Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-18
SHOULDER CAprs AND Fur WARS,
A LOSS OF $4,000, OOO.'
One Of the Largest Fires Ever Known in
New York City.

One Of the Largest Fires Ever Known in
New York City.
A fire started in the sub-basement Of the
nine-story, mansard-roofed, brick and iron
building on the southeast corner of Blocker
and Green streets, New York city, about $50
last evening. utterly ruined it and, spreading
to two buildings east Of it, destroyed them as
well and another in the rear that ran from
Green to Mercer street. 1t will be classed
as one of the largest fires ever known in that
city. Over 81, 600, 900 worth Of property rolled
skyward in smoke and fame in less than five
hours.
The building in which the fire originally
started was owned by the Mendell Brothers,
real estate men of Chicago, and was occupied
by Alfred Benjamin Co., probably the largest
manufacturers of fine ready-made mems cloth
ing In the country. 1t was a stock company
composed of Isaiah Josefa, A. Hochstader,
Eugene Benjamin, David Hochstader and
specials, Jesse and Samuel RosenthaI.
six-story building adjoining on the east,
occupied by NJ. H. Rosenstein. ostrich feathers,
was the next to succumb to the flames. which
then moved on to the double-brick building
owned and occupied in part by Hammerslough,
Saks & Co., clothiers, on the third, fourth
fifth, sixth and seventh floors. and by E. w.
Connect Co., hatters on the lower floors.
ON GREEN STREET.
Meantime the FIRE had extended on the Green
street side to the six-story twenty-five-foot
front brick building occupied partly by Rosen-
stein and partly by Sylvester Levacher Co..
manufacturers of hats, caps and furs. The
building extended through to Mercer street,
and the fire speedily forced its way out on that
side OF the structure. 1t looked as if the whole
block was doomed. About o'clock the roof
OF the building in which the fire started fell III
with crash, carrying floor after floor with it in
its descent
FIREMEN's NARROW ESCAPE.
A few minutes later the front wall toppled
and fell into Bleecker street and the firemen
had to scurry lively to save their lives As it
was, one Of them was struck by falling brick
on the leg. but not seriously injured. His name
is L. j. Worth OF engine 30. Finally but one Of
the eastern walls of the building was left stand
ing. Then the roof of Hammerslough's build
ing fell in, but the other walls remained intact
BY 10 O'Clock the firemen had the flames well
in hand, and there seemed to be no danger Of
its spreading further. The losses, roughly esti-
mated. are as follows: Benjamin & Co., build
ing, s4OQ. 600; stock, @45O,000. They had nearly
2O0,O orders for spring suits making up and
in addition carried a large stock of overcoate
and smoking jackets.
Isidor Cohnfeld, the feather manufacturer, and
was known as ''Cohnfeld Folly" Later he
failed and about four years ago Alfred Benja-
min moved into it. He died about three years
ago. Since then it has been stock company.
Hammerslough, Saks 4 Co. lose, it is thought,
sl00, 0O0 on the building and $3.50, 900 on the
stock. NJ. II. Rosenstein, building, S25 600;
stock. $4,000 E.V. Connect 4 Co.. the hatters,
1000. The rear building, owned by DR.
Macy, valued at SI50,000. Sylvester Levacher
4 Co., matters, $50, 900. NJ " Schwartz and
other tenants in the rear building logs estimated
at $3.50
FIRE AT cLAFLIN's.
Just as the employees of the H. B. Claflin Co.
were closing up for the day, shipping clerk
George Jackson discovered flames issuing from
some rolls Of mating, carpets and oilcloths in
the rear OF the first floor. He with three or
four remaining employees who were in the
building essayed to subdue the flames in vain
with hand grenades. A strong tlraft sent the
fire beyond their control. An alarm was turned
in, but the flames had made considerable head
way before the fremen arrived. The flames
were confined to the first and second floors,
but the damages to stock, dress goods, carpets
and mating will reach 800 600 Fully in
sured. The II. b Claiin Co. is one of the
iarges. jobbers in sheetings, carpets, dress
goods, DC, in the country. The burned build
ing Ii six-story brick, and is the easterly of
two twin structures. with frontage of 50 feet
ana 100 feet deep, divided by double fire.
proof wall The westerly storehouse was unin-
jured.