The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-20
GOTHAM HAS A BIG FIRE.
1T SWEEPS ALONG THE NORTH
RIVER FOR SIX BLOCKS.

vice-One Man Known to Have Been
Killed.
New YORK, April 19-The biggest and
tiercest fire that New Workers have wit
messed in this generation swept the east
bank of the North river clear to-day, from
Fifty y-ninth street to what would be Sixty
fifth street, if the street ran to
the river there. 1t destroyed more
than $1,500,00O worth of prop
erty belonging to the New York Genital
railroad and at least $500, 900 worth Of store
of lard, -four and the like, belonging to other
persons, notably N. K. Fairbanks. the great
Chicago lard merchant. 1t destroyed two
big elevators, and the big Vanderbilt build
ing stretching from 5oph to Goth and occu
pied jointly by the Fairbanks lard refinery
and the Rossiter stores, and wiped out the
dock property of the New York Central
system from 59th to past 65th street.
AT LEAST ONE FATALITY.
At least one man was killed in his head
long fight from the fire at the first out
break. A number we're injured by jump
ing from windows of the burning building,
but in the wild terror of the tremendous
confagration no account was kept of them.
The police have record Of the following
casualities
HENRY BENNING, a workman in Fair
banks refinery, killed by jumping from a
third story window.
JOHN JOHNSON, a workman in Fair
banks, severely injured in the back by
jumping from window.
CHARLES BROWN, severe injuries about
+ he head from the same source.
WILLIAM j. NOBLE, fireman of engine
No. 2, Frustrated by heat while at work at
the foot of Fifty-Ninth street.
EDWARD H. TOBIN, a fireman, likewise
Frustrated by the heat.
Rumors were flying around all the even
ing that a number of workmen had been
caught and burned in the Fairbanks ref
merry, but it was impossible to ASCERTAIN the
truth of them.
Ea~- MONSTER CROWD.
At least $4,000 people turned out to
watch the brilliant sight beyond the police
lines on Twelfth avenue All West Side
lines were blocked and elevated trains car
ried swarms of people from up and down
town to swell the crowd. The police patrols
were called out to preserve order. Every
fire engine above Fourteenth street was
called out in the work of extinction, but
the fremen fought against tremendous
odds, partly owing to the nature OF the
ground, and their efforts were wasted.
They made absolutely no impression.
WHERE IT STARTED.
The fire broke out in the southeast corner
of Fairbanks refinery where workmen
were busy at the time putting in a new lard
cooling apparatus. How it started no one
knows and probably no one ever will.
was afiame in an instant. From the ground
floor the fire swept upward to
the roof with the speed of a race
horse Men at work in every story
dropped their tools and ran for life. The
stair hole was glowing chimney Of fire
The windows were the only way out. The
men flung themselves out by scores headlong
and behind them burst out the flames. How
many were there no one could tell. Those
who came out we're picked up and carried
away by their friends shuddering
to think that some might have been left.
Crying wives and mothers crowded the po-
lice lines shouting for their husbands and
sons, or begging for news of them. They
were turned back and hidden to look in the
throngs for those they sought.
SEEING NEW rood.
The fire swept on through Fairbanks re-
finery to the old establishment of w. j.
Wilcox Company, upon the water front,
between Fifty-ninth and Sxtieth streets,
occupying half of building, 200x200
feet, that filed out the block. The refinery
was on the south half and the Rossiter stores
for general merchandise on the north side.
A strong brick wall divided the building in
the middle. Upon this brick wall the fire.
men hung their hope for half an hour for
desperate effort. The flames beat against
it, heated it red hot, other walls and the
roof fell in upon it. 1t stood like a rock
Anything but such ia fire it would have re-
sisted.
FED BY MOLTEN LARD.
But the flames fed by molten lard burned
fiercely aud leaped high. They leaped
above and around it and reached across
Sixtieth street, and on slip over there
stood the first aud biggest of the enormous
grain elevators Of tho New York Central
railroad. 1t was elevator A. 1t stood
presenting its gable end to the
flames that were blown toward it.
Once that caught fire there would be
no saving elevator B, 500 feet further up
the river, and no telling where the fire
would stop, for beyond were freight sheds
innumerable Between the elevators on
twenty-seven railroad tracks which no fire
engine could cross, and next the Union
stock yards, half mile broad enclosure
and pens, equally impossible.
AN IMPAssABLE BARRIER.
Even if a way could have been hewn
through the enclosures and tracks, between
the two was stone wall with q sudden de-
scent of five feet The tracks were much
lower than the yard. There was no way for
the fire engines to reach the elevators eX-
cept along Sixtieth street, past the burn
ing building, and that was almost
impossible then, and was soon to be
blocked entirely. The chief saw it and led
his men to fight for very life to save the
elevators. He knew that even if they did
get the fire engines into the railroad
grounds they would be of little use,
for there was only e six-inch water
pipe there and that was good as none at
all He telegraphed for fire boats, the
charity commissions two boats, and for the
police patrol Tho patrol was laid up out
of repair, but the others responded.
They came down with four or
fiYe tugs belonging to the railroad
company and put their pumps at
work to throw water on the threatened
buildings. Soon every hose was playing
from some window ia the roof; the pump
ing works in the engine house were working
for all they were worth, and a company of
firemen directed operations.
CATCHING OF THE ELEVATOR.
It was all in vain. The tremendous heat
from the fire across tho street dried and
warped the wood work of the big frame
building It shriveled up like withered
leaves states fell from its sides in red-hot
rain, a thin blue smoke arose from its roof
and sides, then a tiny wreath OF something
darker curled from ole Of the dormer win
dow5, dull red light showed behind 1t. A
shout went up, "T0ere sho goes" and then
came burst from half dozen windows at
once and tha building was on fire.