Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-19
EAST OF THR ROCKIES.
The Western Union Office in New York
Destroyed by Fire.
AMERICA AND SIBERIA RAILWAY.
A Company Forming to Irrigate
Lands in Southern Califor.
nia-New Air Ship.
tRBc1AL DzPArcH@ 10 THE RsooRD-uMos.i
RAGING FLAMES.
The Western Union Ofice in New Yo
DESTROYED by Fire.


Destroyed by Fire.
New YORK, July 1Sth.-The Western
Union Telegraph building caught fire at
loom on the fifth floor, the operating-room
on the floor above, the Associated Pres:
rooms, and the restaurant on the ninth
floor, are completely destroyed. Seven
lives were miraculously saved. A few
minutes before o'clock the operators be.
gan to arrive to go to work, and about fifty
men and young women had reached the
operating-room. Smoke was noticed by
Night Manager Tobin and he cried fire, y
and in moment all the men in the room
jumped for the hand grenades which hung
about the walls. These they began to
throw down the hole where the flames
were. The contents splashed out when
broken and the liquid sputtered little as
it met the fire. That was all the visible
effect. The hand grenades could not fight
fire like this.
Tobin called messenger boy to &c
down and send in an alarm. As soon as
the boy started down stairs the operators
unrolled the big hose.wheel which is kept
at the south side of the floor, always ready
for an emergency of this kind. They un.
rolled the hose, and Tobin turned the water
on. 1t was a pretty good stream, and il
looked at first as if it would beat the waves
of flame out of existence. But it did not
not bit. The only effect il seemed to
have was to make the fire shoot up higher
and it was noticed that the smoke came
rolling olt of the big hole in greater vol
umes than before.
The operators worked the hose until the
smoke was so thick they could not see
where the fire was. Three ladies of the
day force who had arrived kept cool and
the operators worked like beavers. They
soon found, however, that their efforts were
useless.
The elevator man had brought the ele-
vator up to the fifth floor, and the women
went into the car with some of the men.
They began to realize by this time that the
tiIe was going to be more serious affair
than they at first thought.
When the last few men crowded into the
last car they were just little bit fright
ened. As they passed the floor below a
hot wave rolled over them which made
their throats dry and parched. and as the
car proceeded down fire brands fell upon
them and burned their clothing. When
the car reached the bottom they were all
glad enough to get out. Not until then
did these men realize that their escape had
almost been cut OF, and it is not on record
where men worked SO hard under such
fearful circumstances and against such
odds as did these thirty men.
REsCUING THE INMATES.
By this time the flames had reached the
ceiling of the distributing-room and were
eating their way through TO the operating.
room, where the instruments that connec,
with the wires that distribute the news
throughout the country we're located. In
less time than it takes to tell IT, this entire
floor was ablaze and the flames extending
to the floor above on which the Western
Union Company's restaurant was located.
Here were four men and three women
cooks and walters in the restaurant who
had been forgotten in the excitement All
exit had by this time been cut off whereby
these persons could escape. They were not
aware of their peril until the smoke rushed
up the stairway leading from the operating
room IN volumes. One of the men, find
rushed for the scuttle.hole in the roof.
where the trap-door was pushed off and the
prisoners climbed to the roof
Flames were shooting out of the front
windows and volumes of smoke pulled
heavenward. When the great crowds in
the streets saw the men and women rush
out on the roof, a cry of horror went up,
for it did not seem possible they could be
rescued. The women screamed and wrung
their hands, and men yelled For Gods
sake do something to save usn A long
ladder was placed against the rear of the
burning building. 1t did not reach within
fifty feet of the roof. Undaunted, how
ever, two fremen scaled the ladder and
threw a rope up. 1t was caught and tied
by one of the brave girls.
The iremen then pulled themselves up
hand over hand until they reached to top,
and amid the cheers from thousands below
they let the seven down to places of safety
1t was accomplished just in time, for the
flames Immediately burst up through the
cornice and soon enveloped the roof and
the tower of the building was caught up
by the flames.
The estimated loss to the. building and
fixtures is $3.50, 900. The fire is supposed
to have been caused by an electric.Eght
wire