The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-02-10
THE NEW YORK FIRE.

Tho Newspaper Quarter OF New York City
Devastated BY Fire-Large Loss OF Life
and Property-Interesting Incidents.
A little after nine o'clock on the morning
| Of the 31st ult. fire broke out in the building
formerly occupied by the World newspaper at
the corner of Nassau street and Park Row in
New York City. The block in which the fire
occurred is an irregulsrly-shaped gore with
the building formerly occupied by the World
on its southeast corner, and the Times build
ing occupying the entire northern angle Of
the gore. The Tribune office is diagonally
across Nassau street from the Times build
ing, and the San Office is on the upper
corner of the same block with the Tribune.
There was a slight snow falling, but the air
was dry and crisp, with light breeze from the
north, which increased the difficulty of con-
trolling the fire. The fire originated in a Gel
lar on the Nassau street side occupied by the
New York Betting and Packing Company. In
less than five minutes it had spread to the top
of the building. The structure was old and
the woodwork was as dry as finder. This,
however, while it facilitated the rapid spread
of the fire, is not enough alone to account for
the fact that the whole interior was on fire
almost before an alarm could be sent out, and
it was owing to this fact that the loss
of life must be attributed. The Belt
ing and Packing Company had stored
in their cellar a quantity Of rubber cement.
This is composed of pure rubber dissolved in
naphtha, andis exceedingly infammable. Two
stories are told about the accident which ig-
nited this-one that, during an experiment
with an electric current, the vapor took fire
from a spark, and the other that it kindled
from a match or candle. Whichever story is
true the naphtha caught A dull explosion
was heard as the case containing the cement
burst. The heat of the burning fluid turned
the naphtha in the cases into gas, and, as case
after case exploded, new volumes of
the intensely infammable gas were
driven out into the building. On
the south side there was an ele-
vator well, and up this the gas and air
rushed with roaring sound. As it reached
the different floors it filled them and turned
the atmosphere itself into flame, kindling the
dry woodwork, until the whole side of the
building was one mass of fire. The thing was
SO sudden, SO instantaneous, that the occu-
pants of the rooms had no time to get out.
Colonel Bruce, of the Turf, Field and Farm,
was standing in his office with his hat and
coat on and his umbrella in his hand,
ready to go out He had got as far as
the door when the explosion came,
beard was burned OF, and his face badly
scOrched from passing through the sea of
flames. When the first fire engine arrived it
was evident that the building was doomed.
Within ten minutes three alarms were sound
ed, and about thirty engines were soon on the
spot. The heat was SO great that men could
not bear their hands on the windows of the
Post-office building, and it was beginning to
scorch and ignite the woodwork in the old
Mail building, and that in the new Kelly
building, which is in process Of erection at
the corner Of Nassau and Beekman streets.
1t was also expected that the Times
building, next to the one destroyed, could |
not be saved. Fortunately, when it was built |
. fre-wall had been constructed between the |
two, and this saved it. To protect the threat |
ened property more water was necessary, and |
. call was sent out for increased pressure. |
The character of the confagration was such
that from the first the structure was doomed,
and the efforts of the Fire Department were
confined to erdeavors to keep the flames with
were measursbly successful.
The World building was occupied by large
number OF tenants, most of whom lost every
thing. Among the periodicals and newspar
pers located there we're: The Evening Press;
the Scientific american; ". Y. Observer; Ana-
erican Manu- acturer and Bladder; Thompson's
Bank Note Reporter; Scottish American; Turf
Field and Farm, and the Retailer. The loss
on the building was $500, 900, and the other
losses were in the neighborhood of $4,000
more. Up to two o'clock on the morning of
the LIST four persons were known to have per-
lshed in the flames, and about a dozen more
be missing.
INCIDENTS.
The scenes at the time when the occupants
81 the upper floors were making their escape
we're often exciting and touching Men could
be seen holding the hands of women, evidently
encouraging them to calmness.
Three women ran on roof and fell through
The skylight of one of the northern buildings,
receiving serious injuries.
An express wagon with a heavy canvass
covering drew up under the windows, and
'eVeral men, who were about to leap to the
ground, were told by the driver to jump on
he wagon, which they did, and escaped any
1urt.
One young woman stood upon the window
I'LL OF the fourth story until the firemen ar
anged large piece Of canvass which they
leld at ends and side. When all was ready
he threw her hands straight over her head
md jumped. She fell upon the outstretched
'anvass and escaped injury.
An old gentleman with white hair got out
u the fourth story window on the Beekman
treet side. He stood on the sill for fully five
minutes, holding on to the narrow top-piece
nth his hands. The flames were approaching
'im, but he sawno chance Of escape The fire
men raised ladder, but it only reached to the
tory below him. A crowd in the street got
tarpau'in and score of willing hands
'rsved the dangers of falling debris
nd cinders, and shout went up which was
'lainly heard by the old gentleman to jump.
Jump for your life; well save YOU" but he
oNked at the sixty feet distance below
i'm, and could not muster up courage enough
make the attempt. He turned forward,
acing the street, and with his hands behind
I'm stood like statue Drawing death. Mean
7hile two brave men got short ladder, went