New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-06
FOR NEW. ROCHELLE.
SOME OF THE FINEST BUILDINGS IN THE
s.-..- TOWN BURNED.
VALUABLE sILvERwARE AND BRIc-ABRAc rE
LONGING TO ADRIAN psELM AND DE
LANCEY A. KANE DEsTRoYEp-Loss
OVER s25oooo.


While business was going on briskly yesterday
morning in George Ferguson's grocery store, az
Main-st. and Centre-dve., Ncw-Rochele, slish'
explosion was heard in the cellar. An invesuga-
tion was Immediately made. A. soon ss the Gel
lar-door was opened, smoke end flames burst Iof.h'
II was seen that the whole cellar was apaze' 4"
an incredibly short time the whole moor w"s
on fire. Smoke and fire poured out through '"e
crevces. The customers in the store lost ho "i'c
in getting out on the sidewalk. The s'ore Is INC
largest one in the village and employs h"n
dozen clerks. Mr.. Ferguson and the cerhs uiee
to save some property, but failed. MI ters"'o.
seized some books and papers OF value anu Ian V"'
on the sidewalk with them. Inc store o"iiu
large stock Of general groceries, feed anu
The interior was soon a mass OF nane' -.
four-story brick building erected IN io'', 60 60.
disastrous flre. Before the fire department couiu
Get there, flames leaped into the upper "'''
made their way to the rooi
Fire Chief James Roth was soon on the spot
D;rcctlv after him came the entire village hre
d.nartmcnt. Streams of water were soen direc'eo
a.ainst the building, and there was an aouno"hoc
OF water. but the building was burned =" .iie
r,oupd The entire building was niieo wi'n
merchandise, which was completely DESTROYED.
Soon flames were seen issuing from the dry-
goods store of Ware & Baber, adjoining. and IN
q few seconds the fire was under fuii heaowaS'
The inAammable drygoods burned like chah. lhe
next building to take fire was the 1our-story
brick building occupied on the ground moor as
drugstore by James l.. Coutant. In the upper
stories were the law offices Of eX-Judge John o.
Crennan The Judge had not yet arrived ac ms
Office. but the office boy took the mos1 oircc'
route to the street. The fremen had been WORK
inc hard al! this time, and succeeded in saving
age. The water did more damage, however, for
the whole building was deluged from top to bot
tom and the water ran down from hoor TO noor
in rivulcts. Another sufferer by the fire Is MIS-
NJ L. Byrnes who keeps the shoe store adjoining
Fcrcuson's grocery, in q four-story building.
When Chief Roth saw the havoc the nre was
making he sent TO Mt. Vernon and Portchester
for assistance. The Mt. Vernon steamer COM
pany hitched four horses to their steamer anu
started to New Rochelle on q run. Four horses
dragged the steamer over the country ROADS, u
distance of three and one-half miles in twrhty-
five minutes, including the time OF hitchinS up
The Portchester Fire Department got Hat Car
on the Haven Road and got opwn to New
Rochelle as fast as steam could take them. both
companies arrived in time to do good work, as they
saved the surrounding buildings. 1t is doubtful
if the fire could have been subdued without their
assistance.
The cellar under Fergusons store was stocked
with kerosene, and this infiammable stuff ran In
all directions, making the fire more difficult to
nut out. The streets were thronged with people
and the utmost excitement prevailed. IL was
fully 1 . o'clock when the lire was under contioi
s%s sae naTss wsss nSs Nothing remained
Ferguson's big iour-stOry brick and iron Dqi ding
but mass of smoking ruins Red-hot Dicks ana
twisted iron lay in a confused heap. MIs.
Rvrnes's shoe store and building was completely
burned out. COutants drug store and building is
standing The walls are uninjured but the In
terror is ruined. IN
The loss on Ferguson's building and stock will
amount to $4,000. 1t is insured for 81 3,Ooo.
Ware d. Babers dry-goods store was in fergusons
ssoea Saerns II goods couiant owns the 6Hising in
which his drug store is situated The loss On tne
building is $500; partly insured. Mrs. byrness
Byrnes r saved good part of her stock which was
carried out on the sidewalk
In Fergusons building were large storage
sooms In these rooms were stored large amount
Adrian Iselin. the banker, who lives at new
Rochelle, De Lancey A. Kane. and other wealthy
summer residents Of New;Kocheie. AMONG 1d snis as
heirloons and some bric-a-brac, belonging TO
the Isen and Kane families. 1t was completely de-
stroyed. The money value is placed at $2oo, 1000.
The precise amount of insurance could not De as
When Ferguson's building fell, the bricks and
iron girders crashed down upon the rooI oI tle
one-story brick building in the rear. occupied by
tht Bank Of New-ROchclle. The bank was COM
plctely wrecked. and the interior of the building
Is mass of debris Fortunately no one was .,a IN
the building at the time. for the bank officials
and clerks had already fled to the sidewalk for
safety The damage is estimated at $4,000 The
roof of the bank will be rebuilt at once. The walls
are intact Workmen were occupied ali day in |
getting out the wreckage.
1t is supposed that some careless person left a
light in a dangerous place in the cellar of Fergu
sons building and that this ignited the oil The
buildings will be rebuilt at once.