Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-04-25
MILLIONS LOST.

Destructive Fire In New York City-The
Property Destroyed - Fatalities - The
New York Central q Heavy Loser.
NEW YORK, April 2o-The fiercest fire
New York has witnessed in this genera
ton swept the east bank of the North
river clear yesterday from Fifty ninth
street to what would be Sixty fifth street
if that street ran to the river. 1t de-
stroyed more than million and half of
property belonging to the New York Gen.
tral railroad and half million dollars
worth of lard, -four and other goods be-
longing to other persons, among them n.
<. Fairbanks, the great Chicago lard
merchant.
The flames destroyed the two big eleva-
tors A and B of the Vandalia system, a
big brick building stretching from Fifty
ninth street to Sixtieth street and occu-
pied jointly by the Fairbanks lard refinery
and the Rossiter stores and wiped out the
dock property of the New York Central
railroad system from Fifty ninth to past
Sixty fifth street
At least one man was killed in his head
long fight from the fire at the first out
break, and a number were injured in
jumping from the windows of the burn
ing buildings, but in the wild turmoil no
account was kept of them. The police
have the following record of the casual
ties: Henry Bentling, 694 Tenth avenue.
a workman in Fairbanks refinery, killed by
jumping from third story window; John
johnson, SIT West Forty ninth street. like
wise q workman in Fairbanks, severely in
jured in the back by jumping from win
dow; Charles Brown, sos West Forty
third street. severe injuries about the
head from the same cause; w. ]. Noble,
fireman of engine No. 9, prostrated by
heat while at work at the foot of Fifty
ninth street {; Edward II. Tobin, fireman,
prostrated by the heat 1t was stated that
four men were in the ruins of the Wilcox
Company's building.
The fire broke out in the northeast corner
of the Fairbanks refinery, where workmen
were busy at the time setting up new
| cooling apparatus, starting how no one
knows and probably no one ever will
know. Soaked in grease as the old build
| ing was, it was afame in an instant. From
the ground the fire swept upward to the
roof almost with the speed of thought.
The men at work in every story dropped
their tools and ran to save their lives. The
staircases formed a glowing chimney,
throwing out fire through every floor and
| the windows presented the only means of
escape. Pursued close by flames men
| flung themselves out by scores headlong
| and behind them came 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
husbands and sons and begging for news
of them. They were turned back and bid
| den to look in the throngs for those they
sought They would, the policemen hope
fully said, probably find them there.
The New York Central also owned the
building in which the fire broke out II
was leased to Fairbanks year ago. 1t was
six stories high, 2O0x2O0 and was of brick.
! One hundred thousand dollars may cover
| the losses on it. The loss on Rossiter's
stores is conjectured. Fairbanks loses
| 5000, 600. The merchants who used the
store rooms had goods there, chiefly flour,
| lard, straw board and such, worth easily
$250, 200. At least this loss was covered
! So it was said of Fairbanks The railroad
loss is at least 81, 800, 0OO, also covered BY
insurance it is said.
| Another estimate of the loss in detail
is given below: Rossiter stores. contents
| 5000, 900; the Wilcox Company, stock
$3.50. 600; elevator A, $500, 900; elevator B
$50, 900; dock D, contents, 500, 900; dock
| A, S35, 600; the Wilcox building, 1920, 600
total, S., 355, 000