New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-03-27

| est sufferers the people OF moderate means,
whose homes were destroyed. The insurance was
fairly distributed among most of the companies hav-
| ing offices or agencies in the city.
| OVER HALF A MILLION LOST.
| THE HIGGINS BUILDING IN CANAL-sT NEARLY DE-
| sTROYED-sEvENTEEN FIRMS SUFFER A LOSS OF
$Gi5, 000-ILsT OF LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
While people journeyed down town to their
daily business. between hafpast and - O'Clock yes
terday morning, they upon enigma at Canalst
The laden with the odors OF conGagration, but
after o'clock fire and little smoke was TO be seen.
Between Broadway and CrOsby-st appearances we're
| convncng several steam engines were at work. and
two three hook and ladder trucks blocked the street
crowd was on the south side Of Canal, in front Of
| the hve-story marble building Of T.. s. Higgins, the
whe-st. carpet merchant This building comprised
four large the north side OF Canast Nos. 26l.
2G3, 265 and 2G7, and two Oh lowards, Nos. Al and
49, the parts being connected by skyght gallery
the first floor With all the fuss and furry at the scene
of the fire. great absence OF Information or
means OF forming superficial Judgment, and the down
town tide OF travel forced to pass by with an inde
mite impression Of very ordinary fire. when in fact
flames and water had destroyed over half million dol
| lars worth OF property before o'clock.
| An alarm sounded from the station az Broadway
and Caua.t. at 1896 a. This alarm sounded by
u policeman. Almost simultaneously fire was dis
covered at $40 Broadway. and one company stopped to
look after that while the other zines got TO work on
the Conalst fire. The Office floors Of the Higgins build
ing wrapped in flames nsiec OF half an hour and
fire had crcpt down into the middle partitions OF the
first floor A strong westerly wind was blowing. and
| the flames gained such Roadway that gen.
eral alarm was sounded. The Company at No.
80 Broadway, hearing that its services were
needed in Canas worked with astonishing energy and
soon was able TO join the many companies engaged
about the large fire Inside Of hour the flames which
hal steadily gained the emon, threatened TO seize
| a fh.r.1 IVA
So that before O'Clock about thirty engines were pour
ing steady streams OF water the fire from all sides
and and ladder companies were on the ground
At G:3O A. IN the fire under control, hut not quickly
sIbdued, aud engines were kept steadily at work
through the afternoon. The property In the stores i'm
mediaiely adjoining the Higgins building. ON Canast
| was considerably damaged by smoke and water. The
two Howard ST. stores belonging 10 tue building were
saved only after great exeTtioDs. after sustaining some
damage the goods contained In them being considerably
the worse the water which from the hose which
| was carried through the buildings.
The first floor remains almost wholly intact. and the
second floor only partially burned out In front. II is
supposed therefore, that the fire originated where
between the third and Nth stories Hill Brothers, doal
In millinery goods, who occupied the hs hoor OF o.
263 and 265. through TO lioward-st, had watchman,
and two slept In the store. When the clerks were
awakened clouds Of smoke we're pouring out Of
the upper stories ami the fire spread from the cell.
ing the store. Cohn, Ball 4 CO.. cotiers. occupied
seroud aud Of the fourth nOOrs Of Nos 2Gl
and 263. II is thought by some that the re orginsted
IN their the fourth floor, while they think
IL broke In lower story. The employees OF the LIN
errie Manufacturing Company at work In the
pany's the fourth noor until after III o'clock
fire. Ia the stoves Waterman says hs saw flames
ia the partition between the rooms OF H irothes ana
B l.. Coffin. near the ceiling but smoke Indicated that
nre was raging higher up ia the building. The lrcmen
are OF opinion that the hre originated In No 2G5
OCCUPANTS OF THE BUILDINGS.
y. L. Coffin occupied the stound floor and basement OF
DnI tuif a.
and water have injured his property, lie thinks TO the
extent OF $50 900 Very little can be saved His insur-
ance amounts SIS 900, divided in small sums among
| different companies.
