New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-11-18
FULTON FISH MARKET BURNED.

AN EXCITING SCENE ON THE WATER FRONT.
THE FIRE THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN THE WORK OF
AN lNCENDIARY-THE LOWER PORTION OF TIE
BUILDING sAVED-LOsS THIRTY THOUSAND DOL
LARs-INsUEANCE FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
Few persons that have used the Fulton
Ferry Brooklyn could have failed to notice long
wooden building at the waters edge directly north Of
the NewYOrk frry-EOuse. 1t was OF somewhat preton-
tous architecture, three cupOlas Gaping its slOpng
roof, each holding aloh flagstaff. rom the summit
OF one Of which golden fsh-yane told the
direction of the wind. The building two stories in
height, Of light drab color and beneath the black ROOF
there was also attic Oat of its windows
one looked into a large dock, which was con
stanty filled with small sailing vessels. on whose decks
could be pacing about men OF an
extreme sailor Tyne weatIng sOu'westcrs and oskn
coats Several floats lined the shore serving usually as
landings for the OF the vessels. but also on
pleasant days SummertO the horror OF fstidous pas
sengers on ferry diving boards for legOnOf
naked boys Upon the SOuthst face OF the building an
INSTRUMENTATION Market Wholesale Fish Market
told its use Here for many years the great trade in
fish OF this city has been carried on. From the DOCK
there 90 forth $50 vesels many of them large schOon
ers, to hunt for fish along the coast from
Cape Hatteras to Nova Scotia. Moreover. hun
dreds of private fishermen and breeders OF FISH
the product of their labor to be sold The bus
involves the expenditure OF seve raj millions of dol
ars year. It goes OIL it might be said increasingly for
even upon Sunday vessels arrive with cagOs and boxes
of fish come by railroad which must be cared for.
Yesterday was exception to this rule. In tho
drizzlng rain W. f. Coddy, the Waterman, was husily
taking in boxes OF fish from an express wagon al 23o
d. III. Charles Kranc. young man employed about
the market while standing at Beekman and SOuth-sts
caught glimpse of wreath OF smoke hanging along
the edge OF the roof OF the FISH market The smoke was
confined to the northern part of the building and was
especially dense the sign OF Benjamin d west
Kranc told his companion, James Miller TO run Tor an
engine while he would warn the Waterman Soon En-
cine No 20 WAS Oh the ground hut before il got TO
work es crept out from beneath the roof along the
entire front OF the market. An alarm was
sent out for engines, but before they ar
rived lets OF fire occasionally spuried out OF tue
lattces in the cupuas. The fire had apparently gained
posseson of the entire attic of the building before 1t
was discovered. There partitions in the attic.
and IL was filed with all kinds OF rubbish, so that fire
once started could quickly make It's way across the
As the engines dashed into the neghborhoOd, and The
market was seen to be on fire. a great crowd
taken into md-strcam and small tugs stopped suddenly
ON the river, if tTanshxod with wonder Dun gray
clouds covered the sky and rain drops began to fall.
In the dock there great CONSERVATION visible
among the shipping The sailors were pntth9 t9rth al.
farther ont into the river river steamboat
lying at Pier Mo H. H. s Swne. OF of f the aO4 s
Alexander Marshal aud Transit, both OF New-lGrk'
it 10 steam pump the pier aud began throwing
Every effort was made to save the building from de-
structOn Nine engines we're pumping On the fire:
The streams OF water poured over every inch OF
the roof and penetrated into all the rooms on
The second floor But they did reach the attic and
there the fire grew crcer shown by the clouds OF
smoke that rolled out along the caves Of the building.
The bremen finding at last mat then method was faulty
one. cut holes through the roof and poured water
through them. But the flames persisted III coming up
through these holes They began TO crawl about
the cupOas, and finally, about an hour after
the fire was discovered the central cupola was wrapped
m flames soon the flagstaff fell with It's golden fsh
yane Flames also began 10 appear here ana there
along the edge OF the roof. Pour on water
as hey might the remeu could not save 1901 or tue
second floor OF the building the protecting ROOF having
the first time at an advantage. From every point
streams Of water were poured into the bulid-
ing Firemen even stood upon tae s ,hnty
waists in tue water, holding hose from which
water directed INTO the building. In this way the
lower part OF the building was saved Even me
ceiling of the fIst floor saved SO that business viii
20 on there to-day usual The part destroyed was the
roof and the second moor.
On RMS site iisn-market has been erected for over
sixty Years Up to 1869 there were merely rude sheds
on spot but IN that year the "Flsimougrs society
OF NewYOrk erected the present building at cost OF
$4,000 There additional expense, the bnlR-
head. costing $4,000. The society has issued 1,l5o
shares 500 Most Of the shares are owned by the Oc-
cupants OF the iuildng, who are az follows Bcnl1mn
& West, Moon IaDpnear j. N Harris Co f. Rog;
Clark Co, Null Eldrcd. Wallace Keency Herbert
4 Rogers, WOocy LanpEear 4 Co., Rogers q Edwards,
Caleb Is. Haley, A. L. Rogers Ghappel Storcr' w;
Campbell & Co., aud John H. Lynch. The loss Will
be about $4,000. The building was opened on
October IL, 1869. Up 70 Thursday last II was
insured $4,000 but on that daS IL rclnsarcd
for only $4,000 the trustees thinking that IT was fool
is IA tnem insure SAFE building foI 90 large
nremiuus on saturday. Following are the names OF
nine companies III which there was an insurance:
Mechanics Mechanics ........- S9ooo
AiIant c.......... 5000 Nas'au.............. 1000
,lyaV,g i,ur