The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-11-27
HORRIBLE HOLOCAUST
Burning of Car Stablss in New
York City.
Ore Hundred Horses Burned
Pitsous Spectacle.
Brave Fi.emen Buried in The Fall
ing Walls.
Terrible isle of Horror.

NEW YoEK, Nov. 25.-Cne Of the largest
fires for some time past took place this
morning. II was discovered in the stables
Of the Eight Avenue Horse Car Railroad,
and notwithstanding that within five min
u;es after The discovery fully forty streams
OF water were turned upon the blazing
building, it was only when there was
nothing further for the flames to feed upon
that the fremen obtained the mastery.
The stables were il four story brick
building, fronting 200 feet on Eight
Avenue and 500 feet on Forty Ninth and
Fiftieth streets. IL The rear. OF the Ninth
Avenue side, was a wilderness Of carpenter
and wagon shops and mountains Of old
barrels, many thousand being stocked to
the height of 80 TO 40 feet. These were
saved by the efforts OF fremen, who from
the beginning specially directed their
efforts to this point to prevent a general
confsgration among the tenement houses
| on Ninth Avenue. Almost before the
| movement TO save the stock in the stables
could be made, the flames burst stimuli
tsneously from the windows, on the
Fiitieth and Forty II inth street sides. Ii
became clear that the building was doom
ed to destruction.
The cars stored on the ground floor were
run out and saved. The loss ID estimated
S250,000; insured for $4,000.
The horses stalled on the upper foorE
were united and run down inclined planes
to the ground. There were nearly 500
and the work Of getting them out was on,
of great difficulty and danger. Biirdet
by the smoke and frightened by the flame.
they kicked and reared, and over one hun
dred had to be abandoned to destruction.
THEIR PITEoUs MINIMIZING
could be heard above the. roar OF the
flames.
The three upper floors were one vas
sheet Of fire. Two brick buiIdings-one 6
liquor store and the other a restaurant
cut into the stable building on the corner
were saved.
AT this point in the stables an immense
qusntity of hay in bales were stored
When these caught fire the sudden bursting
OF the bands that bound the bales caused
an explosion that shattered the eide OF the
building and threw the brick wall into the
street. IL fell with crushing force upon a
ladder on which were Chief Campbell,
| fireman John Welsh, OF engine 8, and
firemen Henry c. Mount and John kegap,
OF the same company. Each and all were
BURIED UNDER THE SINKING MASS;
and a shout of horror went up IRON the
spectators. Their comrades instantly fell
TO the work of rescpe and soon all were
recovered, bruised, bleeding aud miserable
Mount had his skull and leg frsctured and
WA also injured internally. He died 81
hour afterwards in the hospital. Regain
had leg broken and was badly cut. CbieI
Campbell and fireman Welsh were psin-
fully, but not seriously hurt and remained
on duty.
Hardly had the fremen and spectators
recovered from the excitement caused by
the fail of the wall when it was runored
that frem an had fallen
INTO THE BURNING BUILDING;
but the muster Of the company later showed
Al. the men present except those taken tC
the hospital.
Soon afterwards the walls on the street
fell with crash.
The flames lesped across the street
threatening the hou'es there The occu.
pants led and a thief attempting to enter
one was speedily nabbed and hustled off le
the police station.
The fireman gave their attention entirely
now to the surrounding property, the
stables being a mass Of ruins.
BY ten O'Clock all danger OF the spread
OF the FIRE was over and a number of the
engines were sent to their quarters.
| Chief Fisher, OF the Sth battalion, wa:
injured in the back by the falling wall
and fireman David Clssey was seriously
injured Mount has wife and four chill
dfen. He was buried under the ruins and
when discovered was lying with heavy
iron column across his breast. His skull!
was fractured and several ribs broken.
| II was almost three o'clock before the
road got fairly in running order, the carr
being started from Fifth street. At that
hour the fireman were pulling down what
fragments remained of the walls, and the
hsmes were entirely subdued.
CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
It is believed that the fire started from
Spontaneous combustion among the hay
stored on the third floor, which had been
recently brought in and Was yet damp
There had been nc fire in the building foI
weeks.