New-York tribune., 1878-02-18
flames for more than two hours. and at midnight
es, xerc still burning srsnCiy.


scenes we're witnessed. The families living di-
rectly opposite on Twenty-tmrd-st were greatly
alarmed, and not few of them rushed INTO the
streets Several ladies tainted, and were CARED 10
the houses of their friends in the nighborhood
Many of the frightened people fled into the yards
behind their dwellings, and cndeavored to
escape. When the fremen and police
assured the owners of these neighboring buildings
that there was danger of their being burned out
odiet was restored. The occupants of the houses
on Twenty-second-st in the rear of the burning
building, aud on each sido of the two burning
churches we're also much excited, but the efforts OF
the firemen allaycd their fears.
The fire broke ont at an hour when the streets
were filed with persons their way 10 church OF
walking for recreation, and when the flames SUD
denly burst upon their sight with marvellous bril-
lancy great rush was made for the scene OF the fire.
The streets were thronged for blocks around People
turned from the church doors, and large crowd
which was rapidly filing the Grand Opera House TO
attend on evening entertainment. rushed INTO
Eiohtb-ave in such confusion that panic was pre-
vented with great difficulty The only occupant OF
the Excelsior Buildings ut the time Of the fire were
Thomas Murphy, the janitor and his family, who
barely escaped with their lives The stables i'll the
courtyard in the rear of the building also caught
fire. and the bravery Of the trenen alone saved sew
eral fine horses.
Officers of the fire and police forces stated last
night that this fire wasthe largest that had occurred
in this city since the memorable Broadway fire III
1876. The BOnG-st. fire thought TO nearly
rival il in loss of property. The total loss
Of the factory building itself is placed at
sums ranging from S25O000 to 100000. The
building cost over 100000. The value of the
contents Of the buildings was estimated at various
suns but it was thought 10y the Superintendent OF
the Insurance Patrol last night that the total loss
on both building and contents would reach from
$500, 900 to $65000 Together with the loss on
the two churches the total loss of the tro
was estimated by a h;imber of officers OF
insurance companies, at from $500, to $ooO,OoV
Some persons even placed the loss at 81. 100000 In
the absence Of the OF the several stores IL
was impossible to ascertain the value of their stock
ON hand. The amount of insurance on al the build
ings was also unknown last night, but 1t was stated
to be very heavy.
sTATENENT OF An EYEWITNESS.
4 gentleman who was in front of the building
when the fire broke out, says: 81 was startled by
cries of fire proceeding from two or three
persons who had just rushed oat Of the
doorway used az an entrance to the Sth
Regiment Armory. The fash of flame
seen through the glass cellar lights almost stimuli
taneously with its appearance through the IRON
shutter of the fifth story window. The building
was built of iron, six stories high having windows
ON each side in the fourth fifth and sixth
stories The fire first burst from the north
east corner Of the upper part OF the build
ing flaming out from these side windows The
alarm was sounded at 7:10 y. m, and three engines
arrived at 7:15 pm. The arnorer, Thomas Muir
ply. hurredly removed his family, and quickly.re-
turned to the building and succeeded III saving the
regmental standards
"rhe mass Of fame was pouring through the side
windows so powerfully at 100 p. NJ. that it threat
ened the roof of the West TwcntythiId Street Pres
byterian Chmch. This roof was covered with fire.
men, who had succeeded in getting four streams of
water on the burning building from that point The
church was separated from the Excelsior Building
by an alley ten feet wide, which ended at small
building used as q study by the Rev. Henry White
the pastor Three minutes later the whole interior
of Nos 2l6 and 21S was thoroughly ignited. The
fren,en had now several tha frat inor of
these pU.tivns of the building but they could
scarcely cool tina front sufficiently to direct the
streams successfully. AZ 735 the cartridges III the
armOry began to explode causing great
excitement in the crowd, the report having
been passed around that great amount OF explosive
material was stored in the building. The side walls
soon began to warp badly. At 7:44 the firemen
were compelled to leave the entire front of the
building Two minutes later the entire upper
stories were one mass of flame.
"The fire had made headway so rapidly that no
attempts were made TO remove any property from
the row of brick houses opposite the Excelsior
Building. The residents had by this time become
thoroughly alarmed, and several sick and fainting
women were removed through tie fire lines At
$50 p IN. an explosion occurred IN the
fourth or fifth floor which blew out the front Of
those stories and the general outline of the building
began to disappear. Al 100 the West Twenty
third Street Church thought TO be lost and tic
fnd IN I ttvoI l.
ings opposite which were thoroughly drenchcd
causing a cloud of steam to rise from their
heated fronts. At $40 the entire front of
the Excelsior Building was burning, with the
wall badly warped. The fremcn had run lengths
of hose through an unoccupied house, No. 20G, and
had directed several streams the church. Five
minutes later, the front of the building fell
with a great crash. tho eastern half falling
in the street completely blocking it. The
western half fell in, causing the flames
to shoot I'D to a great height. This was followed
by the falling of the western side walls, which
broke through the roof of the Third Reformed
Presbyterian Church. The spre Of the West
Twentv-thrd Street Church ignited att $40 p. IN,
and presented a very beautiful spectacle the metal
fastenings Of the roof. in bugling, emitting green
and blue flames The spro was soon reduced to a
fiery skeleton. At $50 p. ~ the fire wasentlrely
under control.
"The fire occurred at an hour when every one was
at leisure which accounted for the presence Of a
very large crowd. Twentytnird-st. from Seventh
ave. to Sixth-ave. so densely packed with
people that passing almost impossible The
cross-streets for several blocks each way were
throngcd with excited people, requiring the
utmost eXertion of the police 10 keep the
fire lines clear The Twenty-third Street Cross
town line of cars was blocked. Tray on the Sew
nd OH " d el.