Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-02
FURIOUS FLAMES.
A MILLIoH-DoLLAR BLAZE IN HBw
YORK CITY.
An Entire Business Block Dsstro.sd-Rapid
Spread Of the Fire-fhs rhrss-six"
Alarm-Losses and Insurance.
tBy telegraph to the Dispatch.l

New YORK, March 1.-The big furni-
ture-factory OF Potter q Stymus, at
Forty-second street and Lexington ave-
nue., caught fire at 12:45 o'clock to-day
and was destroyed. with other buildings
adjoining. Losses approach 81 900, 600.
Rough estimate puts them ss follows:
Potter a. Stymus, s175,000; Powell,
Wenigman Il Smith, $500. 600; buildings
property Of Goelet estate, $3.50, 900; W.
III. Ertell, furniture-maker and decora-
ton, tenant in the cabinet-factory build
ing. $4,000; Armstrong, carpenter,
$40. 900.
The fire taxed all the resources OF the
department.
DETAILS OF THE coSFLAGRArToN.
II took the fremen three hours to get
the fire under control. OF the entire
block bounded by Third and Lexington
avenues, Forty-frst and Forty-second
streets there remains standing only
short row Of houses on Third avenue.
The Potter & Stymus building covered
the entire frontage on Lexington avenue
between Forty-frst and Forty-second
streets, $50 feet, and extended back
toward Third avenue about 800 feet on
each street. 10 was seven-story
building Of brick and brownstone. 1t
was owned by Potter 81 Stymus,
furniture manufacturers. Recently the
firm retired from business and was sue
ceeded by the Potter Il Stymus Com
pany, which took possession Of the
building to-day to carry on the manufac-
ture of furniture. The company occu-
pied all of the building on the Lexing-
ton-avenue front excepting the first
floor, which was occupied by W. III. Err
tell, manufacturer of furniture and deco
rations. A large wing Of the building on
Forty-second street was occupied by
Powell, Weindman Il Smith, cigar man
ufacturers.
The fire broke ont in the northwest
corner of the Potter & Stymus build
ing, and, owing to the inhammable ma
ture of the materials it contained, the
flames ran through the building
almost like an electric flash, and burst
into the cigar-factory, where $50 men
we're eating their luncheon. The men
dashed down the broad stairs barely in
time to escape from the flames that
almost instantly seized the entire build
ing.
THE "THREE-sIx " ALARM SOUNDED.
When the fremen arrived they saw
what a formidable fire they had to cope
with, and Second Assistant 'bief Nc
/ Cabe without a moments hesitation sent
out the SO alarm, bringing to the scene
/ twenty-one engine companies, eight
/ hook-and-ladder companies, and water
tower. The police also fastened to the
spot, aud there were soon $50 policemen
stationed in the adjoining streets keep
ing back the crowds that Aocked to the
fire. In twenty-eight minutes from
! the time the fire was discovered
the wall Of Potter & Stymus's build
ing. on Forty-second street, fell in.
/ Next fell the walls on Lexington avenue.
Houses on the opposite sides OF the
streets on all sides of the square were
badly blistered and lost all the glass
from the doors and windows, and the
entire front Of !he Vanderbilt Hotel,
corner Forty-second street and Lexing-
ton avenue. was on fire several times, but
none of these buildings suffered beyond
external damages.
The immense Manhattan storage ware
house was cracked and blistered, but
it was kept drenched with water and
saved. On the northwest corner OF
Forty-second street and Lexington ave-
nue. Is the hospital for the ruptured and
crippled, in which are q hundred OF
more crippled children. Streams OF
water were poured on its walls, and in
this WHY only was it saved. This is the
hospital in which so many mysterious
fires occurred a few weeks ago, which
were started by little girl patient The
roof cornice OF 1T. Agnes Roman Catho-
lie church on Forty-third street, block
away, caught fire, but one engine soon
extinguished it.
Assistant Chief McCabe, who to-day
sent out the "three-six alarm, was dis
missed from the department over two
years ago for sending out the same alarm
at what he deemed a dangerous fire IN
Harlem He was recently relnstated 10y
the courts and received his full salary for
the entire time that he was suspended.
LOSSES AND ASSURANCES.
The following is a partial list OF the
losses and assurances
Potter & Stymus Company, building
and stock, 100000 ; insurance, $4,000
w. H. Ertell, furniture, stock $50, 900
insurance, $4,000.
Powell. Weidmnn & Smith, cigars,
loss $4,000; insurance unknown.
Thesis q Trueg, marbe-cutters. who
occupied the basement beneath the
cigar-factory. loss $4,000; insurance
unknown.
The building south OF Potter & Sty'
mus's building, on Forty-frst street,
owned by Robert and Ogden Goelet,
loss 100000; covered by insurance.
Ibis building was occupied by Sargent
& Co., manufacturers of folding chairs
William Armstrong, carpenter aud
builder. and John Lockner, designer.
Their losses and insurance are unknown.
Other losers made formidable list,
as the block was very long and thickly
peopled. The greater part OF 1t was
used for business purposes of all kinds.
THE DECORATIONS SCANDAL.