New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-03
P OST S C RIPT.
$50 a. M.
NINE LIVES LOST AT A FIRE,
TERRIBLE SCENES IN FIRST AVENUE.
DRIVEN BY SMOKE FROM TENEMENT HOUSE
LEArING FROM WINDOWS AND sUFFocATED.

Dhi'i-" bi sMOhE FROM TENEMENT HOUSE
LEAPING FROM WINDOWS AND sUFFocATED.
Sixteen families who were asleep in the fve-story
double tenement house No G72 FirSt-ave. were
awakened about 1915 a. m. to-day by smoke which
filed their rooms. Flames had started in the rear
OF John Humphreys's lager-beer shop the first
floor, and had gone rapidly up to the roof by
way OF the stairs in the middle of the house.
The Railways were on fire, and there was no
opportunity to escape by the stairways when
the frightened and halfsmothered inmates of the
building became aware of their danger. Windows
IN the front and rear were raised and men, women
andchildren uttered loud cries ofdlstress They were
heard by hundreds of neighbors, and the avenue in
front OF the burning h Ouse was soon crowded with
eager people who shouted in chorus, but were
unable to give assistance to the imprisoned occu-
pants.
Five engines rushed to the place in answer to an
alarm, and policemen from the Thirty-ifth Street
Station, led by Captain Ryan, were soon there TO
help. While third alarm, to summon all tho
available force of fremen in the district,
was beng sent out the work of
rescue was begun. 1t seemed already too late to
of the windows and whose shouts for help were
heard plainly above the roar Of voices IN the
street.
Humphreys. who lived over his shop with his wife
and child, took the child and jumped ont of a
window. His wife jumped after them and broke
both her legs John Hannah. of No. 316
East Thrty-ninth-st., caught the woman as
she fell, but could not save her from
nd
fremen fought their way through the flames
and smoke as far as the second floor. Rounds
man Hatton carried Mrs. Ida Rorick and her infant
from that floor and saved BOTH but the woman was
insensiblc when they reached the street. Hatton
returned 10 the building and carried out Elizabeth
Hurley, but she was dead when he got her to the
street.
Fireman DalrympIe, of Hook and Ladder Com
pany No 4, got mp to tho fourth
floor by means Of a scaling ladder
and handed down several persons from the front
windows TO fremen on ladders below. Among
the rescued persons were SAID to be members of
the Stiner family on the third floor Mr. stmer
his wife and four children were seen at the windows,
but II was said afterward that some of them had
perished in the fire. One woman on the top
floor Of the house threw her baby out
of tho front window. Policeman Thomas
Flaherty caught the child and saved its
life. He carried it, somewhat injured, to
a neghborng house. where il was cared for
It's mother went back from the window
ard was not seen again. 1t was supposed that she
had been sufocatcd.
Meanwhile some iremen had turned streams of
water upon the flames and II was soon possible for
,acn to go through tho house and search the
rooms. They carried out 4 dozen persons who ap-
peared TO be alive, although inscDsbe, and tried to
restore them. Several ambuances had been
called and the insensible people were taken
10 Bellevue Hospital. The bodies of
live dead persons were carried into
the coal Office Of J. NJ. Orton & Coz next door
to the tenement house, and laid upon the floor
One or two victims were partly dressed They
had delayed too long in their rooms
before making efforts to escape. The appearance
of all the bodies gave proof of Il terrible struggle
Tor life. None of the bodies were much burned.
Before the flames had reached the doomed people
the smoke had placed them beyond the reach of
pam. Al go a. IN. the police had not been able 10
ascertain the names of the dead and injured
AZ the hospital fourteen persons from the tcne-
mcn-house were lying insensble Al a. m. Five Of
them were women, four were men, three were boys,
one was glrl aud one was an infant.
hey were az suffering from the
aqd several werc believed to be dying.
All the surgeons in the hospital were
busy trying 10 restore them to consciousness.
II was SAID at the hospital that Humphreys
was dead and that insurance policy
was found in his pocket. Other persons said that
had escaped alive.
II was asccrtaned later that Humphreys, his
wife, servant and child were dead. Their
bodies lay IN the coal office.
On Humphreys was found policy for $1,000
IN the Buffalo Germ an Insurance Company.
and large roll of money. The fire started
in the rear of Humphreys restaurant
where his store was. lie ran out
into the hall and up the stairs |
leaving the door open behind him. The smoke aud
flames followed him.
The baiustrade Of the stairs was all |
burned mp to the top floor There |
were no fire ESCAPES on the front OF
HE building Those in the rear |
were practically useless rs they were filled with |
wood. which was quickly in blaze.
Nine persons are dead in all, two having |
lied after being taken to the hDspi, al