New-York tribune., 1885-02-05
KILLED AT A BIG FIRE.
A FIREMAN SWEPT FROM HIS LADDER
FLAMES STARTED IN BoY's CLoTHING-HE MAY
DIE-GREAT DAMAGE DONE

FLAMES STARTED IN BOYS CLOTHING-HE MAY
DIE-GREAT DAMAGE DONE.
Loud cries of Fire Fire! were heard last evening
at GAO o'clock issuing from the third floor of the
large marble building at Darclay-st.. and College.
place. The employees of Major & Knap, who occupy
the third fourth and fifth stories of the building as
a photographic and engraving establishment, were
eating their luncheon In the building, because they
were working overtime, when they were startled
by loud scream for Help! Help! On turning their
syesin the direction Of the sound they saw Henry
Welsh age eighteen photographer all abage in the
southeast corner Of the Ioom. Ho seemed COM
pletely enveloped In fame, and was struggling to
tear his burning clothes from his body. The work.
men nea: him ran to his aid Before they could
reach him he fell to the floor unconscious Pals OF
water were thrown over him and the fire in his
clothing put out. He was taken to the Chambers
Street Hospital, where it was found that he had
been terribly burned on the face, hands. arms and
legs. He was suffering badly from shock and the
physicians could not tell certainly whether or not
| he had inhaled any of the flames which consumed
his clothing. II he did, ,.he will probably die The
whole of the room was then ablaze. The
wOrlkmen seized hand grenades and threw them at
the fire, but its progress could not be stopped he
floor was saturated with benzine printers ink and
| other combustibc materials, and there were largo
piles of paper near by, which were at once lgnited.
| There were about fifteen men in the room when
| the fire broke out and about twenty on the two
| floors above.
They were panc-strichen. Some burst throughthe
window and hurried down the iire-escape. on the
| College place side of the building, but the greater
part of them ran wildly down the stairs INTO Bar
| clay-st They did not stop to get their clothes.
Several of them in their haste fell down the stars,
| bnt none was injured seriously. The smoke became
dense before they all got out that about half
dozen crawled on their hands and knees to escape
suilocation. f. Lehnhardt. the foreman of the shop
| was missing and he was thought to have pershed,
as one man said he thought he hun 40 back into
! the room after some books He was found later in
! the evening and said that he ont of the building
nj supper at the time the fire started. One of the
workmen ran 10 the liquor store across the street
from the fire, got the fire box key and rang an alarm
| from Box g.. 4 third alarm was at once sent out
which brought fifteen engines, four trucks and two
| water towers to the fire The flames spread with
great rapdity. The building five stories high and
rms the entire length OF the block from Bare ay-t.
10 park-placc in Colegeplacc IL Is said 10 be hres
/ proof. Before the hremen could get a stream or
| water into the bndng the fire had spread TO the
| fourth story aud the whole length OF tho building
! ON the third floor The flames burst through the
| windows into Park place and C0llegoPace ioi-
lowed by shower, OF glass number OF hrelnen
| and lockers Oa were cut, though none Daliy.
streams wereturned into the building from the two
towers aud the fifteen engines from every direction.
but despite the most desperate efforts OF the hremen
they could step the progress OF the naines Whcl
soon spread 10 the fifth story where the paper STOCK
| was stored. The irc burned Hereby from TINS
point and burst through tho rooi. llghtinS up thc
fog that hung low over the city, which sent back
| pecularly dismal glare. As soon as there Wer1
openings IN the roof torrents oi water were poured
| from the neghburinS buildings through them.
After about q half an hour the iiam'S showed lcss
| brightness and an enormous volume OF dark NnoEe
| hurled defiance 80 the tr'mcn up on the I@iosIS
aud ire escapes and the roofs oi the adjoining Oud-
/ iuss.
! EXPLOSIONS AND FALLING FLOORS.
The ne,ghboring streets were dcnsely packed with
pcope and all the available reserve iorcc OF police
| werc ordered to the spot. The spectators were
kept as far away as possible because an explosion
was nomentarly expected. The third and fourth
! hoors were occupied by Major Il Knapp press
room. and there we're thrtyone presses in thom
some Of them Weighing much as five tons. 1t
wa, cxpectoI that the door would give way and
dron these large presses into the cellar where there
wps a large qgautIty OF explosive material stored
! Bv g.3C O'clock however the hrrmen got the llameS
under control and the expected explosion dlH not
/ Alta few minutes past o distressing accident
occurred IA Park place. whih resulted IN the death
| of James smith. a fireman OF Engine No H. lie
had obtained leave of absence Of half hour To get
something To eat. and long before his time was up
! he said To the engineer oi No; Il; nc poyS ai9
! having hard work up there gu ~ wlll 90 ana
! give them lft.' He hurried 10 tho building aud
started nmbly w Il long, extension ladder that
| reached Ia the iItth-story. " hen ne was UctN'eH
fhr third and fourth stories. the n0/Iic oi the nose
tllt ran M the ladder slipped from the grasp OF the
] Two men who were holding il and struck the ul-
| fortunate fireman. His hold was broken. lie made
| two frantic attempts To catch the auaer, put MS
| hands failed to- retain their grp on the slippery
| " ood and he swept OH 10 the rigt side OF thc
| ladder and fell Ia the sidewalk. About dozen hfe-
! men were ~ the foot of tho ladder, and as poor
| smith started in his hcadlong descent ne shouted
| " look out ~ He turned twice while railing ana
struck the ground upon his right shoulder ana lead
breaking his neck AMI back and fracturlnG MS skull
The blood spurted from ms nose ears ana ihou'l'
! and hi. companions were transiiXed with horror;
At the instant hc struck the pavement he excalhei
| Alv poor molherW lie was picked mp telidGrlY ana
| taken 10 the lIquor store OF j. BehIens wheic no
| died In about two minutes. - d.,
| The cause of the fire was accidental. Young
Welsh. who was 20 frghtfuy burned. was
| in the act OF lighting n gas let WIN =
piece of paper when a, spark Kew on ali @
teli INTO a can of benZne that stood near hlnl ahd
the tire at once made rapid headway. ~
| The occupants of the building wer9 Mspior
and Knapp, who had stock worth SZ0ooop
| a brothers, agent for schimmel Il Co.,
| Leipzig. dealers in essential oils, etc;
stock worth $3.50, 600, damages estimated Sio,oVo,
insurance $4,000 Miller y Co.. china, CLOCKS onn
insurance unknown John Wygand. glassware ana
CANA, damags. estimated, $l5.0OOj insurance uli-
known: w. j. Snyder, glassware and china, dam
aQe estimated 81 900, insurance uhhhoWhi
John Reilly steam heating and power
furnishing machinery ha IN ssH Sas is Sowned @ by
s. B. Chittenden is valued at S200, ,OO0 partially
destroyed, damage estimated at SiO.OOoj Insurance
| unknown. , a. A. II
| This is the third disastrous fire that the hrm Ok
| Major & Knapp have had in the last ten years