The first floors and Easements OF Nos. 2G3 and 265, as
well as the two stores Howsrdst, occupied by
m Brothers, dealers in millinery goods IL viii be I'M
posbe for them until they their books from the
safe TO estimate their loss Their season was at Its
height business was very brisk and nsT sGck c %as
ouI they roughly estimate their insurance at ssJooO,
| divided among numerous companies ,n,,
C"hn Ball Co.. manufacturers OF boys ana chilutehs
clothing occupied the second and fourth floors OF NOS
2Gi aud 263 They are probably the hsaves. os1r 5
was valued upward OF 100000 The insurance, when
they not roughly estimate With mueh eAae'heSS'
The Third noofs occupied by H. Elias Co. manu-,
acurcrs of white ana flannel shirts and their goods are
| "a total loss, which Is paced between Tioooo anu
$4,000. the insurance amounting 10 between fioVVo
aud I'll ,000 IN the Miliamsbursh Cty ana TWO other
Bernard King manufactures OF ladies' and children's
s %s On the Ss, %@a with
ancc Of %, OoOor - 900 IN three or four companies
| The Lingerie Manufacturing Company, OF race soous,
underwear, etc, A. T. DICK, manager was ON tle sane
door Business was very brlak win the eompay ana m
saws he was In nc building until after u oc'"eh nc
had oHy small c9al Stove Tor ssg %ns without
fire that night, the girls beng unable as me w'snc,
and machinery The Insurance aggregates $4,000.
placed in the American Pennsylva, anu ire ~
ion all OF philadelphia. ana tbe american 'chi"' VI
| Louis, each 10 tho amount OF SZJoo: ,.-
Mills Glib Of No 40 roadMay While goods Gg re-
upper story, which was without Insurance. ana IL o'
William 0. Headcy & Son, who occupied the ground
floor and base meDt of No 267 aud who i!nao'ure9
trunks aud travelling bags lose between Slo.ooo anu
$4,000 from fire and water and have insurance Oh DC
| tween $4,000 AMI $4,000 $780,, 4. ,,
and boys clothing occupied the third and fonrl oors
of NOS 265 and 267, aud lost al OF toli stonh @ ~
business. Their loss is about $4,000 with S29ooo III
surance placed in $1,000 amounts IN tne I "sr
| Germania, Boston Underwriters, ahu etahdaiu i"sn
M IL TiIietts, who recently removed to Chicago.
fopmerIy occnpicd part OF the building az dealer Ia
mems and boys clothing. About eight cases OF ms goos
were stored With Chaiterton Co.. and are total loss
One OF the two stores belonging 70 that part OF the
building Howardsl., was occupied py +; &
from - 900 20 10000 ia damage from smoke aud
water with $4,000 insurance, III hitecn dnefeh' co
c. W. Weinberg, dealer in trimmings and zephyr
worscds, occupied the other liowaidst s.oe; inss
hose was taken through his rooms, ana ne tunelu ioss
of between $4,000 and $4,000 by water, ahd mas au
insurance OF $1,000 III twenty pan cldren,s cloth
ing az No 2t9 Canast adjoining the burned building on
The west, claim u loss of $4,000 from SMOKE, aou aie
insured $4,000 $4,000 iIs foreign ana nome COM
| panies 5000 In each. -, VIII. ,,u,,,.
| Al No 259 Cana-st adjoining me Higgins puliuins
ON ,nn e,s rho sfock of Jopu - Willard, dealer III PIE
trc frames and mirrors damaged by water tp the
| extent of 81, 900; insured for ~, 600 A.,
D,s & Davenport, wholesale clothing dealers on tne
second floor of No 900 damaged goods from vs.
| 600 10 So 900; insured for $4,000. ,,
May iasler on the third floor Of the same building,
snits aud co,ks loses from 81 500 10 $1,000; Insured
| for 81. 900 the Etna -
A. r. Robbins fancy dry goods on the same hoor' sus-
| tans very slight loss 800 1911, ,,o