New-York tribune., 1884-03-23
THE FIRE RECORD.
A CANDLE FACTORY CONSUMED.
THE Loss ESTIMATED AT $3.50, ,OOO--THREE TIMES
~ PrANFa THIS WINTER.

| TIE Loss ESTIMATED AT $2oO,OOO-rHkEE Il'iho
IN FLAMES THIS WINTER.
The west side of the city was Illuminated
last evening by a fire which destroyed the Electric
Candle Companys factory the southeast corner.ol
Thirteenth-ave Fourteenth-st. II was the most
brilliant and rapid fire which has occurred In the city IN
several months The ruined factory was strong fourofy
brick building extending one hundred feet In Ihrehth
ave- and hundred and fifty feet In Fourteenthst IL
was erected about four years ago cost OF $4,000 by
v W Mcfarland, lard manufacturer, Who afterward
failed in business IT. X. Thurber and william II. Pop
ham d Co. purchased the building and established IN IL
the Electric Candle Company Of which Mr. Tfurber has
been the president About two hundred workmen lert
the building p M. yesterday and Alexander Winters,
superintendent OF the factory. that everything ap-
neared IN he In orler Michael Gleason the engineer,
banked the fires In the boilers and went away leay-
ing tho building in charge OF a wachman At the east
end of the factory small beer shop kept by William
Conueu The barkeeper In tho shop was making change
for John Gray. workman In the factory, at 63o p M
when they startled by two loud explosions In the
factory building Smoke and flames were then Issuing
from the factory windows
An alarm was sent out promptly but before the irst
company remen responded the entire factory was on
fr and the flames bursting from the roof thiId
alarm was sounded but It too late 10 save the fac
tory Large quantities of lard and candles were on each
floor OF the t1ding and the flames increased in volume
so rapidly that the walls hot strong enough 10 hold
them COnnells beer shop took fire and Was consumed
quickly. Gray who had fingered in the shop became
confused by the and the tremen had TO drag him
ont 10 save his life within fifteen minutes after the fire
broke out the walls the factory began TO fall and In
half hour the entire structure was IN RUNS, lhe
flame Shot up to an unusual height and were exceed
inglv bright that they visible IN every part or
tie city below Fitynnthst For time the mass 3r
looked Ike immense torch. The smoke Was al
most white and drfted in long column over the city
direction OF Hunters Point Few SPARKS rose nom
the ruins after the walls fell The heat ir0m the nes
was so intense for twenty mnntes that the ilremen
could not remain the building. Several telegraph
noles In Threenh-ave. took fire and the wires fell to
ihe ground At one time the large lumber yard owned
bv Albert Hirsc FOuIteenthst opposite tie factory
was i'm danger little damage WAS done The granite
work. o. \. u. White & Co., at No. 5i1 West -Four
tcruh-st also took fire. and damaged to the eX-
tent OF SOO Connell's beer shop valued at 3 90
The stock and machinery OF the Electric Candle Com
many was entirely destroyed They valued AT $500
0OO and we're insured for $l5O,OO0 IN about thirty com
poues The building said to bc insured Tor us iul
value $50 600. william II. Forham co. occupied the
southwest corner OF the factory ana had an indcph-
den business-the manufacture oflar Their loss was
estimated at S5O,OOO ,,.s
THE cause O the fire not known but IL was believed
thai the flames started in the cooper shop on the second
story The fire which consumed the factory was the
third one which started in the building recently
slight blaze occurred there December Is leSJ anu
last "Wednesday night flames again started III the onld
ing and caused a loss OF 500. Each fire was said to De