The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-21
HELLO GIRLS HAD TO RUN.
" CENTRAL" IN EIGHTEENTH STREET
BURNED OUT AGAIN

No Teiephoninr Between Fourteenth Street
and Twenty -eiEhth - Spectators Dodge
Failing wircs-Thc Cruiser New York's
Service OF Plate In Temporary Peril -
The New Broadway Gable Cars Blocked.
Tho Eighteenth street central telephone Of
fee was crippled By flre early last evening
and tho 1000 subscribers dependent on 1t for
communication used various languages In
trying to rouse Central" but had to give 1t
up. The ofilco was long room on the top
floor OF the nve-story building on the south
west corner OF Eighteenth street and Broad
way, comprising S87. 500. and 81 Broadway.
and II. H. and III East Eighteenth street.
The Whiting Manufacturing Company. silver
smiths, and c. H. Ditson Il Co.. have big stores
on the ground floor. and the rest OF the build
ing was occupied by manufacturing firms. The
telephone Office was on the Broadway front.
The building was deserted except for the
operators in the central Office when the fire
appeared. Six girls were busy answering
calls at tho switchboard and Night Manager
A. ii. Crowther was about going on duty for
the night. At GAO O'Clock ono Of the girls
saw smoke curling upward past the open win
dow at the bnck OF the room. She screamed.
and the other girls dropped their receivers
and screamed too. Crowther hurried 10 the
window to see where the fire was The smoke
was coming from the office OF Ditson Co.. on
the first floor. The girls grabbed their hats
and ran down the Eighteenth street stairway.
Crowther stopped q moment to cover the val
liable switchboard with q tarpaulin. but the
smoke soon came in such volume that he was
forced to foe. The day watch Of Engine II. on
Eighteenth street. n few doors away from the
building, was aroused by the outcry the girls
made In the street, and the men were out in
iiffy on still alarm. The fire had gained the
hatchway and swept up stairs to the top floor
Chief Bonner arrived on the second alarm.
and called Thss
silver service presented BY. the citizens Of this
city to the cruiser New York was on exhibition
The flames had not been at work in. the
the crowd. and there was a lively backward
rush as q wire with its insulation burning and
sputterng came sailing Into street. e
air and the crowd backed still further. Capt.
O'Connor and his reserves kept the fire line
third wire burned Off anu swung to the pave
ment. and that was all.
light suit and light hat. appeared at the third
alarm. and donninR a rubber coat. accomps-
e f Se. s Ts
piishod. but tho outside connections were
sysed ' The 4s lasted s koa p9a
the dense smoke from the burning
The Brondway cable cars were blocked for n
time. Ditson's Office and store. on the ground
floor and tho second floor were considerably
damaged by water Other firms who suffered
by water were G. l. Kelly q Co.. agents for the
Contrexeville Manufacturing Company: Arnold
mems neckwear. The damage will probably
reach $4,000
ASS soon as practicablea working force was
busy on the switchboard reestablishinG con:
necfions The ONCE was 30 BADLY wrecked
that the manager decided to close 1t for, the
order to-day. however. The Eighteenth street
central included the subscribers between
from tho East River to the North River. Up.
town subscribers outside Of this district were
able to make connections down town. The
Eighteenth street central was Quilted by fire
some what over O yoar ago.