New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-01
WHAT THOSE WHO ESCAPED SAY.

The Rev. DR.. Z. d.. G. Prime. of The ObSerrer gave
the following account of his experience:
"Iwas writing at my desk in an inner room on
the third floor of the Park Row side, when someone
in the outer Office gave an alarm of fire. 1t was
followed almost Immediately by puff of smoke,
and Judged there time to be lost in getting
out. had expected fire for long time, and as
the building was perfect tInder-box, krew that
when one occurred it would be advisable to move
ouickly caught up a bundle of papers of value,
and putting on my coat ran after the clerks in the
outer Office They had Just taken time to close the
safes and then ran for their lives. My brother, Dr.
S. IrenRus Prime, ray out without his hat. DR.. c.
A. Stoddard, who was with me when tho alarm was
given, and /, on reaching the hallway, found the
smoke so thick and the heat so intense that we
afraid to venture down the stairs We opened
window and crawled along broad stone ledge of
The World Building TO The Times Building, holding
on by The Observer sign.
my brother who was in the street. was shouting
TO me to make haste We needed no urging to
hasten our movements. We descended at once from
The Times Building to the street, and yet so rapid
had been the spread of the flames that when
reached the street could that the desk at which
l was seated was IN flames The sign alongside
of which we had crept was also on fire.
The rapidity with which the fire spread
was almost inconceivabe. Our safes
wero closed, but / am afraid papers will
not be saved The files of the paper and refer
ence library, which we have been thirty years
cumulatng, destroyed. We have Il duplicate
list of subscribers in the vaults of the Park Safe
Deposit Company. We havo taken rooms In lHE
TRIBUNE Building for The Obserrer"
HOW DIR. S. 1. PRIME GOT OUT.
In room No. 1873 at the As;or House TRIBUNE
reporter later found Dr. s. Ireneus Prime Editor-in
Chief of The Observer and his associate editors Dr.
Prime gave the following account of his escape
"The paper was almost ready to go to press. The
last proofs were being read and all the editors
in the office. sat in the editorial room, looking
over some proofs, when heard commotion out in
the business Office. 1 thought there was fight out
there and went to see what was the matter. When
got there some one said there was fire, and saw
the clerks rushing for the door. went ont into the
entry and attempted to descend TO tho stairs
leading TO Nassau-st., but was prevented BY, the
smoke and flame. / then turned and went down
the stairs leading TO Park Row. BY the time got
to the street the flames had cut on All
escape from the, building by the stair stair
DIR. f. ID. G. Prime aud DR.. 9. A. Stoddard were the
last TO leave the Office, and finally escaped Dy walk
ing along The 0bssrrers sign"
Dr. St0ddard here took up the conversation, ana
said: 1.-The sign along which we walked was three
and half inches wide. j held on TO Dr. fIime VII
he got hold of the window ahead, anu then nc
steadied me till reached 1t. Thus we pieke1 our
way along until we got into a window Oh nc iW'eS
CT. RIcHARDs's STORY.
G. F. Richards. member of the New-York Belt
inc and Packing Company, said TO TRIBUNE re-
porter: "Our firm occupied part Of the ground
aoor basement and sub-eellar Of the burned build
inc The store and cellar were filled with rubber
Continued on seeoud Page.