Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-01
A BIG BLAZE IN BROOKLYN.
Half Million Dollars Worth of Property
DESTROYED,

Brooklyn was the scene on Sunday OF a
fire which destroyed four houses. partial
ly destroyed several others, and caused q
damage Of over half a million Of dollars.
About o'clock IN the afternoon fire was
discovered coming from the cellar OF the
large clothing establishment OF Smith, Gray
& Co. at Fulton street aud Flat
bush avenue and NevIns street. Three
alarms brought all the engines aud trucks
ia the section to the scene. The building
was an eight-story structure. and an eie-
vator shaft in the south side that ran 10 the
roof and another on the FultOn-streot side
to the third story created a draft. which car
ried the flames TO the upper stories, which
were occupied by the Flatbush Storage
Company. and filed with household furni-
ture. This IN @ short time became sOild
mass Of fame, and II was evident that the
building was doomed. Owing 10 not
having any water-towers the firemen were
unable TO send any streams to the top OF
the building.
There was fre-proof floor between the
third and fourth stories. and this for a
time held the flames in check, but the delay
was only temporary, and In a short time
the entire building was destroyed. The
building was constructed of Nova
Scotia stone, iron. and brick. II had
"A frontage of i76 feet on Fulton
street, Flatbush avenue and Neyins
street, with a depth Of y6 Feet on
Fulton and Nevins streets. There was a
clock-tower on the Fulton street side that
rose TO a height Of l9G feet from the street,
and was 20 feet square. This TELL, striking
rs 1t did 90 the south track of tho King
county elevated structure. and carrying
down about fifty feet Of the track. A por-
ton of the station platform was also de-
stroyed, and the stairs leading up TO the
station. Traffic on the road, and also ON
the surface rosds, was suspended.
The building where the fire originated
was owned by Millard Smith aud ". q.
Randolph, who are principals OF the hrn
of Smith, Gray Il Co, and also constituted
The firm Of the Fulton and Flatbush
Storage Company. The building was
valued at 1900 900, and was insured for
SI75. OOO The stock of Smith. GRAY Il Go.
was insured for $4,000 The storage por-
ton of the building was divided into 4OO
rooms. 800 Of which were occupied. The loss
here will reach 5000, 600, which Is largely
covered by insurance. The ire extended
TO the three-story brick building on
N9vins street owned 10y Joseph Jefferson,
the actor, and occupied by J. w. lilatson
as a boarding and liyery-stable. This was
Quilted. entailing loss of $4,000 on the
building and $4,000 on the contents.
Eleven horses were taken out before the
fire gained Roadway.
On the other side Of Fulton street were
FIVE four-story brick buildings. owned by
the Cox estate The first. adjoining that
in which the fire broke out, was occupied
by William III. Cooper, JF.. dealer IN pic
lures and frames. This was No. 53s. and
was entirely destroyed--loss, $4,000. The
next building, No. 536. was occupied by
John G. Greenwall, q dealer in paints,
was Quilted The other stores. Nos.
534, $50. and $50 were occupied, respec-
lively by Charles Wester. cigars: Wheeler
Il Wilson Sewing Machine Company. and
George Lockett Sons, fancy groceries. All
were more or less damaged by smoke and
water. Several small two-story brick and
one frame dwelling on Grove Place, an
alley running from Hanover Place III the
rear, were slightly damaged.
Charles Shay. foreman OF the, Irnck No.
8. fell from q ladder and was badly cut and
received a compound fracture Of the
skull. James Mallon, Of Engine No. 2, was
struck by portion of the falling building
and sustained fractured leg. The loss on
the elevated railroad structure was 10000.
How the fire originated is not known.
A watchman is on duty continually. except
between the hours OF A. NJ. and B Z. Nj.
on Sunday. When he left this morning
everything was all right. The fire mar
shall will make an investigation.