The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-01
ONE MILLION DOLLARS
WORTH oF PROPERLY DESTROYED
In New York Yesterday by Tlu-SarrOw Escape
From Terrible COuaasratlOn-rh Exciting
Scenes, PssllSss sllsatloas asa asrOls
Acts lslG,nt to the Occasion.

i
block with the Tims building, but separ
ated from 1t by an intervening building
Strenuous efforts are making TO save thu
Time1 but the fire is spreading rapidly ant
It is feared that 1t can not be controlled
short Of the corner where the Tims office Il
located. There Is an unconarmed rumol
OF the loss OF several lives Ambulance
are on the spot and there is slight snow
falling but the air is dry and crisp with q
light breeze from the north, which in.
creases the difficulty OF controlling the fire
The block in which the fire Is. burning Is
M irregular shaped gore, with the building
formerly occupied by the World on the
southeast corner, the Times building occu.
pying the northern angle Of the gore. The
Tribune office Is diagohRlly across Nassau
street from the TimSI building and the Sun
Office is on the upper corner .Of the same
block with the Tribune. The fire has been
burning fiercety for an hour, taking hold
on the tops Of the buildings and sending
up large masses OF flames. Rev. S. Ireneus
Prime sends the following note to the As
sociated Press "The New York ObScrrer
has been burned out and this weeks issue
will be delayed"
THE DETAILS OF THE FIRE.
The Tinss building is saved, but consid.
erably damaged. The flames are confined
to Beekman street and Park Row, corner
Of the block. Only one life was lost, that
OF the woman already referred to.
II is stated that four bodies were recoy.
cred in Nassau street Of persons killed BY
jumping from the windows. 1t is feared
the loss oi life will be heavier than at first
believed. The building was crowded with
employees, and very few could have escaped
by the stairways.
IIEARTRESDrSG SCENES.
An old gray haired woman was seen in
the fourth story OF the World building ap.
pealing for help. Her lips were seen 10
move, but her voice could not bc heard.
All who saw her were horror stricken. The
flames raged about her person igniting her
hair and clothing. She fell back into the
fumes and was no doubt burned to death.
A young girl wearing u blue dress, who was
cut off from the stairs, ran to fourth story
window on the Park Row side and stood
hesitatingly, while the flames and smoke
enCircled her. "Jump! Jump!" shout.
ed the spectators, Casting a frightened
look below she threw herself ont and fell
on the stone pavement. When picked up
life was extinct, her head being crushed be.
yOnd recognition. A few seconds later q
negro woman appeared ut the third story
window OF the World office on the Park
Row side, and also jumped to the sidewalk
She was badly injured and taken to the
Chambers street hospital. Several men
and women saved themselves by leapinl
from the windows in Nassau street. When
the woman who was killed jumped from
the window there were two men
HANGING FROM WINDOW slLrS ny THEIR FIN
GER ENDS.
The ladders were too short TO reach
them, and they were saved by the tiremer
mounting on one another's shoulders, and
the men let themselves down with theil
aid. The scenes Mt the time when the oc
cupants OF the upper floors were making
their escape were often exciting and
touching. Men could be seen holding the
hands Of women, evidently encouraging
them to calmness. Three women ran OF
to the roof and fell through the skylight o
one OF the northern buildings, receiving
serious injuries. A bootblnck on the cor
ner Of Beekman street and Park Row, sec
ing some men entangied in the telegraph
wires adjoining the burning premises,
climbed the pole and cut the wires, releas
ing them from critical position.
CRITICAL SITUATIONS.
Several people descended from the burn
ing building on the Nassau street side by
reaching the telegraph pole. One boz
leaped from the fifth story, and would
doubtless have been killed but for the wire.
breaking his fall. lie was hurt badly, bu
not dangerously. An express wagon with
a canvas covering, drew up to the win
dows, and several men who-were about Il
leap TO the ground were told BY the drive
to jump on the wagon, which they did, es
Gaping any serious hurt. One young wo
man stood upon the window sill Of the
fourth story until the firemen arranged a
large piece Of canvas, which they held by
the ends and sides, and when all wGs
ready, she threw her hands straight ovel
her head and jumped. She fell upon the
outstretched canvas and escaped injury
II is almost impossible to estimate the
losses at this writing, but ii is believed
they will exceed 81, 100000.
OCCUPANTS OF THE BURNED DurLDISds.
Among the occupants Of the bmncf
buildings were the Scientific american, the
SeOitiSh.Amcrica Journal, the Turf FnlC
and Farm and Thompson's Bank Note Re
porter, and the following advertising
agents S. NJ. Pettingill & Co., John +
Phillips & Co., Charles Meyer& Co., J.
Walter Thompson, Nicola Monachcse I
r. Thompson, Levi a. DesbrOn and Leon
der. II. Grail, The top floors Of the burned
buildings were occupied by various manu-
facturers and byweekly newspapers, which
employed women as compoSitors. A wo
man and two men are said to have beer
seen alta window on Mason street and ther
disappear tn the flames.
oMsIS-oP TIE FIRE.
The following statement regarding III,
origin OF the FIRE is made by one OF the oc
cupants Of the building: "I was PASSING
down the rear, or Nassau street Stain Of 81
Park row, aud when near the foot Of thu
stairs flames burst up through the new Gle
vator shalt from the basement. Nothint
bad occurred indicating an explosion up tc
that moment. Tho flames rushed up thu
shaft like flash Of lightning, and almost a,
quickly up the stairway in terrible
torrents offire with dense black smoke
which ostinstantly cut OFF all possibility
OF egress. Passing back through the build
ings calling the alarm came out on Park
row side. The engine room adjoins tht
bottom Of the elevator shaft and the firC
must have begun ,there and gained its im
petus before any alarm was given. l ieal
that the rapidity with which the flames ant
smoke filed the narrow stairways cut Of
the escape for many occupants oithe uppe
stories"
| FACING DEATH.
An old gentleman, with white hair, 90
out OF the second.story window on III,
Beekmnn street side. He stood on the sil
for fully five minutes, holding on to tn,
narrow top.piece with his hands. Th,
flames were approaching him, but he say
no chance al eseaba ThA frcrnsn r1fsa,