New-York tribune., 1880-02-21

found him. HIS lips qnlNereo as he 'uihcu """!
with deprecatory motion; 81 not now," he said
mot now, please All can say is, we were up on
the roof trying to break hole and pull the scuttle
off. We stood Quite the Gaping, and the roo1
appeared quite solid when all at once it went down
like a shot My God and they went with it,"
From the men, who were generally reluctant TO
speak of the accident il was learned that Foreman
Hutchinson had just come upon the rooi from the
corner building, followed by Fireman THOMAS D.
Dougherty, John f. Cassidy, Patrick j. Connolly
Lawrence OBrien Thomas Greene and Mlchael
O'Haren. Others preparing to follow from
below, and were then creeping up the ladders. Inc
roof of the burning building seemed very solid, ana
the men went upon it boldly with their axes to
break open the scuttle. They had gone only few
steps when dull noise beneath was heard, and
the roof heaved slightly. then. with
loud explosion. collapsed and fell in, crashing
through the timbers of floor after floor to the
bottom. Dougherty and Cassidy. who we're
foremost went down into the fiery depths The
others, nearer party wall, clung to the parapet
threw themselves over in the corner building 30
narrow was their escape that O1aTen lost his axe
and another fireman his hook. These fell into the
mass of the burning building through when tne
flames shot up in column of terrible herceness.
score of other fremen who came on the roof re-
turned to the street with the survivors of No. l,
fallen half minute later twenty or thirty men
would have been buried with it,
THE MEN WHO PERIsHED IN THE FLAMES.
"Two as good men as ever put on uniforms" was
the universal verdict of the dead fremen's COM
rades Dougherty had been in the Department ever
since III formation and had been years lnem-
Der of Hook and Ladder Company No. l. lie was
stout man. thrty-ve thirtysiX years Old and sin
gle His disregard of personal danger proverbial
and for bravery exhibited at fire at No. 20 North
Wfam-st. three years ago, when at the imminent
risk of his own life he went down into the sub
cellar of the burning building and brought ont
man and a woman. the Bennett medal was awarded
TO him by the trustees of the fund.- March 81 1877
Dougherty was personally very popular among his
comrades He lived at No. 80 Greenwich-st. AS be
stepped on the fa al roof last night he stamped on
it, and turning to the man next to him, said as II
satisfied with the test, Solid n ballroom hoor"
Half minute later he met his death.
Cassidy was young man, hardly yet twenty-nine
wears of age but he had spent seven years III the
service of the Fire Department. He had wife and
two small children. He, too was brave and we'll
liked among his fellows. The news was car
ried to his young wife while the men in
the engne-house were yet celebrating who
should break Ito her. Two had been Sc
lected and had started, but the sidewalk
lessly 10 meet them. She read the truth in their
faces. and with shrek fell fainting OH the pave
ment. The rough men took her in their arms and
carried her gently to her home at No. - Monroe-st
Sobbng and shrieking by turns, she begged them
at least to take her TO her husbands body, and
the mems eyes glistened and their voices shook with
emotion as with averted faces they told her that he
would soon be brought home-was already there,
perhaps-wel-knowing that little trace Of the
burned body might ever be found.
At her home Mrs. Cassdy's DESPAIR became even
more violent, and her condition was pitifu in the
extreme Friends sat with her during the night,
but could do little nothing for her The family
was very happy one. The children are too young
vet IN understand the terrible afflichon that has
fallen upon them.
BUIIDfNGs. OCCUPANTS AND LOSSES.
The burned buildings situated ut Broadway
and White-st., numbered $50. 3S2, 3Sl and $50
broadway The fire is thought to have broken out
in the rear sub-basement Of NO. Ssh The lot is Of
sixty feet front and / 70 feet deep. extending to
Cortlandt-alley in the rear. The two buildings
were similar in appearance ana height
They were five stories III height, with ion front aud
overhangiug cornice. The party wall between
tbem was pierced on the first hoor and up to Janu-
arv the whole floor Of both buildings was occupied
nv one firm. The principal loss was III the second
mildiug from the corner 1t occupied by
Uazen Todds 81 Co.. dealers in silks. dress and
fancy div goods. who had the first floor. basement
and sub-basement. The remainder of the build
ING was leased by Dcckerhof, Ratiloer d Co., deal
crs in braids and buttons. who occupied the second
and third floor and loft. They sublet the fourth
floor to James Wilde. jr., & Co., manufacturers of
clotlinr The loss Of HlaZen TOdds d Co. was
estimated at S35O000; fully insured. The firm
was formerly at No. 392 Broadway and has only
been at ITS present place since January l. With
the removal the firm increased ITS stock abOut 33i3
per cent This firm has been IN business in this city
over twenty years
The loss to Dckerhof Raffl ,cr q Co. was est-
mated last evening by one of the employees
Mt $3.50 900 The senior partner lives IN Germany.
The firm had an immense stock of tailOrs' and la
dies trimming. brads and buttons.
The loss OF James Wilde, Jr q Co. placed
al 5000 900. This firm recently removed from No.
1873 Grand-st.. aud carried heavy stock.
The corner building at Whte-st. was vacant. Up
10 JanuaIy it had been occupied by Evans, Peake
a. Co.. dealers in dry goods who also had the floor
afterward occupied by Ilazen, Todds & Co. The
firm of Evans, Peake d Co. sold out its remaining
stock January /, 10 Bates Reed d Cooley, who
occnpied the building at Broadway and White-st
during January and sold on their STOCK ~ was re-
norted that portion unsold was IN the lofts, but an
emnlov6 of the firm said last evening that he
thought II had all been removed. This building
was only slightly damaged by fire in the rear.
The corner building, Nos $50 and 3S2. was
owned by the Austin estate. An employ6 of Bates.
Reed & Cooley said that daring their occupation OF
the hnilding the rent was paid each day of the
month and Miss Austin was very anxious about
her money. The building Nos. 3sl and 1856 be-
| longed TO the Ransom estate. and was managed by
| Mr. Hail. of Benedict d Hall. The damage TO the
| buildings, of which part at least Will
| have TO be taken down, is believed to
be covered by $4,000 BY these estimates,
| the total loss will not exceed $S50,000.
In connection with the origin of the fire. il may
be stated that the boiler connected with the engine,
and also heating the building at No. 3S2 Broadway,
| was beneath the sidewalk of COrtlandt-aley. The
engine used for hosting in the rear was in the sub
| basement. The most probable theory is that the
| fire broke ont in the engine-room.