The evening world., 1891-05-07
FLAMES LIT The SKY.
D;SClaliOn Marks the SCone Of Long
Island Cily'S Big Fire,
Five Acres Burned Over and
Everything Was Destroyed.
Loss Estimated at 100000, Mainly
on Burned Lumber Yards.

An old gate-post, scorched and blackened,
"a all that remains to-day Of Doncaster Bros. ;
iron aud brass foundry in Long Island City.
where fre has laid waste fve acres OF property.
The fire, which started at 10:4O last night,
was still burning THIS afternoon. The piles Of
,umber werc glowing heaps Of name, which
looked from u distance like volcanoes In erup-
lion.
rne burned district covers the section OF the
city bounded on the west by the East River,
on the east by Vernon avenue, on the north by
Finishing street and on the south by Newtown
Creek
On the east side OF Flushing street Is the new
Long Island Railroad passenger depot, and it's
BY a lucky sniff of wind, which blew the sparks
to tue south, into Newtown Greek.
None Of the great oil nres at Hunters Point
and Greenpoint In years gone by ever
caused such blaze as the many
million feet OF lumber which went up In
sparks ami smoke last night.
The sky over the whole city was lighted up.
from the Battery to spuyten Duyvil Greek,
BY the light Of the glare newspaper could
have been read on Third avenue. opposite the
scene OF Inc connaRration.
Great excitement prevailed in this city.
People became frightened, and thought that
part OF the town was burning down when they
looked out Of their windows and saw the
flames leapinR higher and higher.
The fire, the origin of which Is not yet
known. spread with such rapidity that In q
short time six neig gnboring lumber-yarGs, q hay
and feed establishment and the foundry itself
becim Its prey.
Following is the list of the places destroyed
Doncaster Bros foundry.
CLARK & simpsons hay and feed store.
Hummel Hll's bluesioue yard.
Macintosh 4 Go. q lumber yard.
Horace II. Burroughs Il Co. g lumber yard.
Whiting Il Co. g lumber yard.
Export Lumber Co. s lumber yard.
W. L. McClave's yellow pine lumber yard
was partially burned, and Robertson's saw
mill and Tunnis 4 Sims lumber yard were
badly damaged.
The exact amount OF the loss could not be
determined this morning, but it will not ex-
ceed 5000, 900.
Doicaster Il Co. place their loss at SIS, QUO,
McClave Il Co., $50. 900; Macintosh & Co.,
$40, 0C0: IIanmel & Hill, IS, OCO; Clark 4
Sampson, 50. 600; Whiting h Co, $50. 900.
Burroughs 4 Co. and the Export Lumber
Company are the heaviest losers. Their less
Was probably $50, COO each.
The firms said this morning they could not
make an estimate with any degree of correct
ness.
The fire afforded an opportunity for Mayor
Gleason's Paid Fire Department to show what
it could do. The citizens are divided ON the
nna ton. tta afttn fhau an
everything else in which Mayor Gleason takes
O hand
The Mayor himself was on hand. dressed In
rubber suit directing his forces.
The Fire Department was, however. wholly
unable TO cope with the flames. Severe COM
ments were made this morning on the
members OF the F. j. Gleason En-
g'ne Company, Paid Department, whose
house Is located within a block and half OF
the Hre, and VINO made their appearance on
the scene long after the engine from Astoria,
three miles away.
1t Is said that the p. ]. Gleason Company
respon led promptly to the alarm, but for some
Unexplained rta'on, after having gone half
way to the tre, turned back. uuhltched the
horses and dragged the engine to the IRE in
old volunteer style.
When 1t arrived the nre had made so much
headway that 1t was beyond the Departments
control.
This ID what anti-Gleasonites say. The
Mayor was at the fire this morning and used
language which Added much warmth to the
smouIdering embers, but did not explain the
matter.
The brooklyn Fire Departments nre boat,
Seth Low, Russell Bros. tugs and the Standard
Oh Company's nre tug Astral, rendered efri-
Client service from the wafer side.
Chief Dale, Of Brooklyn, was on the grouu
and had men and engines stationed on The
Brooklyn side, across the creek, to protect
Brooklyn property.
This morning the nery ruins, which could be
plainly seen from the river front on this side.
attracted thousands OF spectators. Many
thousands more crossed over on the ferries to
visit the scene.
The engines and tugboats were still pour
ing streams upon the burning TIM
Der. Despite the intense heat the
people crowded around the glowing
piles. and as there was no danger from falling
walls, all the burned buildings having been Of
wood, no effort was made to keep them back.
Besides, It IL doubtful whether Mayor Glea-
sons police force would have been able to
handle suoh crowd.