New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-12-16
THE FIRE RECORD.
NARROW ESCAPES FROM THE FLAMES.

BURNING OF A TENEMENr-HOUsE FOREMAN
sEARLEs FALL
Narrow escapes from death by fire were witnessed
yesterday nj No. l72 Suffok-st, n fye-stoiy tene-
ment house. The construction of the building was
so faulty as to make 1t death trap in of ire
at night From an entrance at the middle of the
ground floor, steep aud narrow stairs, with small
landings on each floor led up to the top story.
There were ire-escaprs in the rear but they were
directly over a wooden porch On the ground ilJOr,
separated by the narrow hall, were liquor store
AMI shop where feather buster, aud grass b0u-
quets were for street vendors The shop
was occupied by Jacob SprU. his wife Pauline aud
their two small children. Spiro was away from
the place yesterday. but his wife and eight young
girls who were hired by the day, were at wUTk
there sorting coOreG grasses and forming them into
punches. 1t WIS cold in the room where they
worked, and at 100 p. m. Mrs Spro began to stir
mp the nre III an old etove, spark flew out among
the grasses which covered the floor to n depth of
nearly foot. In few seconds flames filed the
room.
Mrs. Spiro and the girls scarcely had time to es-
cape although they had witnessed the beginning
OF the ire Before an alarm could be commune
cated TO the families the upper floors, the
stairs were i'll flames The fire ran up the flights of
wooden stairs with amazing rapidity cutting of all
means of escape By the halls The.porch in the rear
TOOK IRE quickly, rendering the tire escapes above it
useless
policeman who was passing tho building
promptly sent out an alarm from the box at
Houston-st. and Avenue b. When the hremen ar
IIVet at the burning house there were great excite
neht ahd confusion. Few women and children,
VINO ilyed IN tue upper part OF the bnildlng. mad
reached the rOol aud were trying TO get upon the
taller OuliHlngs adjoining. From the front windows
OF the middle storie, others calling Tor help
smoke hlled the enire house ana the flames we've
hlieauy III the fourth story. Before ladder
could lie placed in position, Mrs. Sche or dropped a
Ieahel bcd IIom her room on the tnlId nOOr TO the
Siue"als, and then pTeI AIRED 10 throw HeI nttie
uaughtef alter 1t Flreme. caught up the bed aud
DfoAo The idii OF inc child that she escaped
serious Injury. Mrs. SCherer then jumped herreii
anu landed on the bed. Her ankle was spraiueI
but she was not hurt otherwise Mrs. NO,oerChlei
and Der child VINO live the third floor also, were
rescued bv Bremen after IA ladder had neen put up
To her window. NIs. W utge throw nor two-weeks-
Ola INFANT out OF d second Story window into the
arms oi brennan. IL was wrapped up like "a
mummy an1 i escaI ed without injury. 1hu mother
was a'OuJ TO spring out OF the wlndOw when sno
was od"ShJ ny fireman on "a ladder and lowered
10 tne ground
ladder, upon when Foreman Scarf. Of Engine
Company No. !, aud two of his ilemtn were
sing line oil hose, slipped and fell sIue~i.e. The
two bremen nearest the ground dropped 10 he sIde
Walk without injury. FOrouIan Srare a
Io'ol VITA mo thiid hDur. Ito let 20 the hose and
threw himself from the ladder. le caught upon
the projecting roof of II snow WiIdOW d an AL
Julnlng house and escaped without scrIOu- injuries
although he Was bruised seVetrh some petsOn>
living II the rear uf he Lining house re shut IN
their rOOus mini the hrcmeu raised Ladders TO the
lmpAssayle are ESCAPES. Lveu tncn escape through
the binding smoke was dItlcult and udu -elOus.
Those who hdd gained the ROOF were assisted INTO
al ointug buudIng,
1t tOoN the hromcn nearly two hours TO "a
tngnsh the flames. hen only the walls remained.
Ine occupants of the buudIng. most of them pOOc
Hebrews, had Lost everything wniCn JAeV pos
se,sed. except what clothing tney wore V,iv few
Oh the poor people had ln-uianse on their furniture
ne EOilCe made the following estimates OF losses :
Damage &C. tue building owned w tine GeI.uan
Catholic Orphan Asylum. $1,000: jacob SpirO,
~ 1000; Arlt,n Nutgs. pIU0; August Koch, 800;
/. LOsch. 500; Carr Satt.cr 800; Joseph Miller,
800; Albert kOnlrG, 1900: john kolascn, tIOO :;
Charlie, HasgIn,Ai, r4J0: Gus ave kungel, PIUU :;
John kcIberger 500; Gustaye Austadt, s}Ou; ;
Maria Pages, $500, and Charles Nagcl, $500;
total. $500.