Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-01
DISASTROUS FIRE.
Shocking Loss of Life and Great
Destruction Of Property.
WORK OF THE FLAMES IN GOTHAM
Narrow Escape Of the "Times" Office
from Annihilation.
PITlFUL SIGHTS AT THE SCENE OF DISASTER.
Statements Of Persons Who Escaped from
the Fiery Furnace.
PrIFuL SIGHTS AT THE SCENE OF DISASTER.
Statements of Persons Who Escaped from
the Fiery Furnace.
lssscAL By TELEGRAPH TO THE REooED-uMos.l

OUT Cnls morning IN tne Duldlng formerly
| occupied by the New York World, in the
same block with the Times building, but
separated from it by an intervening building.
Strenuous efforts are making to save the
Times Office, but the fire is spreading rapidly,
and it is feared that it cannot be controlled
short of the corner where the Times Office is
located. There is an unconfrmed rumor Of
the loss of several lives.
LOCATION OF THE FIRE.
The block in which the fire is burning is an
irregular-shaped gore. The Tribune office is
diagonally across Nassau street from the
Times Office, and the Sun office is on the up
per corner of the same block with the Trib-
une. The fire has been burning iercely for
an hour, taking hold of the top of the build
ings and sending up large masses of flames.
Irenaus Prime sends the following note to
the Associated Press "The New York Oh
seruer has been burned out, and this weeks
issue will be delayed" The Observer cfice
was at 81 Park Row, in the old World build.
ing. There were large number of offices.
stores and advertising agencies in that and
adjoining houses.
IL o'cLocK.-The Times building is saved
but is considerably damaged. The flames
are confined to the Beekman street and Park
Row corner of the block.
LOSS OF LIFE REPORTED.
It is stated that four bodies were re-
covered in Nassau street of persons killed
by jumping from windows. 1t is feared that
the loss of life will be heavier than at first
believed. The building was crowded with
employees, and very few could have escaped
by the stairways.
INCIDENTS.
fourth story Of the World building, appealing
for help. Her lips were seen to move, but
her voice could not be heard. All who saw
her were horror-stricken. The flames ragged
about her person, igniting her hair and cloth
ing. She fell back into the flames, and was
not seen again.
A young girl wearing blue dress, who was
cut off from the stairs, ran to the fourth story
window on the Park Row side, and stood
circled her. Jump! Jump! shouted the
spectators. Casting frightened look below,
she threw herself out and fell on the stone
pavement. When picked up life was extinct,
Her head had been crushed beyond recogni |
ton.
A few minutes later negro woman ap.
peared at the third-story window of the
World office on the Park Row side, and also
jumped to the sidewalk. She was badly in
jared, and taken to the Chambers-street
Hospital
When the woman who was killed jumped
from the window, there were two men hang
ing from window sills by their finger ends.
The ladders were too short to reach them,
and they were saved by fremen meur ting on
one another's shoulders, and the men let
themselves down by their aid.
Men could be seen holding the hands of
women, evidently encouraging them to calm
ness. Three women ian on the roof and fell
through the skylight of one of the northern
buildings, receiving serious injuries
A bootblack at the corner of Beekman
street and Park Row, seeing some men en-
tangled in the telegraph wires adjoining the
burning premises, climbed the pole and cut
the wires, releasing them from their critical
position.
would doubtless have been killed but for the
wires breaking his fall. He was hurt, but
not dangerously.
An express wagon, having canvas cover
i g. drew up under the windows. and several
men, who were about to leap to the ground,
were told by the driver to Jump on the wagon,
which they did, and escaped any serious hurt.
One young woman stood up on the window
sill of the fourth story until the FIRE.
men arranged ladder and piece of can:
vas, which they held at the ends and
sides. When all was ready she threw her
hands straight over her head and jumped. She
fell upon the outstretched canvass and es-
capped injury.
!. STATEMENT OF AN OCCUPANT.
The following statement regarding the
origin of the fire was made by one of the oc.
cupants Of the building: l was passing down
the rear or Nassau street stairs of No. 81
Park Row, and when near the foot of the
stairs flames burst up through or near the
elevator shaft from the basement. Nothing
bad occurred indicating an explosion up to
that moment. The flames rushed up the
shaft like flash of lphtning and almost as
quickly up the stairway in terrible torrent
Of fire, with dense black smoke, which al
most instantly cut off all possibility of egress.
Passing back through the building calling the
alarm, came out on the Park Row side.
The engine room adjoins the bottom of the
shaft, and the fire must have begun there and
gained its impetus before any alarm was
given. I fear the rapidity with which the
flames and smoke filled the narrow stairways
cut off escape for many occupants of the
upper story.
ESCAPE OF AN OLD MAN.
An old gentleman with white hair got out
of the fourth story window on the Beck
man street side. He stood on the sill fully
five minutes, hold on to the narrow piece
with his hands. The flames were approach
ing him, but lie saw no chance of escape.
Tie fremen raised ladder but it only
reached to the story below him. The crowd
in the stree. got tar?aulin, and score of
willing hands braved the dangers of the fall.
ing debris and cinders, and shout went up
plainly heard by the old gentleman, "Jump
jump for your life Wen save you"-but
he looked at the sixty feet of distance below
him, and could not muster up courage
enough to make the attempt. He turned
forward, facing the street, and with his hands
behind him stood like statue, Drawing
death. Meantime two brave men got short
ladders, went up long fire ladder and held
it up to him, and steadied it while he slowly
climbed down. Just as he reached the long
ladder the flames burst through the window
where he stood, but he reached the sidewalk
in safety, amid the cheers of the crowd.
ANOTHER STATEMENT.