The New York herald., 1879-11-15
DEVOURING FLAMES.


fire broke out. about five o'clock last evening.
in building situated in the heart Of the block
bounded by broadway. Great Jones street. Lafayette
place and Astor place. Entrance to the building is
had from the Office Of the CAa1cmGz No. Al Lafayette
place. 1t originated in the of the Celluloid Shoe
Protecting Company. The buildings surrounding
that in which the fire costly and contain
much valuable property. and the gravest fears
for time entertained as to the proportions which
the affair might reach. second and third alarm
simultaneously sent out to the Fire Depart-
ment~ and the efforts Of the large force which re-
sponded speedily reduced the flames to subjection.
Tho numerous inmates Of the building were for
short time in most perilous position. and two
three Of them escaped with the greatest difficulty.
Ono type setter in the Cz,uchman composing room
was obliged to make herescape by sliding down Lift.
badly decorating her hands. The most serious
casualty was the jumping Of Mrs. Augusta Shaftor
from a third floor window. by which she sustained
injuries from which. is feared. she must die The
loss by the fire will be very heavy.
The first alarm Of fire given at sixteen minutes
past five O'Clock. In less than five minutes the
flames shot through the roof. and second and
third alarm at once sent out simultaneously.
summoning to the scene additional fire appa-
ratus. Situated the building was. in the
centre Of costly structures containing valuable
stocks and near the New York Circus great fears
entertained for time to the results Of the
fire. largo number Of streams we're quickly di-
while others introduced through the third
story windows Of A. T. Stewards branch store on
Broadway, well as those Of No. AZ Lafayette place
and by six o'clock the fire under complete con-
troll having been confined almost exclusively to the
structure in which it originated The escape of tho
inmates Of the building almost miraculous
DR.. Mitchell and his clerks on the ground foor.
narrowly escaped with their lives. The hands
employed in the composing and editorial rooms
moment
with fear. every one seeking escape by stairs and
safely and uninjured. Miss Fogarty. type setter.
finding all means of egress cut of. had sufficient
Of mind to seek safety by hoist Sezing
tho rope she slid down the basement sustaining
other injury than severe laceration Of her hands,
She was rescued BY the hremen. who had entared by
hoor. and { man whose name could not
he snssxs Dsn s nssnana at
to throw themselves into the open areaway dividing
it from the burning building I'D But their psrlo,T;s ,;,
lam Murphy. tailors employed on Stewart's third
floor, who pulled them in. The pressmen and other
by the alleyway to Broadway. The janitor's quar-.
ters were in the wing Of the building the upper
floor Mrs. Augusta Schafter. the janitross. was cut
Off by the flames. and. choosing death by jumping
rather than by burning. she threw herself into the
court below. A compositor had before heard
her frantic appeals for help, but powerless
to aid her. About fifteen minutes after the fire
broke out Roundsman Clarke of the Fifteenth pre-
way, heard groans, and searching found Mrs.
Schafter lying on the pavement Of the court
posed fatal injuries The police report that she
most pitiable sight DIR. Schopps soon after
rived with an ambulance and conveyed her to st.
Vincent's Hospital.
THE EXCITEMENT sE1aHDoRHooD.
The presence Of such largo force Of police and
fireman drew to the scene vast crowd. who block
AIDED broadway from Waveriey place to Eighth street
and Lafayette place for the entire block. Captain
Byrnes Of the Fifteenth precint, with his own com
Guilty kept the crowd back In the marble colonsded
of houses Lafayette place. Immediately south
of the ChSrc1padn office. there was quito panic
the part of some Of the inmates. This notably
so with those in the Oriental. boarding house at
Nos. =. - N and 4s. KEEP. By the Misses Underhin. in
THE sCENE IN CIRCUS STABLE.
The bright light from the fire, the cracking hames
pnfiing OF the engines and rolling volumes of
smoke excited the greatest alarm In the New
York Circus. the rear of which. containing the
stables was in almost immediate proximity to
the rapidly extending fire. Mr.. Daniel b. Hop
kins. the press agent, gave the alarm. and call
ing all the employees who were then in the building
proceeded to the stable to get out the animals. In
this they had considerable difficulty, except in the
ds o SS no I Who
dragging out the Shetland ponies by seizing hold
Of some Of thein by the names. and pushing them
to the door, But in addition to his war on the po-
nies. the horse which kept up continuous neigh
ing. talking to his fellows, seized two OF tho
dragged them out, only remaining on tho outside
when the last OF the bruto creation alec in
safety.
Tho flames breaking out SO suddenly the. $50 work
girls in the lofts of the Stewart building hastily pre-
pared for flight. The presence Of mind Of foreman
checked them for o moment but the sudden
entrance OF those who escaped across the
alley into their midst by the window. followed
by the appearance of fire and smoke drove them
panic stricken toward the stairs. There of the
cool-headed checked them again. aud
though it was done hastily and with no sembianco
Of order the throng made their way TO the street
without anyone being hurt. and all were quickly
lost in tho throng In the bookbinding establish
ma nf fhA nfA Aafn MIA and y.ofaa
place almost similar scene occurred. mono OF tho
employees standing upon tho order OF their going
they hurried to tho street for safety.
TIE DAMAGE.
Messrs- Mallory & Co.. Of hoSCAuychaaam.
ing. (which includes two new tencyiindcr presses,
valued ut $bO00 for In the form and ready for tho
press were the current editions of their publica.
tions. the SPIRIT Of kssssoss Young Cytsan Solder.
.Sanitarsan. Tho manuscript is also lost so that
III that respect the loss is irreparabe. Messrs NAL
lory Co. have full line Of Insurance. though they
could not name the companies last night.
Albert Kcttler. manufacturer OF electro medical
apparatus In the building. sustained total loss
OF $1,000; only partially insured.
The Cclluloid Shoe Protector Company in the rear
edincc estimate their loss at $5.0oo insured for
Charles Booth. glass stainer, on tho nrst floor
$4,000; Charles II. Hcylman, metal spinner. $1,000;
The Misses Underhili. 1t No. 4s and As Lafs yetie
place. through hrc and water, sustained loss Of
Astor family. can be repaired for $500
The new building Nos. 49-55 Lafayette place. oc-
cupied by A. L. stewart q Co. as branch store, IL
damaged to the extent OF $4,000 aud the stock
$4,000 TO $4,000.
John Cattnach. No. 736 Broadway. trunk manufac-
tory; Harry J. Hart upholstery. No. 73s broadway;
Robert Weinberg. drapery trimmings, No S4o Broad.
way. we're all damaged by wster. The amount OF
loss Is unknown.
THE CAUSE OF pmAsrRn.
II seems that John Koely, an employs OF tho
Ccuoid Company. at that hour entered their
rooms, and. throwing OF his coat. accdon-
tally upset lamp Near by, ON q table.
was some Canton flannel. used in the
business. This was ignited. and in a moment tho
flames cor municsted with q closet adjoining in
which stored large quantity of highly infam-
mable material used In tho manufacture OF the mr.
tfcles sold by tho company.
rHE BuRNED BUILDINGS.
The building In which tho fire broke out Is in tho
form of an L. the sides Of which point In u northerly
and westerly direction respectively. The only ac-
to 1t Is through the house No AZ Lafayette place.
from which IL IL separated by wide courtyard The
building measures about 100 feo in direction by
80 In the other. 1t three story and basement
structure and erected two years and six months