New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-23
COSTLY FLAMES IN A BREWERY.
LOSSES OF MORE THAN 100000.

UNCERTAINTY AS TO HOW MUCH THE BEER
AND MACHINERY WERE INJURED.
fire which broke out in the brewery OF the
Henry Elias Brewing Company, IN East ii!-
fourth-st. last evening damaged two OF the larger
buildings in the group, and caused loss winch
u,,. estimated At over 100000 Work in the
brewery stoppcd at p. m, and most OF the en-
nloves went away at that hour. John Mortimer
the engineer. and his assistants were banking
their fires and getting ready to 20 away haIi an
hour later when the fire was discovered py VIII
lam McNcally foreman of Bolcn & Byrne's MIN
eral water factory. Mr.. McNcally stopped in
front of the brewery to talk with an acqnaiht-
ance and he saw flames IN the top story OF the
brew house, fvc-story brick building Nos 4ol
and 4O3 East Fifty-fourtl-st lie sent out an
alarm Flames filed the top story OF the Drew
house when the fremen arrived, and a third
alarm sounded.
There was a scarcity Of water, and the engines
were not Effective at the beginning OF the nght'
The flames soon spread the top story of the
fvc-story building in Ffty-ffth-st., called the
ice-house in which large quantities of hops, malt
and beer were stored. The thrce-story building
No. 4O5 East Ff,y-fourth-st., containing lce-ma-
chimes worth 500, 600, was attacked by the hameS
but the remen succeeded i'll saving 1t from serions
injury Seventy horses were taken out oi ,he M
1
fire was not permitted 10 reach the stables -,
OcCurants of a of tenement-h0uscs on uic
cast side of FirSt-aVe. took fright when the rear
walls of the houses began to get hot, ana lhey
carried some Of their furnlture INTO the stre1o
Two boys who were watching the lire from I1e
roof of the house No. 400 East Flity-fourth-st
got into "a fight, and one OF them, Henry weiss, oi
| No pa East Seventy y-hith-st., was stappcu
seriously in the thigh. The other boy escaped
| For nearly an hour the flames rose above tht
| roofs of the big brew house and the stu larger
! bulding in Fifty-fifth-st, and the spectacle at
| tracted thousands of persons to the IRE ti.Gs i
| The flames burned down to the third floor OF tht tht
| brew house and were checked at that point VIII
much difficulty The two upper slories ss,t o. ..'
| ice house Nos 402 to 40S East Fifty -hitn-Sl'
| were burned out before the flames were uhde'
| control. . A., ,.o,
| IL was difficult matter to estimate the loSse'
| last night Henry Elias refused TO make an!
Lippe secretary Of the brewing company, salu ,n
buildings and contents were worth ABOUT sooU'
| 00o and were insured for $500, O1O In report
| ing the fire, the police mace III, II,
! hl1ndcr of estimating the loss IA
| the full value of all the property me ouliu
ings were damaged about S5c,OO III 'I,e i9'
| house 200 bales of hops, worth $4,000, ana II,
600 bushels of malt valued AT $1,000, wer'
burned I'D The building contained also ~,
| 600 barrels Of beer. valued at slsoooo. Dut y !
was believed that the fire did not get int0 lh'
vaults where the beer was stored III lnv ~ =. =. "
| house thc machinery was said 10 be damaged u
| the extent Of $4,000 and a large qnahtiy o
| becr in process of manufacture was ruih'u' ooni'
| norsons AT the fire thought that the loss on pee
IN two buildings would exceed $4,000, whil'
others estimated that loss at smaller hIure
Tho COSTLY ice machines were believed TO nave
escaped serious injury The cause oi 'he i'c wa
| not known.