New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-21
THE FIRE STILL BURNS.
IMMENSE DESTRUCTION IN A BRIEF PERIOD.
cHAUNCEV NJ. DEPEw ESTIMATES THE TOTAL
LOSS AT ABOUT ooo.ooo-scENEs ARouNn


THE SMOKING RUINS : INSURANCE.
Chauncey NJ. Depew, president of the New-YorN
Central Railroad, said yesterday that tho total
loss by the great Ere Of Friday night, which swept
along the North River front from Fifty-ninth to
Sixty-fifth sts, would not fall FAR short Of three
millions Of dollars. OF this vast sum nearly one
half. or about 81 100000 would fan upon the
New-York Central But more than 100000 Of
this represented property destroyed which had
been practically useless to the company and need
not be replaced. When the two big elevators
were built, it was expected that the steamships
would go right up to them to load and unload.
They did not do SO, however. The old practice Of
loading from the boats has not been changed.
Conse quently, one elevator WIS and wiU be sufa-
cient to answer all demands and only one viii be-
rebuilt The foundations of this structure cost
as much as the building itself, being sunk hum
dred feet in the mud and sand, and as they are
intact, the company will be able quickly to re-
build it, the piers, the storehouses, and In fact
put things in as good condition as before the fire
for about half o million dollars. As this half
million dollars loss is covered by insurance, the
actual loss to the company is chiefly on freight
for which it is responsible. This win be about
$1,000
"Our insurance. said Mr.. Depew, is distrib-
uted among a large number of companies. It
amounts, think, to about S5so,o0O. Our real
loss is that on freight and property for which we
are responsible, and that we estimate at about
100000 This represents the full extent Of our
real loss The three covered piers for westbound
business were saved. The eastbound grain busi-
ness we can do as before, on the West Shore road
in floats, and the traffic in outside grain we have
warehouses to take care of properly. It win be
favo or, olA 9th haAc
course, some delay and inconvenience, but not SO
great as at first supposed. Work Of rebuildinkone
elevator will be begun as soon as we can get at
the ruins"
BUsY DEsoLATIoN.
To call it scene of busy desolatioa would
not be an altogether inappropriate description
of the area covered by the great fire as II
appeared yesterday afternoon. Desolation ce-.
tainly was pictured there in the smouldering
ruins of the great structures which had lowered
far up above the waterfront and the absence of
railway cas- from the lower portion Of the yard
intensified the general impression. Yet great
deal Of hard work was being done, and the
fremen were not the only workers, as the rail-
road company already had large gangs OF men
busy wherever they could be used to advantage
The fremen never relaxed their efforts at all.
one engine, No. 23, which had been the nrst
to arrive, being still on duty twenty-four hours
later although new crew had been supplied
about noon Battalion Chief Gicquel was also
on duty until nightfal not having been able SO
much TO get his boots of since he had arrived
at the scene on the evening before. Half dozen
engines were kept at work most CT the day
yesterday, but at night the force was reduced
to two big battalion engines capable Of throwing
four heavy streams each. These threw streams
all night upon the lard refining and the storage
warehouse, but with little apparent effeot
considerable quantity OF ,s ard nsd % eeen ssofea %
partially smothered under the debris Of the
fallen walls floors, and machinery, IL burned
fercely all day. The great mass Of cononstiblo
giving out intense heat that kept the fremen
at distance, although there was not in general
Firemen were stationed on tho roof Of Easts
mans sheep-house, which extends clear from
Fifty thst. to Sfxtaethst, and faces the ruins
OF both the refinery and the storage-house East
mans immense building is now in little danger, but
the 6re in the storage-house will probably NOT
be extiuguished for some days 10 come, and Chief
Gicduel advised the insurance men TO have tho
windows in the west wall Of the sheep-houee
covered with screens The fremen also played
upon the ruins Of Pier @, at the foot Of Ffty-
ninth-st, and Of Pier d., which is about opposite
SxtY-ffth-st, and was the last structure burned
The only visible sign Of the iron superstructure
on the two piers were q few corrugated pates
which had been twisted into fantastic shapes anu
10 large extent not only had the plank door been
burned away, but the piles had even been con
sumed to the waters edge. This was notably
true at Pier ID, where tho flames came up through
the floor after the fremen thought they had saved
the structure by drenching the roof and sdes.
HOW THE RUINS LOOK.
The areboats William f. Havemeyer and John
Fuller also threw water these piers, but they
gave their chief attention to the ruins OF tina
elevators which could not bo conveniently reached
by the engines Not much water was needed
at Elevator b, however for that had been nuiio
on huge stone piers out of the water, and as
there had not been much grain there, Ine r9ths Th
fanAn n1N1n
building itself had disappeared entlrey iaDn. Th
view, leaving tho tops OF the piers =. pare n Inc
ruins of Elevator A, however, were SUI nn oc
and hot from the slow combustion 81 tne ioIovy
bushels of grain. or more stored enet.s
while large quantity OF ceSL M.. IA
the engine was slowly burning ns q
the two elevators now tower high soovs ah Ss ,hey
of tho majestic structures. Deside "ni0A 'S''
formerly seemed so insignlheant =. "a, % tear
Tho firemen have been too DuSy ss yeo ~ eli
down any of the shattered walls .nnS s "ay asa an
standing but the two great sniokestscSs sr at at he
r' storage warehouse and refinery also motnere%
rnmb1nq explosions give occasional warming 70
the remen that it w9Sia ha ss hU. VII now probably
he allowed simply to burn itself out ous tne IRE
men viii remain at hand TO see tnat NO lar shas
damage is caused by sparks gs bsS or wds One curious
inc{dent of the work yesterday was the removss S
on fiat car of three fre-engnes enae nau ~, ;nt
Penned IN ,t6@ tine Ysfft YFftynntst before the rcnery
cnilansed. and were afterward unable 70 get ous
that way. o a,so ,,,,xv one of their
The railroad people were also osg, arS Seo ouanttg
9 chief sdS Sa Selns baa been damaged
SsEss S fss Sa bad 9hes es'4 ahs Rsqss as
the ~ ssnrely pressed By the flames that were
vOnsp@inS was so Pier d. The -four was al got 70
dry place yesterdays but the extent of OF the SSmass
WI wiz Ho; IN place Of those that had been
tsistsd rslS an out of shape by the heat and they
took :" advantage Of the, emptiness OF the yard
eost sn0nlar display of energy, however, was in
the removal of many carloads of brick from the
ruins OF Elevator A, evidently IN anticipation
Slonrside the ruins, and the men picked up the
bricks from the very edge Of the. piles. OF burn
ing grain. About the docks equal vigilance was
observed, and some things Of value were recovered