The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-17
FIRE IN PEARL STREET.

rovER $40, 900 WORTH OF PROPERTY BELIEVED
TO HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.
Three alarms of fire were sounded at haf-past
eight last night from drug store in Pearl street. and
in less than three minutes. tho automatic signal hav
ing not yet been given engine No. 81 had taken up
position before No. $50 Pearl street. and stem
ming tho course of fire which at first threatened
disastrous results. Two telegraph boys playing in
the street below had noticed unusual
glow within the house. One Of them,
Jeremiah Heaey, threw o stone through
window pane Of the fourth floor. and q column Of
smoke.poured forth. A plumber. named George II.
Dunn. was called by the boys and rang the alarm.
The flames bursting from window. cornice
and roof. The building known to be filled with
inhammable materials-wth straw. toys. woodwork.
fancy paper, rags and rattan It part of struc-
ture owned by s. M. Peyser. Nos. $780, 53s, $40
Pearl street but occupied double set Of stores.
1t surrounded all sides by combustble wares.
and the that these would be burned lent i'm
portance to the fire. The wind hal died away, the
engines arrived in large numbers their service
admirably prompt and the flames were soon con-
trolled.
THE SCENE FROM WITHOUT.
But the for while one Of almost thea
trica brilliancy. The building was furnished with
a zinc metallic coping and this began TO melt the
sheet Of red fame turned slowly to bright green
hue, which threw weird and supernatural air about
tho edifce Then the vanished goods fell prey to
the flames. which paled to sickly yellow. while
clouds of white smoke poured steadily through tho
windows. Suddenly all was dark, and the horizontal
streams of water playing from the south side Of
Pearl street playing from above. from below and on
every side gave the devouring clement no moro
quarter, and 1t mover again. Glass still crashed
bricks fell and water dripped but the ire was prac-
tcally speaking. out
| WHO LOST By THE FIRE.
The building was completed on Thanksgiving Day.
1871 its site having some twenty years ago been
cnpied by Presbyterian church. which sold it to
Mr. peyser, then in the embroidery and hosiery
business the corner of Franklin street and
Broadway The ground moor was Occupied by
large sacks of which in the build
ing. The second floor was leased to Messrs.
Hermann Co., makers of fancy papers, and to
a1essrs. A. s. Whedon Co.. manufacturers of paper
boxes Messrs. wemple Kronheim. photographers.
fourth floor; Henry Wilson. eye letterer and gum
mer, on the.other half of the fourth. and Messrs.
Eben +. Dorman CO., manufacturers of fancy has,
kets on the ffth. One hundred and fifty girls were
employed in the whole building.
MASUrAcToRY.
II was the fifth that furnished the flames with
nearly all their materials. Here stored curious
quantity OF fancy worked in rattan and
with double handles. brackets with lookng-glasses.
flower stands. bowls. cauistcrs and quaint. peaked
Of OFF, them ''' were adorned with Chinese paint
ngs others with naked cupids. ind others
began to crackie around them. the rattan twisted
itself extraordinary shapes the varnish Kissed and
spluttcred. the pistacd Chinese ladies of the paint
ings dropped ofY upon the charred floors. aud tho
naked cupds relaxed their eternal shipper and slowly
shrivelled up. Alone. in the midst of this universal
wreck. the clocks went thor way undaunted.
They marked the minutes cheerfully though
they enjoying the fire from safer quarters, and.
when it extngaished, such of them
saved were indomitably ticking still.
|
The speed with which the flames were extinguished
was highly creditable to the Fire Department Ser
geant Brophy superintcndcd the police Captain John
Lacair of the Fire Department. in charge of tho
building. and Chief Bates commanded the hremen.
The losses estimated at about 5000 on the
building 5000 the contents of the rattan fac
tory $4,000 on the stock of Messrs. Wemple Il
Kronheim, and Mr.. Henry Wilson. The occupants
OF the lower floors lost by water. The insurance
could not DO ascertained.