The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-02-15
BIG BUILDINGS ABLAZB.
Most Destructive Fire Known
i'm New York in Years.
Halfa Block of Business Houses On
Broadway Destroyed.

New York has beel visited by one ct the
most disastrous confagrations experienced in
many years, and which destroyed property
valued at from 81, SOC, 900 to $1,000, 900, situ-
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 cat, 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
twenty steam fire engines and two water
towers Besides the brave fremen who
manned them were seven hook and ladder
companies called out with their trucks. Many
brave deeds were performed, and there were
numerous marrow escapes among the firemen,
several of whom were injured, but fortu-
nately no fatal casualties occurred, although
three victims had to be removed to the hos
pital The following is vivid description OF
the fire:
The ominous three-sixes alarm call was
sounded for the first timethis morning since
Chief McCabe used it on the Fourth of July q
year ago. It called every engine south of
Fifty ninth street in all of that part of the city
lying betweenthe Battery and Central Park to
Broad way between Prince and Spring streets,
where q 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
flocked down on their way to business attract.
ed by the dense clouds of smoke that lowered
over Broadway. Atthat hour the danger OF
fnrtl,ar cy,raad of tho fra WAS over how
ever, and the worst was known. Seven
five orsix-stery buildings were involved in the
wreck Four were altogether destroyed:
Nos. 547, $40, 5j1, and 553, and Nos. 545 and
SIS were greatly damaged by water.
The fire broke out with sudden and unex-
ampled fury in John C. Rogers's fancy goods
store in the basement of No. 551. This IS the
bered $40 and 55l. Like most of the wrecked
houses it extended to Mercer street, and
had several tenants The fire was no sooner
discovered than the firemen had tackled
it, but the streams of water they
threw upon the buildings seemed
rather to feed than to check the
flames. In fTe minutes second and third
alarms had been sent ont, summoning rein
forcements, ,and Chief Shay had assumed per-
sonal charge. But with engines posted in
front and rear and throwing foods OF water
over the block, the flames ate their way right
and left in the heart OF 1t, as if no obstruc-
ton was offered to their progress.
When Chief Shay ordered the sounding OF
the three-sixes emergency call and signaled to
the gatekeepers at the reservoir to open wide
the water gates, it lookedas if the west side OF
Broadway would be laid waste all the way from
Spring to Prince street. But with the
enormous accession Of fire apparatus the
fremen gained the upper hand. The
weakened walls began to tumble, al
lowing the engines free play, and In three
hours thev were masters Of the situation.
In the h ur Of victory, when the mems un-
tiring work was crowned with sure success
the top of the front wall Of No. SIT, falling
out in the street, unexpectedly struck down
Assistant Foreman Reilly, of Hook and
Ladder Company No. 8, 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 tie 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 vas sent around to
have them disconnected Mt once, but there
was q long delay before the order was
needed The iron wall Of No. 55l fell out
ward in 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 few
and flashes of lightning shot in tha descent,
that were hailed with eNclamations OF de-
light bv the spectators, safe block away,
but with awe by the f1remen and police who
knew the deadly peril so close at hand