New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-21
GREAT SHEETS OF FIRE.
MILLIONS OF FEET OF LUMBER BURNED.
A REFRIGERATOR FACTORY DrsrRorED-1oss
$500 ooO-soNE THRILLING INCIDENTS.

- As'-A 'N'AftsNtDas IALlDk1 DEElhDl III i4Oo9
s2oo,ooo-soNE THRILLING INCIDENTS.
That part Of Harlem which lies above one-hundred-
end-twonty 1ffthst. was last night brilliantly IL
umined by a fierce blaze which caused the entire
Destruction OF the refrigerator factory and lumber
yards occupied by L. II. Maco & Co.
The buildings In which the firm carried on their
business occupied the whole block Of ground between
nehundred- and aGtieth and Onehundred and fifty
first SIS, Cromwell-ave. Rlverave and the Harlem
The factory occupied by Mace & co. WAS q fourstOry
red brick building, extending about 100 feet along
hundred and hftiethst. aud about so feet along
the river front. All around II 10 the south tho cast
and the north were the lumber yards in which
were stored 100000 feet Of timber mostly consisting
Of white pine, piled high above the roof Of the building
At the northern end the yard were two wooden
tenement houses occupied by the wives and ca
o. sixteen wVrlfmen employed by the firm. On d."
river front, OF the southwestern corner of the main
building, was the private house occupied by Joseph
Fraak, the chief engineer immediately adjoining the
humber yards the athletic grounds Of the Young
Mems Christian Association. Only thin wooden
boarding separates the grand stand from the first Of the
piles Of lumber. baseball game was played IN
the grounds late yesterday afternoon and probably
some threw the stub end Of lighted
cigar under the grand stand The wood once ienlted
would burn like paper.
It was Just after O'Clock about ten minutes
after had ceased for the day I'm the factory when
VI. II. Noble, lad employed by Frederick, smith
& Co., whose Offices face the factory, saw big
puff Of smoke and a gush OF fame burst from the
western end Of the grand stand. He to the fro
box at Mottave. and Northumberland forty st.
and sent ont alarm. Just half minute earlier a
special building call hnd been sounded by the Waterman
OF the yard The first Of the engines reached the scene
about fifteen minutes after the special building call
BY that time the grand stand a Of flames
The fire, famed by a strong wind, had already caught
the lumber which burning furOu,ly. From the
first the fight Of the fremen agnInst the flames was
hopeless and they knew IL. They were crippled In
three quarters.
First the Tretchedly Inadequate water supply, which
came from one siXincn plug: second, the low tide,
which rendered useless the work Of the rcboat, Have
meyer and third the grado crossing Of the NewYorS
and Harlem Railroad. The gates at the crossing were
lowered Just when the engines driving full speed
TO the fire. They were compelled TO pull up and
wait two minutes or until the train had passed.
The fire. thus practically without check. son caught
the main building ana swept through IL With such
overwhelming fury that IN little than an hour the
structure was a complete ruin. At 30 D. m. the
roof fell in with q laundering crash. Tn the mean
time the lumber in the yard had caught fire and the
whole block Of ground WIS binding mass
Of fame. The house occupied by the enEi-
ncer had fallen In company with the main
building, and now the flames caught the houses
occupied by the wOrkmen and swallowed them up
The families had got out Of the buildings the first
alarm and neither life limb for moment
In danger. But Ike most poor people, they had not
q cent Of Insurance.
The progress Of the fro marked by some
thrilling incidents Not the least Of these was the
hairbrcadth escape from death Of four 1remen belong
ing to Engine Company No. 36. The fire had first
caught the factory the fourth story. John Leonard
foreman Of the fro company; James Brady, Peter
Barrett and John Lutz mounted to the fourth floor
and set u work the flames. loud cry from
below startled them out Of their accustomed coOness
and looking down they that the second floor was
ablaze. They were hemmed In. Death stared them
in the face. There was but way Of escape.
Caoh,d BY the smoke and blinded by the fame, which
licked at their hands and faces. Barrett, Leonard and
Iutz cambelcd down the ladder until they wcre within
a few feet Of tie grOund Then they Jumped and were
safe. Brady tried 10 follow, when his coat caught In
tie ladder and held him fast There he hung for fully
half minute while the fire caught and enyelOped the
lower r1ings Of the ladder ard cut OIL his retreat.
lie iuust Jump twenty-five feet or de Without
moments hesitation he took the leap amid IL hyster
cal u tie crowd, and landed plump ~ tie arms
Of his comrades who we're waiting to catch nun.
little lad named Turner crossed the river rom me
side IN small boat and landed Just In frOnt
tn Shore and start 10 run toward the burning acOri,
when 20 his horror the ground gave way Dcheath III,
feet and he began % sink He was IN the treacherou5
strip OF mud, covered by an apparent EycI OF lIln
csrth which along the eastern bank Of the river
As he felt himself slowly sinking the boy uttered
nlte0us scream for help some men who were Watching
toward him With rope one end Of which was Ihotte.
In loop. once the rope whried tlT0ugn me ar and
missed MIN; twice and the loop was over his mead:
lie graspel the line and drawn smveIlng and
moaning with fright TO The la ground . At half past
broken walls and number Of blazing piles. Tne
daHase IS estimated at S2OODcO' covered by insurance