Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1889-04-27
A new YORK FIRE
Over 100000 Worth Of
Property Destroyed in
Short Order.
Several WOrkmen Are Killed
by Jumping From Burn
ing Buildings.
other Arc Picked Up and Carried
Away by Friends, and the
Exact Loss Of Life L.
MOI Known.
A New York CONFEDERATION,

New YORK, April 2O.-The largest
and tiercest fire witnessed here for years
swept the East bank Of North river clear
yesterday afternoon from Fifty ninth
street to what would bs Sixty fifth street
If that street ran TO the river.
1t destroyed more than 81, 900, 600
worth Of property belonging to the
New York Central Railroad company
and at least $500, zoe worth Of lard, -four
and the like belonging TO other per
sons, notably N. X. Fairbank, the great
Chicago lard merchant. The flames de-
stroyed tive big elevators of the Wander
bilt system, q big brick building stretch
ing from Fifty ninth to Sixtielh street,
and occupied jointly by the Fairbank
lard refinery and the Rossiter stores, ana
wiped out the dock property Of the New
York Central railroad from Fifty ninth
cpsst Sixty-ffth street.
Henry Benning, "a workman IN the
Fairbank refinery, was killed by a jump
from the third story window. Many
others were injured by jumping, but in
the great con usion attending the con
1agration tho names and extent of
the injuries of but very few we're oh.
tanned. Rumors were rife that a number
of workmen had been caught and burned
in the refinery. but ii has been impossible
20 verify them. The nre broke out III
the southeast corner Of the Fairbanks
refinery, how nobody knows. 1t started
in the grease, aud as the build
ing was Old and dry ii was III
flames in an instant. The men at work
in every story dropped their tools and ran
10 save their lives. The staircases were
columns of flames, and the window VS. pre-
scented the only means of escape. Fur
sued close by The tire, men flung them
selves cut headlong, and how many there
were nobody could tell. Many who came
out were picked up and carried away by
friends The fire had soon sxeptthrougn
u the lcug h of the bui ding and shot
over towards the big grain elevators OF
the New York Central railroad.
Between the place where the engines
were stationed and the elevators were
twenty seven railroad tracks which no
fire engine could cross, and next the
Union stock yards a half mile or broad
enclosure and p ns, equally impossible
There was NJ way for the fire engines to
reach the elevators exc' p along SlXtletn
street. past the burning bu ldlngs. and
that street, after two engines had fought
their way past vas blocked by falling
walls. Furthermore, near the elevators
there WAS only one snail water pipe. The
Are boats were sent for and several OF
them soon began work in a heroic strug.
gle to save the elevator, but IL was all In
vain. The tremendous heat from the fire
across the street dried and warped the
wood work Of the big frame building
under its c%orrug sted iron sheathing,
and in . short time elevator
"A" was on fire and burning
6ercely. Soon after the walls of the
Rossiter stores fell, releasing tons on
tons of burning merchandise that rolled
in blazing heaps in every direction.
This increased tn flames, and the efforts
Of the nrsaen seemed TO be
entirely useless. About this time the
stock yards pens we're cleared out. AT z
o'clock elevator "B" caught fire and the
scene had tn.n, in the growing darkness,
lurid effects that made q spectacle or
awful grandeur. The second elevator
was entirely consumed also, and at ii
o'clock last night, when the fire was got
ten under control. half q mile of ruins
sent out a furnace heat
An estimate Oh tnt lOSNeS rs dS 't'l'Ws.
The Rossiler stores, contents, 5000, 0'O;
the Wick company, stock, S45U. 600;
elevator "A " S. 1000 elevator %.
$3.50 600; dock - contents, $500. 600;
dock "A $3.50 600; he Wilcox build
ing, 1920 600; total, So $50, 900 The
loss to the p,Operly OF the New York
Central ceWpsny Is covered by Insult
ance. The Wilcox company stock WAS
insured for 500 0O.
TEE vnhY LATEST.
The loss 10 the property Ct the New
York Central Railway company in las,
nights fire 10 estimated at 81, 4O0, 600,
which is covered by insurance. Nr. Ran
dali, secretary Of the Fire Patrol and
Fire Underwriters. stated it would be
impossible 10 say what the loss would be
to the different companies until oil had
made their returns. The ruins Of the
Wilcox store 10 Ice hot this morning 10 ad-
NIT of q search tor bodies. -Four men
are reported buried in the debris. Work
will begin later.
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