Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-02-10
BIG BUILDINGS ABLAZE.
Most Destructive Fire Known
i'm New York i'm Years.
Halfa Block Of Business Houses On
Broadway Destroyed.

New York has been visited by one Of the
most disastrous confagrations experienced in
many years, and which destroyed property
valued at from 81 800, O0) to 81, OOO, 900, stu
ated on Broadway, between Spring and
Prince streets. Four big business houses,
with their contents, were completely de
strOyed, and three more seriously damaged.
Thirty-two firms were burned out, one of
which employed over two hundred girls, who
will be thrown out of work for some time.
The fire endangered the whole neighbor-
hood. For hours torrents of water were
poured the burning buildings from
twenty steam fire engines and two water
towers. Besides the brave firemen who
manned them were seven hook and ladder
companies called out with their trucks. Many
brave deeds were performed, and there were
numerous narrow escapes among the fremen,
several OF whom were injured, but fOrtu
nately no fatal casualties occurred, although
three victims had to be removed TO the hos
n.tal The following is vivid description Of
the fire:
Inc ominous three-sixes alarm call was
sounded for the first time this morning since
Chief McCabe used it on the Fourth of July
year ago. 1t called every engine south of
FIftY-nnth street in all of that part of the city
lying between the Battery and Central Park to
Broadway between Prince and Spring streets,
where fire was then eating out the heart
OF one of the busiest BLOCKS in the city
The fire broke out just before business
was about to begin at o'clock, and
at 10 the walls were falling right and
left, threatening life and spreading terror
among the dense crowds of spectators that had
fOcke1 down on their way to business attract
ed by the dense clouds of smoke that lowered
over Broadway. At that hour the danger of
further spread of the fire was over, how
ever, and the worst was known. Seven
five or six-stOry buildings were involved in the
wreck Four We're altogether destroyed:
Nos a., 80. 551. and 553. and Nos. 545 and
$50 were greatly damaged by water.
The ire broke out with sudden and unex-
ampled fury in John G. ROgerS'S fancy goods
store in the basement of No. 551. This Is the
northern half of big double building num-
bered 549 AMI 55l. Like most of the wrecked
houses, it extended to Mercer street, and
had several tenants. The fire was no sooner
discovered than the fremen had tackled
it, but the streams of water they
threw upon the buildings seemed
rather to feed than to check the
flames. In five minutes second and third
alarms had been sent out, summoning rein
forcements, and Chief Shay had assumed per-
sOnal charge. But with engines posted in
front and rear and throwing floods OF water
over the block, the flames ate their way right
and left in the heart of it, as If no ObStruc-
ton was offered to the r progress.
When Chief Shay ordered the sounding of
the three-siXeS emergency call and Slgnaled to
the gatekeeperS at the reservoir to open wide
the water gates, it looked as if the west side of
Broadway would be laidwaste all the way from
Spring TO Prince street. BuC WIN Ine
enormous accession of fire apparatus the
firemen gained the upper hand. The
weakened walls began to tumble, al
lowing the engines free play, and in three
hours they were masters Of the situation.
In the hour of victory, when the mems I'M
firing work was crowned with sure success,
the top of the front wall of No. 547, falling
out in the street, unexpectedly struck down
Assistant Foreman Reilly, of Hook and
Ladder Company No s, who had been fore
most in the perilouS work with his men. He
was carried to ST Vincent's Hospital with
broken leg and otherwise very badly hurt.
The firemen were hampered very greatly in
their work by the enormous network of
electric wires stretched in front of the burn
ing buildings. The danger of their presence
was very great, as the current had not
been turned off at the Stanton Street
headquarters. Word was sent aroun1 to
have them disconnected at once, but there
was a long delay before the order was
needed. The iron wall of No. 551 fell out
ward in a solid body shortly after nine
o'clock, and moved the network Of
wires down before it. From out
the tangled mass of debris bright sparks flew
and flashes of lightning shot in the descent,
that were hailed with EXPLANATIONS of de-
light by the spectators, safe a block away,
but with awe by the fremen and police who
knew the deadly peril SO close at hand.