The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-07-24
A GREAT BLAZE.

A GREAT BLAZE.
Fire In Their Big Omces st New York
Causes Loss NJ 05OO.OOO to tho wost-
srn Union Telegraph Compsny-Nsrrow
E>cape Of Seven Persons Hemmed In
By the Flames.
New YORK, July 19:-Five thousand
important wires were rendered useless,
business on the Stock and Produce and
other exchanges was almost at stand
still, sporting news entirely suspended,
the Associated Press report crippled
seriously and commercial and
private business paralyzed Fri
day by an early morning fire
In the operating-room of the eight
storicd and hig h-towered Western Union
Telegraph Company building at the cor
ner OF Broadway and Dey streets. by a
combination Of circumstances SO fortu-
nate as to be almost inexplica-
BILE no lives were lost, though
for nearly an hour forty men,
women and boys were in danger
Of horrible deaths by fire and realized
1t not. The direct pecuniary loss,
though large in itself. estimated at
s5eS, 900, is trifiing to SO rich corpora
tion, but its indirect losses through the
suspension of its enormous volume Of
business will send it away up in the
millions.
There were about seventy-dve oper-
ators in the room at the time. The fire
started in some inflammable waste near
the switchboard or spark from wire
and spread with such terrible rapidity
that the operators did not have time to
escape. They were penned in by
the flames and . panic ensued. Many
of the imprisoned men attempted to
climb from the windows. A number
got up onto the roof OF the building,
where they cried piteously for help as
tho flames leaped toward them. Those
on the roof numbered seven. OF whom
four were men and three women. the
latter being employed in the restau-
rant
Flames were shooting out OF the front
windows and volumes of smoke puffed
heavenward. From under the caves of
the great building the flames were shoot
ing. and the structure seemed TO be
crowned with fire.
When the great crowds on the streets
saw the men and women rush out on
the root cry Of horror went up. for it
did not seem possible that they could
be rescued. The women on the roof
screamed and wrung their hands. and
the men yelled: "For Gods sake, do
something to save US.
A long ladder was rushed upon the
roof OF 8 Dey street and placed against
the rear of the burning building. II
did not reach with.n fifty feet Of the
Western Union roof. Undaunted, how
ever, two firemen scaled the ladder and
threw rope to the roof. It was caught
and tied by ono OF the brave
girls, who seemed never to lose her
nerve. The firemen 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 to places OF
safety. It was accomplished just in time,
for flames Immediately burst up through
the cornice and ION enveloped the
roof. The tower of the building was
caught up by the flames. The ton.
upon tons OF water. however, soon be
gan to have telling effect 1t was q
beautiful and at the same time
terrifying sight to see the fire
shoot from the windows fully fifty
feet around the entire building and be
blown hack like fiery tongues to lick
the roof Of the building.
The entire upper part of the building
was gutted and every instrument and
wire rendered useless. How the fire
originated no one seemed to know posi-
lively, but 1t Is surmised that two oil
the company's electric-light wires
became crossed and set the floor
ing on fire. Had the fire broken
out an hour later the loss
Of life might have been enormous
Fully roo girls and men are employed
on these two floors. The Offices of the
Associated Press suffered rather more
than any Of the others in the
great building. The floors were
flooded with water to the depth
of foot or more, and the destruc
tion which was 50 we'll started b.
the fire was completed by the water
The loss of tho telegraph company il
large and it will require long time t<
replace the material. The large switch
board in the operating alone cost
$4,000 The Associated Press loses in
strnlnents, type-writers, furniture and
all of its books, papers and records and
. valuable reference library. Its los.
will exceed 100000.
The fire created havoc in the biz
Offices in the vicinity Of Wall street
just as it did in business houses al
over the country. Nearly all the West
ern Union connections are through tn,
operating room in the main build
ing. Consequently out-of-town bust
ress communication was almos
entirely shut of. Business mer
were unable to even partial
~ estimate the extent Of the inconven
fence which would result 1t depend
entirely upon how soon temporar,
operating room can be arranged some
where. The railroads all over th'
country will feel the effects o
the fire very strongly, as mos
of their dispatches come through
the operating room OF the West
ern Union. The result Of the biz
fire upon the grain market at tn,
produce exchange was general dead
enlng of all trading. There were n,
public. Liverpool or other foreign ca
bles to be had. nor any official crop o.
Governmental weather news, or any re
ports from Philadelphia, Baltimore
and other points, as to receipts and ex
| ports.
ILLINOIS IS THIRD.
Now York and P0NOsylvsnta alOnO HAv
/ GnAAHAR RnmmlMHlnna Than n RHAaRi