New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-08-17
CITY STREETS IN DARKNESS.
AN ELECTRIC LIGHT STATION BURNED.

Eliminating Company at Nos. 2Ol, 206, 20S and 2lO
Elzabeth-st was destrcyed by fire last evening The
building was one hundred feet long and the same dis
tance In depth built OF brick md made up of two separ
ATE ouuhg one being three. and the other two stories
In heght IL was in the centre Of tho block and the
other buildings upon side it and opposite were
five story tenement houses occupied principally by
Italians
AT 1880 o'clock there was sudden burst OF fame 10
the fehr of what was known the storeroom on the
second moor OF the larger building. Hugh Mckenna
ana Robert Pinckncy working there at the time,
liking up some lamps were to be taken later In
the evening They started in the direction OF the fire
win some huckots to throw water upon II In the hope
that II might be easily out but they had only gone
few feet when the smoke became dense to over
power them and they fell uron the floor They did not
lose conscousness but crawled toward the OF win
dows. The fire was fast coming toward them and the
smoke was getting thicker but the cool air that poured
In from the windows enabled them TO breathe When
they got 10 the window the fire directly behind them
ana without waiting to where they gcng they
jumped to the street and fell exhausted to the pave
mont They soon recovered. In the smaller building
were thirteen large boilers and in the room ad dining
was the large engine which about thiryfive dyn-
amos Inc dy namos were IN the first story above tho
engine room and the fire is supposed to have been
caused Oy sparks from OF the rapidly revolving
machines being thrown pile OF insu lated vile
which stood near IL. Tho engine ut the time run
ming at full speed to furnish lights for large demand
which made In the early part OF the evening. There
werh ten w0rkmen In tho burning buildings. One or
them who was the office rang a signal stop tho
engine, anu then cut OF all the lights running out from
this circuit Chief Engineer Wright was In the engine
room when tho signal came and after shutting OF the
steam in the ponderous machine he drece that ali the
boilers be Hooded with water The pumps STATED,
but there was no time 10 the result the flames
came bursting into tho engine room from above and
drove the fire las ashes
upon the fires.
Hook and Ladder Company No. 8 IS situated nearly
opposite the company's buling and Harry Teal Chief
shay's assistant sent out alarm and immediately
atterward sent ont third alarm which brought CHIEF
shay, who has room in No. 9s building TO the fire.
lilo got there about ten minutes after the flames broke
out and they were then raging hcrccly and with the
strong southeast wind which blowing threatened to
burn out the entire block. There excitement
in the neishborhood and the Italians were throwing
their household goods out of the windows upon the
heads OF tie people IN the street, who running
wildly aOoui getting in tie way of the lremen, aud
wecI ing AMI crying for their lost husbands wives or
children. The smoke was exceedingly dense and
poured into the street in immense volumes. 1t "as
made by tho burning rubber used in insulating the wires
and had pungent OdOr that the trained nosrils or
the remen coud not bear. Time ani time again would
they climb up tue ladders with the heavy hose but the
smoke would come down upon thom and they wonld
smoke and had give up their places and let ubs
tues in, who also driven back. In all there
were eleven engines, four trucks and water tower
Tho water tower not used, as the street was so
that 1t deemed safe to blockade H. The
gnes stationed in Prince, Spring and Elizabeth
SITS. and III the Bowery
just back OF the burning building the largo build
ing OF the Young Mems Christian Association. Nos 22O
and 222 Bowery 1t seemed II this building could not
be saved. The heavy iron shutters on the were
scd the heat intense that II set fire to the
woodwork in the windows and two streams of water
constantly played upon that part Of the building
facing the fire. In consequence of this The association
building flooded with water and the furniture dam
aged, but 1t was kept from being than slightly
burned The lines of hose from the other engines were
run up the tops the neighbOring houses where the
wind kept the smoke away aud the water was poured in
large volumes upon the flames which, being fed by large
quantities OF rubber and parane leaped high above
the surrounding buildings and seemed they must get
away the Several times the roofs Of the
adjoining tenement house the north caught fire, bu
well directed stream kept 1t from spreading to the
interior. Great showers OF sparks nsw skyward and
carried by the wind for several bocks, endargetng
all where they fell and 1t was expected that
other buildings would be set on fire.
Chief Shay kept O close watch upon e-erythng and
changed the OF TO meet the advance OF the
flames north ward. The fremer had hard work. and
though their lives threatened they kept at It, ex-
cept when the smoke would drive them away Finally,
aided by a heavy shower OF rain, the bright flames
to get dim and dense volume or steam TOOK INC
place OF black smOke. This did not Interfere with
tho iremen and by getting close to the building anu
flooding through the windows they got the fire under
control two hours after 1t began, and saved
the other buildings, which at the beginning
even the experienced hremen said was well nigh
impossible. From tho beginning to the end the
fire handled with great skill II any mistake had
been made there would have been a serious con-
hagration, the street would have made 1t I'M
possible light the fire from the ground had II gov nlo
the tall tenement houses.
Chief Shay ordered the Brush Company to turn of the
few moments after he arrived at the hrc as ne deemed
it dangerous to the lives OF the aremen, who were
wee charged Ts resulted in ali the
public and private houses which were furnished WIN
light this company being In darkness Beside the
station, he company has another IN ws.t
Twontyhita-st between sixth and seventh ave. ave.
T%sny TIVE twG S'HSs Fcrty Fifty
nn s fS s@a ft, .o .
Square and all heprvate lights Ia the Bowery ana many
IN o,ne s, pa there 10 no provision for such an acct
dent globes have been taken from oil the lamps
IN T1taay ne Without light for Te and half hours
was not until IL O'clock that the machinery in the
Twenty fifth factory began running, supplying cec-
trcity to about two-thirds OF the lights but by H.
all the smps were S%rGns yin EXCEPT op b. In shted
until this evening. Chief Engineer Wright OF the com
pany said that the burned station hnd capaSy Sny OF
400 lamps but that thore were only ABOUT wv VI
working last evening. The officials OF the con-
pany and the workmen reticont about ther ~
fairs and difficult to get any information
the companys intentions IN regard TO ighthg 'ne
streets until station is built.
The loss upon tho stock, dynamos and other i naenn
cry estimated to be $4,000 and upon the building
SIS 900 The building owned BY the company IL was
gued ami the and the large engine are useless
The boilors probably be used again The properly
was fully sured In several companies among them Doins
the Globe, g. 500 the Liverpool and London ana iope'
5000; the Home. $4,000, and the Etna, $4,000
SIX HORsEs AND TWO MULES BURNED TO DEATH
Flames of unknown origin destroyed a two
story frame stable at Grand aud Moshon aves' near
SHAFT No. 20 OF the Aqueduc early yesterday
morning. six horses and two mules were burned 10
death In the building and large quantity OF feed was
destroyed. The loss was about $4,000 Collins rar'
rcl, the contractors, owned the property
STABLES DESTROYED IN NEWARK.