Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-02
NEW YORK'S BIG FIRE.
A Large Furniture fanufactory and Ware
House Consumed.
The Flames Spread to Adjacent Buildings
and Reduce them TO Ashes.
New Yoak, March 1,

| NEW loRk, March l.
| fire broke out at l2. 40 in Potter 1 Sty.
mus building, at the corner of 42d ST., and
Lexington Avenue, and swept almost the en-
tire block bounded by Lexington and Third
| Avenues and 4lst and &2d Sts., and caused
loss of Sl,oo0,0o Potter i Stymus
building covered the entire frontage on Lex
/ ington Avenue, between 4lst and 42d Sts,,
250 feet, and extended back toward Sd Ave.
800 feet on each street. The building was a
seven story, brick and brown stone one, own.
ed by Potter Stymus, furniture msnufsc.
turers.
The company occupied all the building on
the Lexington avenue front except the first
| floor, which was occupied by W. II. Ertell,
manufacturer of furniture and decorations.
The large wing was occupied by Powell.
Wenigman Smith, cigar manufacturers.
The fire broke out in the northwest corner
of the Potter i Stymus building and ran
through the building almost like an electric
flash. II burnt into the cigar factory where
three hundred and fifty men were eating
their luncheon. The men dashed down the
broad stairs, barely escaping from the flames
that almost instantly seized the entire build
ing.
The moment the tiremen arrived the ''three
six" alarm was sent out, bringing TO the
scene t@enty-one engine companies, eight
hook and ladder companies and a water
tower.
About 25o policemen soon arrived, and
were kept busy keeping back the crowds.
Twenty-eight minutes after the fire was
discovered the wall of Potter & Stymns'
building fell in. The wind swept the flames
east toward Third Avenue. Three houses,
occupied as stores on first floors and dwell
Rngs above, that lay between Potter 4
Stymus' building and the corner house on
Third Avenue, were soon blazing, while the
terrified inmates fled with what little clothing
and valuables they could clutch as they ran
The same fate befell the houses on Forty
first street, that between the burning building
and Third Avenue. Firemen could do moth
ing to save the buildings that were burning,
but confined their efforts to preventing the
spread of the flames. They succeeded in
saw Z the row of houses ON Third Avenue
forming the fourth and only remaining side
of the square. The houses on Forty first
street, facing the burning buildings, were
threatened with destruction.
Window panes were cracked and broken,
and through the wooden doors and windows
the flames burst, but streams extinguished
them and preserved the houses. The wood
en- girders of the elevated road branch on
i2d street were almost entirely burned
away. A section of the road, twenty five
feet long, was crushed by the falling wall.
The flames from the girders conducted the
fire to the Vanderbilt hotel, on the northeast
corner of 42d street and Lexington avenue.
The front of the hotel was soon in a blaze
it was saved, but drenched and rendered un-
inhabitable. Three adjoining brown stone
flats caught fire in similar manner but were
saved. On the west side of Lexington ave-
nue. between 4lst and 42d streets is the
Manhattan storage warehouse, containing
hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of
valuables. The walls were cracked and
blistered with the heat and emitted clouds
of steam as the water from a dozen hose
pipes poured upon them.
oh the northwest corner of 42d st. and Lex
ngton Avenue is a hospital for ruptured and
crippled in which were 100 or more children.
1t was saved by water.
Assistant foreman Samuel Reed of engine
,, was struck on the right shoulder and his
collar bone broken.
Patrolman Malone was struck in the face
by burning brand aud badly burned and
bruised.
The fireman performed many brave deeds
and had many narrow escapes.
The roof of the Catholic church of St.
Agnes, on 43d St, block away, was on fire
at one time, but detachment of fremen
put it out.
After three hours of hard fighting the great
fire was under control