St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-20
MILLIONS IN ASHES,
New York City the Scene Of
a Disastrous Con-
flagration.
One Life Lost and 3,5GO,0Co
Worth of Property Goes
Up in Smoke.
Two of the New York Gen.
trails Elevators, the
Rossiter Stores
And Many Other Large Build
ings Burned---Fire-
men PoWerless.

New YORK. April 19.-The biggest
and fiercest fire New Workers have
witnessed in this generation swept the
east bank of the North river clear to-
day from Fifty-ninth street to what
would be Sixty-fifth street if that street
ran to the river. 1t destroyed more
than S1,500,000 worth of property be-
longing to the New York Central rail
road and at least 5000 worth of lard,
-four and the like belonging to other
persons, notably n. K. Fairbanks,
the great Chicago lard merchant.
The flames destroyed rthe two
big elevators, "A' and "B." of
the Vanderbilt system. brick building
stretching from Fifty-ninth street to
SiXtieth street, and occupied jointly by
the Fairbank lard refinery and the Ros-
sitter stores, and wiped out the dock
property of the New York Central rail-
road system from Fifty-ninth to past
Sixty-ffth street. At least one man was
killed in his headlong flight from the
fire at the first outbreak. A number
were injured jumping from windows of
the burning buildings, but in the wild
terror of the confiagration no account
was kept of them. The police have a
record of the following casualties:
HENRY BENNING, single, 694 Tenth
avenue, workman in Fairbanks re-
finery, killed by jumping from third
story window.
JOHN JOHNSON, 517 West Forty-sec-
ond street, likewise workman in Fair
banks, severely injured on the back by
jumping from a window.
CHARLES BROWN, 603 West Forty
third street, severe injuries about the
head from the same cause.
WILLIAM J. NOBLE, fireman of En-
gine No ?, Frustrated by the heat, while
at work at the foot OF Fifty-ninth street.
EDWARD II. TOBIN, fireman, likewise
Frustrated by the heat.
Rumors were rife all the evening that
number of workmen had been caught
anu Jul HEu III Illt L dll DdllhS v.
but it has been thus far impossible to
ascertain the truth of them. At least
250,0OO people turned out to watch the
brilliant sight from beyond the police
lines on Twelfth avenue. All the West
side streets were blocked, and the ele-
waited trains carried swarms up and
down town to swell the crowds. The
police reserves were called out to pre-
serve order. Every fire engine above
Fourteenth street was called out in
the work of extinction, but the firemen
fought against tremendous odds. first
owing to the reSiStleSs rush of the
flames, aud second because of the con.
formation of the ground in the locality
which is upon a ragged slope from
higher ground to the Mississippi river
The fire broke out in the southeast cor
ner of the Fairbanks refinery, where
wOrkmen were busy at the time setting
up new lard-cooling apparatus when
the fire Started-how, no one knows
probably no one ever will know
Soaked in grease as the old building
was, it was
AFLAAIE IN AN INSTANT,
From the ground floor, the fire swept
upward to the roof. almost with the
speed of thought. The men at work in
every story dropped their tools and rar
TO save their lives. The stalrcases
formed glowing chimney, throwing
out fire through every floor. The win.
dows presented the only means Of
escape. Pursued close by flames, mer
flung themselves out by scores, head
long, and behind them burst out the
flames. How many were there no one
could tell; those who came out
were picked up and carried
away by their friends. shuddering
to think that some might have been
left; crying wives and mothers crowded
the police lines shouting for their hus
bands and sons, or begging news OF
them. They were turned back anC
bidden to look in the throngs for those
they sought. They would, the police
men hopefully said, probably find then
there. The fire swept on. The Fair
banks refinery, the old establishment O.
the w. J. Wilcox company, stands upol
the water front, between Fifty-nintl
and SiXtieth streets, occupying half of ;
building 200X200 feet, that filled out tht
block. The refinery was in the soutl
half, the Rossiter stores for genera
merchandise on the north side. 4
strong brick wall divided the buildinl
in the middle. Upon this brick wall th'
fremen. during half hour of desperat,
effort, based their hope of successful
combat. The flames beat against it
heated it red hot: other brick walls ant
the roof fell in upon it, but it stood lik
rock. Anything save such fire
would have resisted, but flames fed b,
melted and flowing lard burn iercel.
and leap high.
THEY LEAPED ABOVE
and around the sturdy barrier: ant
reached across SiXtieth street and th
dock slip. Over there stood the frs
and the biggest of the enormous grail
elevators Of the New York Central rail
road. 1t was elevator "a" the con
structiOn of which cost S5OO.0Q0. |
stood presenting its gable end to th
flames that were blown toward il
Once that caught fire, there would be n
saving elevator ''B,'' 500 feet further II
the river and no telling where tn
fire would stop, for beyond were freigh
sheds innumerable. Between the ele
VatorS on the water front and TWelft
avenue, were first twenty-seven raj
road tracks which no fire engine coui
cross and next the Union stock yards