The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-02-22
CONGREGATIONS.

HUNDRED MEN AND WOMEN IN DEADLY
PERIL.
CoHoEs, N. Y, Feb 81. 1879.
At ten o'clock this morning fire broke out in the
picker room of the Atlantic Mill. Mohawk street.
but the employees in that department quickly extin
gushed the flames. and naturally supposed that the
danger was past. spark from the picker room had
communicated. however. to the card room, on the
next floor above and before any realized the sit
uaion connagration had started which threat
ened the destruction of the entire block pounded by
CORTLAND. Mohawk. Factory and Oneida streets As
soon the danger was discovered alarm was
sounded, but the Fire Department did not reach the
scene until about half an hour afterward. All hope
Of saving the building had then passed. and the
efforts of the department directed solely to the
saving of adjoining property.
EMPLOYEES IN DANGER
About one hundred employees. mostly women. were
in the mill when the fire discovered, and their
efforts to escape resulted in panic, which for time
threatened to add the loss of life to that of property
caused by the fire. The hands in the picker room
which is located in the basement of the MILL escaped
by rear door. but those in the upper departments
were unable on account of the flames and smoke to de-
scend by the main stairway and were obliged to seek
safety by way of the roof The frightened crowd
fastened up the stairs in desperate effort to find
proved to be small as to allow only one person to
pass through at time. Those waiting below, to
shouted for help. their cries thrilling the thousands
ofpeople in the street of whom many anxiously
h9mng Tor relatives ana rienas known t to be IN the
mad fight for life, but the last OF the hundred
endangered people finally succeeded in making his
before the flames had penetrated through the upper
story. The escape was none too soon. for moment
after the frightened crowd had all reached place Of
safety the flames shooting upward from the top
of the building to height OF fifty feet and sending
dense volumes of smoke over the southeastern por
ton of the city.
HEROIC ExERTIoSs OF THE yraEMEN
The flames poured out Of the windows on the west
side and gained destructive headway every moment,
despite the efforts OF the irmen who had now sue
ceeded in getting eighteen streams to bear upon the
benumbed with cold. while the flames stead
lily gained ground. Al eleven O'Clock the
s.ra wan o, sne @ aT0nhg on s Monawa
arose from the street. A moment later the entire
facade fell outward with terrific crash Through
the breach thus made the hosemen directed their
streams with such good effect that fifteen minutes
later it was believed they had the flames under
troll. but this opinion quickly reversed by the
discovery that North's block. adjoining the Atlantic
Mill on the south, also on fire. The tired fire.
men calamity responded to this new call and directed
their energies to save the endangered block. At q
quarter to twelve O'Clock the brick wall fell out
ward with tremendous force and number of fire.
men barely escaped being buried in the ruins Soon
after the roof went down into the OF FIRE with
crash and the flames leaped high above the sur
rounding buildings. At one O'Clock the fire had en-
veloped the upper stories of the North block and was
steadily making Roadway.
To add to the danger of the situation the Johnston
steamer had to be withdrawn. owing to a break in
the machinery. This incident. in connection with
the knowledge that the fremen were nearly ex-
hausted, determined the Chief of the Fire Depart
ment to telegraph to Troy for assistance, and de-
spatch accordingly sent to Chief Ingram, asking
for engines and men, which were promptly fur
nished.
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
The loss Of property in the Atlantic Mill building
will be great the structure having been occupied by
nine firms engaged in various kinds of commercial
and manufacturing business. The building with
the machinery in the Atlantic Mill and stock in pro-
cess OF manufacture was worth $4,000, on which
twenty-five feet on Mohawk street. extending back
100 feet to CORTLAND street. The sets of
chinery therein produced annually about $4,000
dozen shirts and drawers. worth $lJ0OO0. The in
surance is distributed as follows NORTH British.
$4,000; Hamburg, $4,000; Commercial Union. $4,000;
Farmers New York;, $4,000; Continental, $4,000;
Imperial and North American. $4,000
The fire in North's block is not yet extingushed,
but 10 further danger is apprehended OF its spread
Charles r. Norths building was occupied by Tabor
4 Brother, clothiers, insured $1,000; Charles +.
North, manufacturers supplies, insured stock
$4,000 Jacob Blum jeweiler, insured $4,000; p. j.
McMoran. undertaken; Francis Brown, Jr.. attorney;
library insured s1,hOO; George II. Fits. at.
torney; Office of the Cohoes Democrat insured
$1,000 Jo C. sanfosx paper box factory s. stock
insured for 300 and " North. shirt manufacturer
North's building was insured for $l6.5O0. portion
of the goods in some OF the stores was removed.
Charles +. Doyle saved his law Ghsn1y. The total
loss is estimated at $6AOo0.
A BUSINESS BLOCK DESTROYED
ISIGANAPoLrs Ind, Feb. 81, 1879
The Opera House block at Columbus, Ind, was
totally destroyed by fire last night. The loss is esti-
mated 1t $4,000; partially covered by insurance.
Among the sufferers Lee Joseph dry goods, loss
81 900; insurance &l500, in the queen, National of
ruthers, furniture. loss $500; Insurance 100 in
the Home and Phoalix OF New York. The building
Is insured in the Western Assurance Company. Royal
Canadian. British America and Royal Of England,
North American Fire Association. Manhattan and
Howard OF Buffalo. The Of the fire IL unknown.
DWELLINGS BURNED.
Boston. Feb. a. 1879.
The houses of Milton j. Putney and Mrs. william
). Pierce. at Cambridge, burned this morning.
owing to defective chimney in the former. The
loss on each IL 5000. Putney's barn was also
burned. Loss on that $1,000. Insurance unknown.
oILCLOTH FACTORY IN FLAMES.
SALEM, N. j.. Fob. Il, 1879.
John Morris oilcloth works ct this place par
TALLY burned ct three O'Clock this morning. Six
dwellings adjoining were also burned. and nine
families are thrown out OF their homes. Loss on
stock and material. $780, 900; Insurance. $4,000 Loss
$4,000; insurance. $500. The insurance Is In the
Salem Mutual and Millville.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN ASHES.
GRANNY. Quebec. Feb. II. 1879.
No uafy al vrotc A.