Telegram-herald., 1890-07-19
A CLOSE CALL.
Seven Persons Caught OF the Roof
Of q Ba-ning New York Build ng.
CiLLASTLY RESCUED BY FIREaEs.
The Big westsra Uason fattaisg Swept
by fisnes-N " ires and IUstremeaEs
Destroyed loss Esti1nAtsd
st ss oe0.00O.

"a 3 100000.
ASSOCIATED FEEss CFFECzs RUsNEo OFT
NEW YoRX. Jaly lS-Tbe Westera
Union Telegraph building caught are
az o'olccE a. 10. The distributing
room on the fifth foor. the operating
room on the floor above. Tie Associated
Press rooms and the restaurant ca the
seventh foor were completely destroyed
and seven lives were mlracui0uslY saved.
There were about seVenty-1ye opeI-
stors in tie room az the time. The hre
started in some .nnammable waste near
the switchboard or a spark frvr wire
and spread with such terrible r.pieity
that the operators did not have rme %
escape. They were penned in by
the flames and a panic ensaed- Many
ot the imprisoned aen attempted To
climb from tho windows. \ nambs-
got mp onto the roof Of tie building,
whore they criea piteeusly for help es
the flames leapci toward them. Those
on the roof mum be-ea seven. Of whom
four were nen and three women. he
latter being employed in the res.au-
rant.
Flames were shooting out Of the front
windows and volumes OF smoke puaed
heavenwGrd. From under the caves Of
the great building the flames were shoot
ing, and the structure seemed 70 be
crowned with ire.
When tne great crowds on the streets
saw the men and women rush out on
the root cry OF horror went up, for II
did not seem possible that they could
be rescued. Tae women on the roof
screamed and wrung their hands, and
the men yelled: For Go3's sake, do
something TO save us.
A long ladder was rushed upon the
roof OF Dey street and placed against
the rear of the burning building. 1t
did not reach within fifty feet of the
Western Union root Undaunted, how
ever, two fremen scaled the ladder and
threw a rope 10 the roof. II was caughs
and tied by one OF the brave
girls, who seemed nevsr to lose her
nerve. The fremen pulled themselves
UP hand over hand until they reached
the top OF the burning building, and
amid cheers from the thousands below.
they let the seven down 70 places OF
safety. 1t was accomplished just in time,
for flames Immediately burst up through
the cornice and soon enveloped tho
roof The tower OF the building IVES
caught up by the flames. The tons
upon tons OF water, however, soon be-
gan to have a telling effect It was
beautiful and at the same time
terrifying sight to see the f.ve
shoot from the windows fully fifty
feet around the entire building and be
blown back like fiery tongues to lick
the roof Of the building. Finally the
flames died away altogether and left
smoky and charred bricks where the
window frames had been. The entire
upper part of the building was destroyed
and every instrument and wire rem
dered useless.
Not wire or switch board Of the
/ Western Union was saved, and the As
| sociated Press and the operators rooms
are in ruins. All communications arc
shut OF and temporary Offices
are established at Jersey City and
neighboring places. Three thou
sand seven hundred telegraph
instruments were destroyed. together
with the battery rooms, and thousands
of Leyden jars, which can not be re.
placed for several weeks. Loss, about
$1,000. coo. The Associated Press loss
alone is estimated at 81, 500, 600, and the
4 Western Union loss al about the same.
The building OF the Western Union
Telegraph Company had been for many
years one OF the great and imposing
/ landmarks Of lower Broadway. II
! fronts on Broadway facing east
and occupied half block on
Dey street On the ground floor
ara the receiving Offices Of the com
pany. together with the Offices of the
American District Messenger Company,
with entrances on Broadway and Dey
street. The building runs up eight lofty
stories. which are surmounted by a Gu
pola. Running Up from the cupola fs a
STAFF on which hangs the time ball
which drops at the hour Of noon and
tells the standard time. The building
IS filed with Offices on the Eve
lower floors, which arc occupied by
some Of the Craetest railroad maCnates
in the world. The vast system OF
the Pacific Railroads is operated through
instructions given from the Western
Union building. and there are the pri.
vate Offices Of Jay Gould, Sidney Dillon,
Dr.. Norvin Green and others who are
famous through the length and breadth
OF the land.