, 1890-07-24
81 en- Lives Saved Almost
by a Miracle.
THE new YORK W. U. BULL DING
Valuable Documents Of the As
sociated Press Destroyed-.Lcss
OF the Western Union.


the restaurant on the ninth floor, were
completely destroyed. Seven lives were
miraculously saved few minutes be-
fore O'Clock the operators began arriv.
ing TO go to work. About fifty men ana
young women had reached the operai-
ing.room, when messenger boy saw
pull of smoke under table in the dis
tributing room, on the floor below the
opcratiug.room. lie scarcely had time
to investigate the cause, when the wood
en- table was IN flames and the hre was
spreading with lightning rapidity lie
rushed upstairs To notify the new ar
rivals that the building was on hire
They were compelled to so through the
Distributing room to get downstairs.
A panic was the result. Women
screamed and men rushed pell nell
down the stairs to escape the flames,
which in less than two minutes spread
almost over the entire distributing
room, burning up the wires, instru-
ments and tables as II they were so
much tindcr. Tho entire room when
the panic stricken crowd passed through
il was filed with dense, sitting smoke.
They foil over each other in wild efforts
NV l'tANh paw va Dl N''o N'''N
the flames had reached tho ceiling of the
distributing-room ana were eating their
way through to the operating-room,
where the instruments that connect
with the wires that distribute the news
throughout tue country were located.
In less time than 1t takes to tell II this
sntirc floor was ablalo and the tiames
we're extending to the floor above, ON
which the Western Union Company's
restaurant was located.
Here were four men and three women,
cooks aud walters in the restaurant, VINO
had been forgotten in the excitement.
All means by this time had been cut oil
whereby these persons could escape.
They were not aware of their peril until
thc smoke rushed up the stairway lead
ing from the operating room.
one of the men, finding no possible
means Of escape downward, rushed for
the scuttle hole in the roof The trap
door was pushed oil and the prisoners
climbed 10 the roof The flames were
now shooting out ot the front windows
and volumes of smoke pulled heaven
ward.
When the great crowds in the streets
saw the men and women rush out on
the roof, a cry of horror went up, for IL
did not seem possible they could be
fcsoued. The women screamed and
wrung their hands, and The men yelled
"tor Gods sake, do something to save
us.
A long ladder was placed against the
rear of the building. 1t did not reach
within fifty feet of the roof. Two fire
men scaled the ladder and threw rope
up. 1t was caught and tied by one of
the brave girls. The tiremen pulled
themselves up hand over hand until
they had reached the top, and amid
cheers from the thousands below, they
let the seven down to places of safety.
1t was accomplished just in time, for
the flames Immediately burnt up
through the cornice and soon onveloped
the roof.
The enths upper part of the building
was gutted, and every instrument and
wire rendered useless. How the fire
originated no one seems to know pos
itiyoly, but 1t is sutmised that two cleo
trio light wires became crossed, first set
ting the flooring on fire. Had the fire
broken out an hour later the loss of life
might have been enormous. Fully 700
girls and men are employed on these
two floors alone.
The offices of the Associated Press
.suilered rather more than any of the
MIXERS in the great building. The
y tncd operating.room rendered every
stern Union wire on Manhattan
Island useless so the Associated Press
opened its headquarters in Jersey City.
Every facility was afforded them by the
officials Of the Pennsylvania Railroad
and hafnra tha Hra xun M tar
control the various circuits of the Asso-
cated Press were In active operation.
No exact figures can yet tie given in
regard to the loss, but it will be heavy.
The building of the Western linton
had been for many years one ofthe great
and imposing landmarks of Lower
Broadway. The building is filled with
offices, the five lower floors being occu-
pied by some of the greatest railroad
magnates in the world, among them be-
ing Jay Gould. Sidney Dillon, DIR. Nor
vim Green, and others who are famous
throughout the length and breadth OF the
land.
VALUABLE PAPERS DESTROYED.
All above the sixth floor was destroyed.
The fifth and the other floors below were
soaked with water. The battery and
storage rooms occupied the sixth hoor
the operating room the seventh, the
Associated Press and a part of the book
Keeping department. the eighth, and on
the ninth were the Western Union files.
The Associated Press loses instru-
ments, type-writers, furniture, and all
rs books, papers, and records dating
Nirom lsi5, and valuable reference
&Srary. The loss is irreparable. All of
in aterial for the history of the growth
AInp nrDsl In Amarirn mad In
Ythe books and files, was destroyed and
can never be replaced. The money value
Is estimated at SIS 900 with no In nsurance.
II on. William Henry Smith, the gen
eral manager, Is personally heavy
loser by the destruction of rare books
and papers, many of which can not be
duplicated. Among these were hundreds
rare pamphlets, collected In Europe,
Hh'oh Mr. smith supposed were secure
IN the hre'proof building.
LOSS OF THE WESTERN UNION.
survey has Just been made of the
upper portions of the building, and it
is found that tile cables and pneumatic
tubes are intact and will be soon avail
able for use.
General Eckert, vice president Of the
western Union, is of the opinion that
'i'e loss oil that company will not much
exceed *lOO,O0O. He also believes they
~hi bs able TO employ a con siderable
'oTte In the main Railways in a day
ortwo. Already new switchboard is
onT way from Philadelphia. Tao
AsI,sed Press will use such other
hoF ,w1'he old Baitimore Il Ohio Tel
eeGfaph Company's building at Ala
broadway will be the temporarv hend