New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-19
DRIVEN FROM BED BY FIRE.
EXCITEMENT IN TWO TENEMENT HOUSES.
HEzoIo WORK OF THREE BROTHERS IN AIDING
no ,ec.r,

XnzoIo WORK OF THREE BROTHERS IN AIDING
THE INMATES TO ESCAPE.
Fsre discovered about 80 q. n. yesterday in
Ge sourstory teuementhOuse the corner at No
COS West onehundr and thirty seventh-st and No
e.bse Eehthsre. The fire which started apparently
IA ne cellar If No eos West One hundred and thirty
ssventNst., FIRST seen by William Graham. ten
ant of the building, living with his family on the
second floor. He gave alarm and rushed out into
the street. His first idea was to send an alarm from
the box the opposite corner but not knowing where
the key kept he returned TO the house 20 rescue
las family and TO the other tenants. In the
meantime the fire. which had started the sir-slaft
between the two houses had spread upward with great
rapidly, and No. 29s soon filled with smoke and
fame. The frightened jewellers running about
the halls scany clad and almost paralyzed with terror
Escape by the stairways, except for few Of those
who lived the second floor, completely cut of.
and there mad rush for the iron iireescape lad
ders on the hundred and seventhSt front OF
the tencment-hOuSe. Happily all escaped with their
lives. Men and women came down carrying their
children in their arms. until they reached the first
story above the street. There they paused long
enough to drop the children they held into the arms
Of waiting below so swift was the spread OF
the fire and 50 great the excitement that no one
afferward was able to tell coherent story OF how
everything occurred. There are known to be three
young men however who did heroic work. Their
names are Bernard John and james Plnnkett and
thew lived on the top floor Of the burning building
They stationed themselves at the lowest balcony OF
the freescape took the helpless children from their
mothers and fathers and carefully handed them
down TO friends below. Their pluck and cooines' dld
much to aIlay the panic and doubtless saved many
lives Two neghbors Fritz Wagner and Bryan Kern
gan stood in me street below and seconded the Plum
ketts in their work. small boy fell on heTrigafs
head and knocked him down; but Kerrigan was up
AGAIN in a moment. and finally procured a ladder by
which escape was made easier for the remaining in
mates The rescued people had no clothing other
than that they wore in their beds, but friendly neigh
bors gave them shelter and provided them with cloth
ing. ..
The rescue Of all the occupants Of the tenement
house was effected before the Fire Department arrived
on the scene. The key to the freelarm box Is Kept III
Hemdegebarth's barroom, short distance rom Tle
scene of the fire. and it fully five minutes, 1t 10
said after people began 10 leave the building before
Policeman Beck rang the alarm.
Tho hremen dragged lines of hose up 10 the ele-
waited railroad which runs by the corner ana lni
rediatey stopped running on the east side OF the
track From the tracks of the elevated ROAD streams
~ water were directed upon the burning building ana
the flames we're kept from spreading, except 10 'he
TWO upper stories of No 1865 Eieth-ave when was
completely burned out. No. 29s West e-hundreo-
md St had been burned from cellar 70
roof and all its contents DESTROYED. The tenants OF
No . 566 Eighth-ave., had ample time to make then
eseape One occupant of the tenementhouSe IL "hlch
tb ire started was William Graham, who lived with
hi wife two children and a servant Ia the secohu
cory George Bayne and family had rooms on the
e-st Aoor in the rear and the third moor hVeu
THOMAS Murphy with a family of nine persons Charles
1rlss-th and George Schamberg occupied the rOur'A
Aoor with their families. and on the ifth uOoF nVe"
Iobn Plnnkett with his wife and ten children, and Id
The ar NJ the Plunkets lived james Grover and family
NJ D 56s Fichth-ave was occupied as follows; FIRST
soor simon stern butcher, and Charles A. PuGsey
contactioper. second floor Charles Fowler and Kate
pudolnb third floor Mrs. William Moore, fourth moor
william Gingras: fifth floor, by Two families named
pa,ers and stranisky The furniture Of Mrs. A ~
snear had inst moved into the third floor from No
. SAG Eighth-ave. which caught fire last week.
The individual losses OF the tenants In ooth houses
agorecate about $4,000, while the loss on the w"
hDdinrs which were owned by the Equitable Life As
suranee society, will amount 10 $4,000 more
The origin of the fire Is a mystery Inc Olo0h
which was so seriously damaged is said 10 nave hau
eight fires IN il within the last ton months anu uie
police of the precinct are convinced LtT othesr Fr,
have been at work. There nave Deei man "a. 49, work
~ frebugss and there Is consequently eeaD .t
ment and anxiety among many people WHO AFe III ''~
PaCth ef Bonner Of the Fire Department, who made
carefnl invests CATION Of yesterday morning. ny ~
Swavar that he was confident thai IL Wa hOt VI ~
OeLeS' ne ala saw though that the laclntleo az
5000 the department for lighting nre II haIfcn 49,
toaIIv inadeduate. Practically nothIls MAJ I S,iIt
on the east and sparsely settled on tho ~es'
e6e The nearest engine house TO yesoeTuHAS tont
inc's FIRE is fully three quarters Oh NM, 1etboS NJ
BESIDES this said Chief Bonner he ne htvaen
xI3IdiDC bouses with light and air shaits peI"ecn
h1 IL likely 10 result in serious and even fat@i COLI
seouences al any time.