New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-01-31
FIVE BUILDINGS BURNED.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN BROADWAY.
THE LOSS ESTIMATED AT 81. O00-Two FIRE
MEN INJURFD-LooKING FOX THE tNGiSKER
or ONE OF THE BUILpINGs-MANY OF
TUE IrAnING INsuRANCE COM

THE LEADING INSURANCE COM
pANlEs INTERESTED.
The omnous signal known as three SKIES oa''ou
many firemen to the Broadway block ne'weeh rrinoo
and spring SITS about 80 a. yesterday Dig "re
.h, .,artaa IN the basement OF the vestory double
building Nos $40 and 55l Broadway spread 10 'he a"
Joining buildings. north and SOUTH ana Ia" 'ne' "' "
rins The buildings had extended through the biock 10
Mercer ST.. solidy covering pioto OF Pro"nu iooa-'V
fact heap Of ashes bricks and broken iron SMOKING
10, oovere the same ground before every part OF
tho bp,laincs having been demolished Property worth
ahout 81 100000 destroyed BY the nre, ana ono
brave fireman burt dangerously. Travel IN BROAD
xav was blocked oil and great crowds col.
eced TO the flames. which at one time made nne
show Rnmors OF life spread through the city and
helped to increase the excitement over the fire.
A poicen IN in Broadway, who saw smoke issuing
from the windows OF Henry Rogerss store on the hrst
floor the double building sent cut the first alarm Inc
foreman Of Engine Company No 20 sent out third
alarm few minutes later. Smoke filed the building
from the subcear to the roof before the fremen could
get to work. but Chief Shay first thought they could
save tho adjoining buildings He sent special calls Tor
extra engine companies and ordered his men into the
building at both the Broadway and Mercer-st ens III
was no oasy task to step fire In building five stories
high wide and 200 feet long, with DIG glass
covered welhoe in the middle TO serve as iue for the
flames The inside OF the building was OF wood and on
every floor cases Of nfammable goods Ioys anu
fancy goods OF many kinds belonging to Henry Rogers
were packed into the basement and subceIar ana more
of them we're on the first Door ABOVE
collections OF millinery ornaments ana co'mhg Do
longing to several firms.
THE TERRIBLE BACK-DRAUGHT.
Through the stores the flames spread WIN
nghtnngl like rapidy, and they shortly burst through
the top the wellhole creating tremendous dranght
When the had fairly got to work at each of the
buildings the place like enormous furnace sud
denly the imprisoned gases in the building caused
terrific back draught that had the force OF an explosion
Dense clouds OF smoke rolled back into Broadway ana
Mercerst, driving out the hremen aud half suocang
few OF them
Part of the roof at the Broadway end sucked down
like flash and 1t crashed through the weakened floors
Members or Engine Company No. 80 and Hook and Lad
der Company No at work inside the building at
that point and fairly blown into the street Fore
man McEvoy, OF the engine company, had some nesh
torn of his left hand. Assistant Foreman Michael
Reilly of the truck company caught at the doorway
by the falling debris and crushed fat His comrades
heard him cry out he went down under the wreck.
He was nsensIbe when they went back and pulled him
out His thigh and leg had been broken and he had re-
ceived internal injuries Several other remen had been
bruised slightly they did not mind their hurts Ihey
thought Reilly had hurt fatally when they carried
smoke and sent call for an ambulance
but later they heard that ne might recover thu
Reilly improving last night DE- Chnheeiy, 'no
house surgeon said that he has compound
s LETT sS 1s tn re a s his leg
hands cut piece of his Up torn away ana seSP
and the doctor says he will recover rapidly. ATTAIN
John W. Bearlnan another fireman who was also taken
TO St Nincents suffering IRON sunocauoh anu GA
hsustion, is doing WELL too
WALLS BLOWN DOWN BY THE EXPLOSION
Imnediael after the explosion Chief Shay discovered
that the party walls each side of the burning building
had been blown down and that the fire had extended on
most five floors of the adjoining buildings, Nos
547 and 553. He knew Mt that there was danger
that would spread through the entire block and
he called 10 his driver, Harry Thiel:
Send out the three sxes!" Thel ran to the box at
Broadway and Prince-st the Simultaneous call
-"G-G -427- 233 "-summOnng the dozen extra CON-
panies due third alarm at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
10 the Broadway fire. In less than quarter or an hour
the uptown engines were at WORK. and twenty eight
companies remen doing their best, under CHIEF
Shays directions TO check the progress OF the hanes
The snske drove the fremeL away from the fronts OF
the buildings again and again. but they returned 10
their posts quickly as possible Lines OF hose were
stretched the roofs o the buildings the north OF the
where the danger greatest on account OF the
direction OF the wind Several companies made stand
in the building No 555 Broadway, which had heavy
party wall and space in the On the south OF the
fire the 0remen made daring attempt TO prevent the
destruction of the building No. $40 Broadway that ran
through Mercerst and had several side windows In
the north wall top story got fire. but the brave
man kept pouring water into the building and managed
10 keep the flames out Of the lower stories
DRIVING BACK THE CROWDS.
The roof and floors OF the building Nos $40 and 551
Broadway fell in about half hour after the fire was
discovered Then the fronts fell and some OF the iron
columns were dashed to fragments In Broadway. In
Mercerst the falling wall knocked down telegraph
pole and broke all the wires At that time the hre was
at It's best and OF flame shot above the roofs
of the surrounding houses. Crowds had collected In
Broadway and Mercer-st., and thousands OF men who
were eager to grand spectacle in On the
fremen. ,,.
ami Inspector Steers ordered the officers to drive the
croxds back Prinoes ON the north ana 10 ST.
to prevent disaster There had been threatening ming
OF ' %
pavement few policemen scrambled OUT OF Danger as
Ws. tro clear to the sidewalk on the Of
broadway. and some fragments OF II smashed Tie snow
A great connection WIS caused in Broadway by the
fall OF 'front.' but nobody was hurt In the liquor
windows smashed. An electric light pole IN front
CT tho place was knocked down and dozen wires were
Ing Of the danger Of handling them ana s
Company to the supply of electricity cut of from
the wires Until after noon the pavement OF broadway
iron and the tangled wires When the roof. and door.
OF tho 6udlngs Nos SAT and $685. went down the fury
of the flames abated and the fremep able H. pour
water on the close quarters the fire was fairy
under control at IL m, but Chief Shay SAID IL woud
be necessary keep throwing water on the ruins or
day two vim the exception Of the top story the
building No. 5t5 Sn b 9s the sa%..
The building No 555, connected by bridge With lz6
James Biermap of Hook ana Ladder Company No. o.
who roof Of No. 555 in the afternoon was so
badly FRUSTRATED by the smoke that he sent to b.
vincenfs Hospital In an ambulance The ruins In
broadway partly cleared away by p. and the
cars were permitted to past the ruins.
oNFIRE TWICE IN ONE NIGHT.
While the fire in progress Chief Shay and other
fremen spoke harshly about Henry Rogers. in whose
baeInen flames said 10 have started kogerss
store at No. 597 Broadway was on fire twice In single
night years ago. and finally was burned out
The police were told that few days ago Rogers had
purchased part OF the stock Of John THOMPSON at No.
b96 Broadway. 1t was said that Thompson owed
100000 to Henry Kayser Of Paris and that part OF his
stock had BEEN to Rogers's store. TRIBUNE re-
porter ascerined that Thompsons store had been In