Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-01
NEW YORK'S BIG FIRE.
PARK ROW A HEAP OF ASHES.
A TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION.

A TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION.
LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY.
Some HSir-breadtl 'Scapes and Some Terri
bic Neaths-Graphic Description of
an Awful Holocaust.
There is a great heap of smouldering
ashes in Park Row, New York. All the
great block bounded by Park Row, Nassau
and Beekman streets, with the exception
of the New York Times building, is in ruins.
The fire was fierce one, and the flames
spread SO rapidly that it was with the
greatest efforts only that anyone escaped
alive. AS it is, several lives are lost and
| many occupants Of the burned building
| suffered serious injuries. The fire started
in the death trap known as the old World
| building. The building was thus called
partly because it was old, partly as a
term of disrespect and partly because
formerly occupied by the World news
paper. This structure stood on about
twelve city lots of average size, being part
of the property which was in the Olden
time occupied by the Brick Church."
About 1856 the church was demolished.
The southern half Of the plot it had for
merly occupied is now occupied by the
New York Times building. This is fire.
proof and was not injured by the con-
flagration except in the roof. The fire in
the death-trap burst out suddenly . little
after 10 o'clock. There are several dozen
conflicting stories as to how it began, but
most of them agree in saying that it first
! was seen in the elevator shaft A moment
afterward the building was ablaze from
pavement to cornice. Had it been a hay
stack it could not have been more quickly
On fire throughout. There was no Prov
sion for escaping from the flames. The
stairways We're of WOOD and double as far
as the second floor, above which one stair
way with many crooks and angles served
the upper floors.
| A Death Trap.
The five stories of the building were di-
! vided into offices, most of the partitions
being of pine. Most of these offices were
occupied by people whose fixtures and
belongings were very cOmbustible. There
was Pettingilis great advertising agency,
with tons OF newspapers on files. Above
it was the Office of the Scientific american
with it's accumulation of years of the rec
ord of Mum s. Co.'s extensive patent
business. The New York Observer, Sect.
tish american, Turf, Field and Farm, and
half dozen other papers had their Offices
in the building. Although the outer walls
Of the undertook were of brown stone,
giving the structure All air OF solidity and
respectability, the inner plan Of the struc.
ture was an bad as could be. The offices
were dingy, and in many instances reach
ed by narrow and tortuous passages.
From these offices tho occupants fled in
hot haste, tumbljng over each other head
long down the crooked stairways and
reaching the street half smOthered by
smoke and with hair, whiskers and clothes
singed by flame. There was not a moment
for the rescue of even the most valuable
papers. Pettingill's tire-proof safes were
all opened and there was no time to shut
them. One man was nearly smothered in
trying to get $3.50, which he had put in his
cash drawer. To save his life he lett his
cash and fled. The spectacle of people
clinging to signs and hanging from upper
windows was ono long to be remembered.
Several persons were dangerously injured
by Jumping or falling to the pavement.
Many were seen struggling and screaming
at the upper windows. Some jumped and
were caught on blankets by the people be-
low while others fell backwards into the
ocean of fire which filled the area within.
How the Fire Spread.
1t was but little while till the floors
fell in. Within an hour most of the walls
fell out into the streets. About half-past
ten the fire was at its height, and a mag
nifcent sight it was. There was danger
that it would spread southwark. For a
little while the old building on the Oppo-
site side of Beekman street was on fire.
Tho new fire-proof monster, Temple
Court" which is not yet quito finished,
suffered the loss of its window -sashes and
other woodwork. The gigantic Morse
building, on Beekman and Nassau streets,
suffers tho loss of much of its outer wood
work. Nassau street was laid out by the
Dutch, who made it as narrow as a cow
path. A. section of the falling wall
tumblcd into the majestic doorway Of the
Morse building, completely choking it
with brickbats.
The Flight for Lifo.
The building, in which several hundred
people were at work, was old and filled
with wooden partitions, and the stairs
were dry as tinder. The house had for
years been looked upon by firemen with
peculiar apprchcnsions by reason of its age
and general condition of ripcness for II
conflagration. Two entrances led into the
| QUILTING Ill IuS nlltillC "a IL, olG lIOLi
Nassau street and the other from Park
Row. On Beekman street there was none.
Recently an elevator had been put in at
| tho Nassau street entrance. 1t was in it's
shaft that the flames shot upward aud
spread. Iu moment almoS5 after the
fire started people were seen on the roof
of the burning building as gusts of wind
carried the smoke away. They were cry
ing frantically for help. Men and women
| from the offices bcpeath had rushed to tho
roof in the hope that they could escape
by passing over to the Times build
ing. In a short space of time the engines
wcrc on the ground. They came from
every direction. The windows of the
burning structure had been opened and
the breaking of the glass mingled with
the cries of the sufferres. Little tongues
| of flame shot out here and there and lick
| cd up the tiny snowf1akes rs they came
| pe!ting down. Fire-escapcs were hastily
| imprOvised and several men slid down in
| salty to tue street. The crowd each mo-
ment grew larger. AS one after and other
| with burned hands and face, reached the
| street in safety the crowd cheered. A
| woman standing on the sill Of the window
of the fourth story held on to 4 telephone
| wire with her left hand. She was hatless
and her clothing was in a disordered coll
dis!on. She fanucd herself with her right
hand and waited for assistance. "Hold
fast till como ~ shouted a brawny fire
man and score of brave men and boys
rushed forward and dragged ladder
l,ooI- o,,I 1,1Sor +lot hoo