New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-01-27
FIRE IN A PRISON.
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE CoNvIcTs

! TWO FIRES BREAK OUT AT ONCE IN THE KINGS
| COUNTY Observation-Disclosures LOSS OF THE BAY
STATE SHOE AND LEATHER COMPANY ESTIMATED
AT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOL
LAns-A LONG sTRU0GLE With THE FLAMES.
An extensive fire occurred yesterday morning Ia
| n workshop in tue grounds OF the Kings County
Penitentary situated IN the outskirts of Brooklyn,
There were nearly 500 persons, convicts and
| ploj IS, the building at the time but lives
were lost. The total damage is literally estimated
az $20O.000. II supposed that the fire Of in
cendary origin.
| A PENIIENTIARY WORKSHOP IN FLAMES.
The wOTkship of the Kings County PeDi-
enflgry I'm which fire was discovered at A. W. yester-
day ia situated within the prison grounds Nostrand
ave-. In the outskirts OF Brooklyn. rhis building
used by the Bay Shoe and Leather Company which
has contract with the county for the labor OF all the
eOnyots 10 the Penitentsry snd abont 500
peTsohs were at work IN the building when the ire
broke out The loss TO the company is estimated
$3.50 coo, and the building damaged to the extent
of $4,000 or $1,000 The flames we're first dis
covered In what known as Shop No. 2,
small ~ rear OF the frat floor IN The west end
OF The main building. Almost simultaneously ~ith the
discovery here the attic Of the building found
70 be Oh fire. The first fire ingusbeJ with few
pals OF water. As the flames broke out Keeper
Sheyn was informed, ard word also sent to the Pc
lice Headquarters through the Twelfth Precinct Police,
the telephone line not being in working order There
were 500 cOnvcts 90 work the building, including
sxty-hye women and ab0at 800 outside employees, and
it was decided TO empty the workshops without INFORM
Ing those work Of doing. Tie fore
man OF each gang directed 10 dismiss the men and
women under him In orderly manner possible.
and only small proportion OF the convicts knew OF the
fire before they marched the jail
yard 20 their cells. This done with cOmpar-
atf,.r o
did not fare well the On the upper
floor about l75 were at work 40 OF them being
couyos and ore they could be removed the progress
Of the fire apparent. partial panic ensued, but
oh were taken our OF the building in safety
In the meantime, tho fire apparatus with which the
Penitentary provided wac got In use, aud
carried to the 0ttc IN w0cn the fire discovered
The Peuitenudry bell rung, and alarm Of fire
WAS sounded from Fatbush church steeple. Con-
siderable excitement was caused 40 the Brooklyn
Police Central ONCE when the news OF the fire was
received superintendent Campbell ordered the
IN various precincts to be in readiness Captain
John Riley. in whose precinct the Penitentiary is
situated. at the Central Office when the
news arrived, and drove as rapidly pos
sbo to he OF the fire. Several fire engines were
soon on the ground and second alarm was soon
Twelfth. rcntn Ninth Third Precincts assisted in
maintaining order, and the mounted police formed
Gordon aronpd the penentiary ground IN order 10 cnt
oil any attempt that might he made the part of the
pri-oners Escape. Inspector Waddy took charge In
person " the police arrangements.
Ia fire attracted multitude Of spectators 70 the VI
cnty OF tie PtnitentaTy. ana the bills 10 the west
which overlook the grounds, were black with people
Many also crowded around the entrance, seeking ad
to the building.
Iy 10 O'Clock the mes had extended to the eastern
wing OF The mtu building and the roof OF that portion
flames. The n emcn were Mt d disadvantage on
account the windows beng barred, and there was also
low pressure of water The bars prevented tue fire.
men from breaking INTO the windows and pouring water
directly upon tne flames BY 1920 the nre almost
cxtinrusncd to" wing. hut not until the and
machinery mad been serOnsl mayed Hall
later the mes been ar ven from west side ~ the
man huild ~, though ey ere stu raging hercey
the eat side. ~ ! O'clocK the hre completely
under control No danger 10 the prison proper WIS
pretended at ume a. u Is situated about 800 feet
from the building IN when IA, fire occurred
The work shop WIS erected In 1859, II being
then simply two story building Tue cost
WA $4,000 Three years aRo another story vas
aided and thc wing built % 4 ~ ~ 1000
The bindings occupied the Bay state shoe and
Leather Company nom tAe tlme OF their erection, aud
last summer the comp my lease Wis teh WEI Tor Ten
ycars Thy contained TIE newest improvements in
mcnnery for the manufacture OF thoes and there
Immense guam ity OF STOCK ana m'de-up articles on
hand. Part ~ these Things was removed upon the
breaking out Of the hre ON the ground floor The boxing
and shipping OF gOods were carried on ana the OlheF
n1ors we're occ1pcd with toe cutting sewing, etc.
"a, .ocE and machinery at $3.50 900 but this Is believed
TO be an cxtrivaEant estimate me company - heavily
s-'1vJt # r1t,rd W,.tchcsrlr Provirmcr Wns55,n,to
Fouitane Pheux. Hart ord security, y. H.; Peoples,
W"rcnntllr C'cvclnnd German OF BALTIMORE Virginia
Prescott Of Baltimore Hamburg ROl nj OF London Fire
A socIaiion o. Phiadc phia. Nrw-Nork CITY. Mer-
rhanty N.wark Relief GLOBE Kulckerbocker Man
haitian Queens Fire Insurance Company, Lafayette,
M,rchauts Confidence, Commercial. Ph9niT, OF Brook
lyu Pcoplrs ~ New-Jcr~ey FIRST National. Mer-
chants of New York S. Nicholas. Manuiaeturcrs II
Newark Phenx, OF Long Island; Genn's Fall Ldfa-
yette Hanover, Home Hamilton. MOntauk, British
America, America. OF Connecticut; Royal, WATERFOWL,
IIa.tford OF Hartford There also policies IN the
following companies: Queens, $500 North America,
- 900 Hope. 81 800; Btitisn America $1,000. TIE
los. ON the building, which owned nv the county. Ia
yariosy estimated. but 10 Will probably not exceed
81 600 There IL no Insurance.
Tue origin Of the re not been ascertane ed hut the
fact that wO fires broke nearly the
nnda The snspcLOn That u wac " ncendlary Orign