Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1882-02-11
THE NEW YORK FIRE.
The Newspaper Quarter of New York City
Devastated by Flre-Largo Loss of Life
and PropertY-Interektlnp Incidents.

A little after nine o'clock on the morning
of the 3lst 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 irregulary- 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 dagonaly
across Nassau street from the Times build
ing, and the Sun office is on the upper
corner Of the same block with the Tribune.
There was 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 fiye minutes il had spread to the top
OF JIie DuiImng. Inc 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 quantity of rubber cement
This is composed of pure rubber dissolved in
naphtha, andis exceedingly inhammable. 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 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 inhammable 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 a roaring sound. AS it reached
the different floors 1t filled them and turned
the atmosphere itself into flame, kindllng 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 a;
the door when the explosion came
but before he reached the sidewalk his
beard was burned off, and his face badly
scorched from passing through the sea Of
flames. When the first fire engine arrived il
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 coul(
not bear their hands on the windows of the
Post-offce building, and il was beginning t.
scorch and ignite the woodwork in the OLE
Mail building, and that in the new Kell,
building, which is in process Of erection a
the corner Of Nassau and Beekman streets
IT was also expected that the Time
building, next to the one destroyed, couli
not be saved. Fortunately, when it was bull
| fire-wall had been constructed between tn,
two, and this saved it. To protect the threat
ened property more water was necessary, AM
call was sent out for increased pressure
The character of the confagration was sucl
that from the first the structure was doomed
and the efforts of the Fire Department wer
confined to endeavors to keep the flames with
in their original limits. In this the fircme
we're measurably successful.
The World building was occupied by larg,
number Of tenants, most Of whom lost every
thing. Among the periodicals and newspa
| pers located there were: The EgeRing Press
the Scientific american; " Y Observer; An
erica,l Manufacturer and Builder; Thompson
Bank Note Reporter; Scottish american; Turf
Field and Farm, and the Retailer. The los
on the building was S3OO, 900, and the othe
losses were in the neighborhood of 100000
more. Up TO two O'Clock on the morning o
the LIST four persons were known to have per
ished In the flames, and about a dozen NOR
who worked in the building were reported t,
be missing.
INCIDENTS.
The scenes at the time when the occupant
Of the upper floors were making their escap
were often exciting and touching. Men coul
be seen holding the hands of women, EVIDENT
encouraging them to calmness.
Three women ran on roof and fell throug
the skylight of one of the northern buildings
receiving serious injuries
An express wagon with heavy canvas
covering drew up under the windows, an
several men, who were about to leap to th
ground, were told by the driver to jump o
the wagon, which they did, and escaped an
hurt.
One young woman stood upon the window
Sill OF the fourth story until the firemen o.
ranged large piece Of canvass which the
held at ends and side. When all was read
she threw her hands straight over her hea
and jumped. She fell upon the outstrctche
canvass and escaped injury.
An old gentleman with white hair got oil
of the fourth story wlndoy on the Beekma
street side. He stood on the sill for fully fly
minutes, holding on to the narrow TOPPED
with his hands. The flames were approachin
him, but he saw no chance OF escape. The fir
men raised ladder but 1t only reached to Il
story below him. A crowd in the street e
tarpaulin and score of willing hant
braved the dangers of falling debr
and cinders, and a shout went up which W;
\ plainly heard by the old gentleman to jun
Jump for your life; Wen save you;n but b
looked at the sixty feet distance belo
him, and could not muster up courage enoue
to make the attempt. He turned forwar
facing the street, and with his hands behir
him stood like statue Drawing death. Mea
while two brave men got a short ladder, wei
up the long fire ladder, and held it up to hi
and steadied it while he slowly climbed dow
Just as he reached the long ladder Il
flames burst through the window whe
he had stood, but he reached the sidewalk
safety amid the cheers Of the crowd.
A man who gained the roof and escaped |
way of the Times building shouted to h