu all. Inc rear wall
OF the Excelsior Buildings fell with q great crash
ut 10 O'Clock. Soon after the Work or den0i-
i.hing the remaining front walls begun but it was
found very difficult got any ladder up to the top Of
the wall About O'Clock the Arial ladder arrived Jis
L. complicated piece OF mechanism which was retired
from active service about two years ago when
IL fell killing Chief Mach, in Mnlket'st. Ihe lad
der which ia fastened together sections aud rests
on truck. can be extended to height OF
ninety-fve feet. Yesterday it was made 70 reach a
height OF seventy feet. Eight turned the cranks OF
each side OF the truck. and the unweidy Ladder grad
uany rose in the air until 1t reached al angle
OF about sixty degrees, and its extremity almost
touched the front OF the ruined wall. Heavy
weights on the back of the truck preserved the equif
rum Up this ladder went nimbly Captain Walton, Of
Hook and Ladder Company No. IL. He knotted heavy
rope about the wall between two windows The ladder
was wheeled aside puleys and tackle were rigGed up
and about twenty men pulled together The ropes suo
denly broke the men fell, but the wall did not
This opcration was repeated with variations during tho
afternoon About half-pas four O'Clock huge mass Of
the wall was brought low. The WORK theu went forward
RAPIDLY and about dark the entire street front OF the
Fx.elsior Buildings was levelcd TO the ground. The
rnembers of the and ladder companies then ei the
grouDG hut the solitary engine at the Eghsye corner
uuned away through the night, ana the street was
guarded by strong force OF reserves from tne oNeeh'h
Very few new incidents we're obtained Yesterday about
the conf.gration. DR. Charles ID. Brown or No 22i
Wrst T~snty-ihrds, gave slhensd lsVy ASou. wy
breaking ont Of the tire. Said he: "bDoftE before
sroye tbrourh Twenty-tnirI-st toward Eghthavc. on
She from the fire at tho LotoS Cuo nhth III ot
,f the Excelsior Building the driver bSed Tor moment
huf after few words with companions drove on.
A. Eighth-aye several Of the left the truck and
tret 20 peer in through the between the heavy
iron suiters bat finally went away There y no DOUBT
be,n ,hc 10 see anything conrrm their suspicious
abandoned the search The tre Doubtless snoldered IN
Tie bnldipg for two hours and then gaining headway
broke forth with sudden terceness that swept every
tIhS lt;,.o -, ,, srteenth Precinct said yea