New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-19
A MILLION LOST BY FIRE.
DESTRUCTIVE FLAMES IN BROADWAY.

smoke issuing from hole in the vault lights of the
| building Nos. 10S and 110 Mercer-st. and 537 $50
| and OIL Broadway-a fye-storied iron-frOnt
double structure. The watchman ran to fire. box
In Springst. and sent out an alarm, which in q few
minutes brought Engine Company No 13 TO the
spot. The firemen seized their axes and battered a
| hole in the vault lights volume of thick black
smoke instantly poured out and revealed the fact
that the entire basement running through 25O feet
to Broadway was full of smoke and flame.
Second and third alarms brought twelve engines
and Chief Bates. who ranged the engines around
the block and prepared to keep the fire confined to
the basement. The undertaking proved TO be more
difficult than was expected The basement and
first floor of the building from Broadway to Mercer
ST. were occupied by Hellman & Hermann dealers
In furnishing goods who had stock of the most COM
bustible nature, valued at moro than quarter of a
| million dollars, stored in the basement When the
hremen beat In the vault lights
the Broadway side the black smoke
| poured out in such volumes that for
| time the men were driven back from the hole. In
ten minutes Broadway, in the neighborhood of the
building. filled with dense, impenetrable
mass OF smoke. The changing and putting of arrlv-
ing engines, the shouts of the iremen and the black
pail of smoke drew an immense crowd Of
spectators, that swarmed from the side streets
to stralghten out their hose. A platoon of police
from the Prlnce-st. station finally drove back the
rabble and left the free fight the hidden fire.
gust of wind helped them materially.
FLOODING THE BUILDING WITH WATER.
As soon the atmosphere had sufficiently cleared
up to enable them TO get at work two moro holes
were beaten In the vault lights and three streams
of water were turned into the basement
on the Broadway side Three streams
played into it from the Mercer-st
side and lines OF hose were also dragged through the
entrance of tho building IN Mercer-st.. and the
secoud and third floors were dcluged with water
Holes cut in the flooring to allow the water 10
run through to the first floor The second floor is
occupied by Sodekson " Brothers. manulac-
turers Of trousers. On the third floor Knowlton
Il Sons kept stock of millinery straw
goods valued at 5000. The fourth and fifth
floors were occupied by A. Goldberg a wholesale
cIothing-dealer The rooms used by these firms all
extended through from Broadway TO Mercer-st,, III
the building Nos 537 aud 90 Broadway. In the
twin STRUCTURE No. oil Broadway, DAVID l.. Now
borg. a manufacturer of clothing carried on
his business in the four upper floors. He
occupied the structure through to Mercer-st. The
first hool and basement were occupied by
Emanuel Denzer, a wholesale dealer in hats.
The iremen beat in the vaults of Mr.. Denzer aud
flooded his stock OF hats For twenty minuscs they
were unable TO secure entrance into Hollman
! & Ilcrrmanu's place. but by means Of their heavy
| hooks tho hook and ladder companies sue
creded in tearn. of tho iron shutters and
! turning their hose into this floor, winch was
directly above the basement whore the lire origI-
mated. Stripping of the iron shutters freed an
] Immense amount of smoke. which poured out into
the street IN such MitJcaIlng quantities that Fire
man Henry Reilly was prostrated. lie belonged TO
| Engine No 3D. Philip BoIekc. tnsmlth. who
Was watching tho fire from IN front Of the building,
was knocked down by stream from a hose and had
a ut IN consequence
FLAMES BURSTING FROM TIE ROOF.
| As the ambuauces came up to convey tine men to
the hospitals sudden burst of flame from the roof
of tho big building showed that By some means the
fire had reached the top of tho structure, and for
time Il looked the entire structure doomed.
| While the hremen directing their atcn-
ton to the basement, and throwing
water through tho holes in the vault lights tho
flames had crept along the elevator shaft near the
Mercer-st side, and set fire the clothing of Mr..
Goldberg OH the top loor At this point the tiremen
did splendid work. They stuck to the holes in the
vault lights IN an atmosphere that 1t seemed impos-
slble TO live in. The new danger on the roof was
met by prompt measures One fire tower ran up Its
spout and poured a steady and elective stream into
| the uop,r floors on Meroer-st and then an other
| tower fought the greedy flames through tho Broad
| way windows Three lines of nose were dragged
ND the SIX flights of stairs OF the Prescott House.
| two doors away, from the root OF
which the fremen did good work on the
| burning clothing OF Mr. Goldberg. The struggle for
| supremacy between the flames and the water was
long ana stubborn at this pont me 1 vnre
| soon throwing out lurd flame. Hose was drawn
TO the top OF No. 543, aud the hAines fought nom
| there. .
| ia ten minutes the two upper stories of each
| building were wrapped IN flames and soon c0m-
pletcly gutted The tire at TINS time Afforded me me
| speciacie which was viewed by thousands. Ine
| windows of the Metropolitan and 81. Nicholas
| Hotels were packed with gazers The guests III tho
Prescott House were for time thrown ihto u par
tlal state of consternatiOn at the proximity oil the
| burnlnQ building. The efforts OF the hremen
were at length successful and the progress OF the
| con1AgratiOn was checked, after destroying the
| two upper floors of each building Had there Deen
| any lack of water nothing could nave prevented
disastrous conilagraton. Ihe qulhllty Oh WAY. 't
uSed was enormous. Rivers OF 1t ran through inc
| streets short water supply IN Prlnce-st, i'll tlo
| immediate vicinity, had embarrassed the hIomen
only TWO days before ana causca so'9 m ,'', ae
supply should give out last night. But IN no cdse
was there a deficiency. The hose were Ied Iroh tno
mains Broad way-one ol 40 inches @ snu % .no ;
of 36 inches Iu addition to TINS lz-lnGn ina'i, MAN
ooes through Mercer-s and streets fur her west
| a2O-inch man runs through Wooster-st Dotn Oh
thee we're called INTO requsitiOn last night. Inc
Gre vgas confined to the two upper floors and the
naSemsnt IL was officially declared under control
by Chief Bates at O'clock IT. haa sovsya DGeh
sareaSs Of water were kept playing, upon
| tho ebarred beams OF the ROOF anu tno
still smoking basement Clouds OF whlle steam steam
| posc from the burned building and afforded enjoy
ment for the multitude which trooped to see IL rom
| tie surrounding portions OF the clty'
| SMALL NEED OF AMBULANCEs.
In the crowd that was admitted by the poilco
within their lines TO watch the lire closely couiu 10
seen Alderman Waite, Excise Commissioners
| Morris and Fire Commissioners Gorman ana urroY'
During the tim ethat the hre was a' i's ne,s"'' ~
a,,ao,otion Of their services being needed, eight
| -, -. l..,ro IN the scene The only cases that