New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-13
LEAPING TO THE ICY STREET.
VICTIMS OF THE BROOKLYN FIRE.

ING FROM THE BURNING BOARDING HOUSE
One of the most disastrous boarding house fires
In Brooklyn in years occurred early yesterday IN
what is known as the Harper Mansion, at NOA
o5 and l07 ClarIlst., opposite the head Of Monroe
place, on Brooklyn Heights. The was Of the
most exciting character and there were many
narrow escapes. One man who sprang from
third story window received what arr likely to
be fatal injuries, and three other boarders and
three servants received lesser injuries. Ther
were forty persons in the house. and the escape Of
all after the fire had gained great hcadway wa
regarded as marvellous. The house was kept by
Mrs. Il. McCombs, and was q fashionable and popu-
lar boarding place. Mrs. McCombs was asleep in
her room on the first floor at 2:l5 q. M, when
her door was burst open and manservant, named
Barney" who was employed to for the
furnace and do other heavy work, rushed up TO
her bed and shook her, shouting For Gods SAKE
Mrs. McCOmbs, get upi The house is on fire.
He then rushed to the other rooms and reused tho
inmates, far the smoke, which filled tho
house. would let him. Instantly a scene Of terror
arose. The smoke had flied the well in the centre
of the house around which the circular staircase
ran, and escape in that way WAS apparently cut
off. The inmates of the front rooms got out Of
the. windows to the balcony over the porch, which
extended over half the front Of the house.
ICE BEFORE AND FIRE BEHIND
There were men, women and children in their
night dresses chiefly, with a few outer garments
hastily thrown over their shoulders and some IN
sq On the Say roof Ihi oa1r
filled the air and reused the entire neghborhO0d.
crowd of persons who hastily rose from their
beds soon gathered at the scene but were power
less to render aid to get the people from their
perous position Suddenly third-story window
opened and man in shirt and trousers was seen TO
spring from it amid a binding cloud of smoke
and fall tn haln lta Sfr ruek
the iron railing and received fracture of tho
skull, a compound fracture of the right leg, a
fracture of the collar-bone, and severe internal
injuries. Two other occupants OF the third AOor
sprang from their windows to the balcony tho
second floor and were slightly hurt, and another
jumped to the alley way adjoining the house
Meantime Guy Duyal, q young man OF No
Monroe place, seeing the women and men on the
balcony, bcthought himself OF ladder at his
house. Aided by his brother, H. c. Duval, pri
vate secretary to President Chauncey VI. Depew.
of the New-Yorl< Central Railroad, they carried
the ladder TO- the house and put 1t up to tho
top OF the balcony about twenty feet from the
ground. and succeeded in carrying down the lm-
perlled persons
MAKING THEIR ESCAPE IN THE REAR.
While this was happening in front Of the
house, some OF the bOarlers and the servanu
made their way out of the rear windows TO the
roof Of an extension the back piazza but
two Of the latter hurt in jumping from the
third story. The occupants of a twostory ex
tension, running back of one-half of the house,
were able to descend the back stairs in safety.
and those from tse roof at the rear finally wen'
down the same way through window.
All this time there was no aid from the Fin
Department, owing to delay in sending in an
alarm. 1t was fully twenty minutes from the
time that the fire discovered, and every ono
was outside the house, before any water was
poured on the flames. The second and third
floors and attic were almost completely burned
nearly a total loss. Most of the boarders lost
| all their effects save what was locked in trunks
which were not burned The flames broke out
along hot air fiue between the first and second
floors. The losses were estimated to amount to
| fully $40, ,000 The damage to the house was
estimated at 81 s. 900; Mrs McCombs loss on furn-
boarders losses will amount TO $4,000 or $1,000.
| LIST OF THE INJURED PEOPLE.
The following persons were injured:
CooMBs Gustav broker. age forty, Jumped frsD the
third story window to the ground and fell 80 - to
strike his head against the railing He received
| a fracture Of the SKULL compound tract
ure Of tho right leg. a broken collar-bone and
we're internal injuries. He was taken to the Long
Island College Hospital where his recovery is sos
| expected.
GORDON John. age twenty-seven. . salesman. jumped
frsm his the third floor to the alley on the
east side OF the house and received severe wound On
the head bruises his right side, and serious In
| ternal injuries. He was taken 70 the Long Island
College Hospital but later his friends tsok him hsms
| with them
| WYATT Miss Mary age twenty seven. sprang from .
| thrd.story front window to the balcony below and
struck her head against the low railing about the
| edge receiving scalp wound. She Was cared for -
| the house Of q friend.
srArLER Sarah, age twsnty servant girl received in
Jury to her beck by jumping from the third story 10
the Of the extension. She Was taken TO the
| Brooklyn Hospital.
RUSSELL Mary. twenty three. servant injured
in similar and was taken to the same hes
pital
REYNOLDS, Minnie, age twenty-five, servant, Jumped
| from the wiudsw Of the end fosr sf
the OK tension into the arms Of two men standing In
the alley On the side Of the house and in
iured In the left leg and back. She cared for in
the adjoining house
The HARPER house was built about sixty years
| AGO and when new was one of the most pretentiOus
mansions on Brooklyn Heights. IL was long 90.
| cupied by Joseph Wesley Harper. of the firm Of
Harper Brothers, and was the centre OF muca
| head of tho firm. After the death Of the e.der
| Harper the property was sold and wos bought IN
by two of the daughters, Mrs. Lynde and MIRA
Dodge, who still own It,
| DANGEROUSLY STABBED BY JEALOUS RTVAL&
Screams Of murder coming from the tenemens-
house No. 81 North Sixthst, Williamsburg, last