New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-19
THE WESTERN UNION FIRE.

The business community was startled yes
terday by the sudden collapse = Geographic
facilities The fire In the Western Union
Building paralyzed transactions in the eX-
changes of the city, and to a large extent
interrupted the orderly course of commercial
and industrial activity throughout the country
Those upper floors were rayaged by the names
in the course of a single hour, and the complex
mechanism by which the metropolis commune
Gates with the centres of business and news
in every part of the world was destroyed. The
wires were the nerves registering impressions
from every part of the body polite, and send
inc ont signals from the brain of the chief
centre of American commercial activity. Inc
COLLAPSE of this intricate network of nerves left
New York practically isolated from the world
and with all its normal business functions DIS
organized and deranged. such result Is
deeply to be deplored, especially as much time
will be required in order to restore facilities
of teegraphc communication which are essen
tioI 10 the transaction of business and the col
lection and distribution by the press agencies
of the news of the day. The Western Union
corporation and the Associated Press are al
ready exerting themselves to meet the require
mcnts of the general public and the newspapers
as speedilv as possible; but there must ineyl-
tabIy be delay in substituting makeShlltS 1or
the elaborate system Of Geographic mechanism
upon which the metropolis was dependent Tor
the transaction of business and the receipt OF
information from every quarter OF the compass
The public inconvenience Will be so serious rs
70 compel the Western Union managers IN re-
storing their building to spare neither pains
nor expense to prevent the possibility OF
recurrence of the catastrophe.
The hour at which the fire was discovered
was most fortunate, and undoubtedly prevent
ed n large loss of life. At ! o'clock IN the
morning the night-work had been disposed OF,
and the business operations of the day had not
fairly begun There were not more than iorty
onerators at their tables and they escaped
without difficulty, although the fire had started
in the battcrv-room below them and was under
force bcadway and uncomfortable. II the hour
had been earlier or later the consequences
would have been far more serious, since much
larger force of operators would nave been en-
Moved At s o'clock there would nave been
400 instead of 4 0 operators, and the stairway
would have proved inadequate, 1t Is 10 De
feared for the safe retreat OF 50 large force.
When the building j restored the managers VIII
undoubtedly appreciate the necessity OF lmpfoV-
ing the means of access 10 and retreat from
the uppcr floors. and will make alterations by
which the elevators can be run to the top in
stead of midway. They will also, we are con
WINGED. do much to prevent the communication
of flames from one floor 10 anOthcr-an essen
tiaI requirement of fireprooi building. no
building can Justly be saTd to be proof against
fire unless adequate provision Is made for con
fninp the flames to the floor where they arc
discovered.
The Western Union Building is the first OF
tbe modern high buildings in lower NcW-l ork
which has been Quilted by flames and we'll
nigh DESTROYED The event is one which will
have important hearings upon the develop
ment and improvement of town architecture,
and il needs to be patiently and thoroughly
investigated by competent experts. The man
ayers. while they spared no expense III making
the building one of the most complete tcle-
COMMUNICATING centres in the world, need not
he surprised if their plans and methods arc now
subjected 10 rigid scrutiny and criticism. II
they and their architects have made mistakes
these must be pointed out and sharply dciined
if the community is to benefit in any way by
This catastrophe. The cause OF the fire which
Ibis now incxpllcablc must be aSccftalncd by
nainstalllng investigation. and all the faults Of
construction and any possible neglect to make
the building absolutely freproof must be
| brought 10 light.