New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-05
A BIG FIRE IN BROADWAY.
FIERCE FLAMES CAUSE s25O,OOo DAMAGE
JUST AT NIGHTFALL
COMPANY BURNED oUT-CHARLEs BROADWAY
ROUss's STORE IN DANGER - EXCIT-
ING ESCAPES OF THE WOMEN EN-
PLOYEs-A SECOND BLAZE

PLOYES-A SECOND BLAZE
BLOCK AWAY.
vivid tongue of flame swept upward over the
six-story drygoods building next door to Charles
Broadway Rouss's store at No. $40 Broadway at
o'clock last evening. 1t shot out from the
workrooms OF the d. J. Solomon Company which
figured prominently in the law courts a short
time ago in connection with the alleged insanity
OF one Of the members Of the firm. In five MIN
utes Broadway was in hubbub, and second
fire occurred two hours later in a business house
only block away. The first fire will cost the
insurance companies and the drygoods firms who
occupy the building at leaSt S25OOO0 The firms
affected are Steiner, Davidson Co.. dealers In
fans. oil paintings and fancy goods, loss 100000;
G.. Moch & Co., flowers and ostrich feathers. loss
$4,000 l.. Simon Co, feathers. loss $4,000. and
the Popular Neckwear Company the ID. j. Solo,
mon Coz loss $4,000 The Popular Neckwear
Company is in the hands of a receiver. who Is the
brother of David ]. Solomon, the principal part
ner The building belonged to the Manoney es-
tate, and is damaged to the extent OF $4,000.
There were nearly one hundred women and
girls in the building when the fire broke out ana
for while there was a scene of the widest ex-
element There was a man as superintendent in
charge Of the Moch workroom. He took the inter-
rupton calmly until he heard the building was on
fire. When he realized that. he seized his coat
and started for the elevator. leaving the twenty
five women behind. They screamed in chorus
when they heard that there a fire on the
floor beneath them. and the men had srea,
trouble in quieting them. A dozen were pacheu
into the freight elevator and 1t went down IN a
hurry past the burning floor whiIe others were
assisted down the fire escapes into Mercer-st'
All escaped safely, but by the time the elevator
made its last trip the iron panelling of the smart
on the burning floor had bulged out with the
heat so that the elevator with dlfilcu.ty was
squeezed past. .
While the women were being rescued In the
rear of the building, the fremen were hghtlng
the fire Fl ON the front. Battalion Chiefs McGill
and Kelly who came the first alarm, ordered
A second and third IN qrick succession, ana Ten
minutes after the fire discovered there were
fourteen engine companies hghting the names
Water tower No. was placed In position IN
Broadway and stream was turned into the
fourth floor. The large volume or water poured
in soon had its effect and half an hour afterward
the fire was sgnaled under control. seven
story building on the south of the burning struct-
ure was badly scorched and the stock OF the oc-
cupants H. Wolf & Co. china merchants was
slightly damaged The fourteen-story building
OF Charles Broadway Rouss Co., on tne nortn
side of the building was saved by the prompt
and cool ction Of the employees
The line of hose laid across Broadway last
night blocked the cable cars from the Battery 10
Houston-st for over one hour. The passengers OF
cars Nos l5l and 33. which were stopped al
broadway and Spring-st, were drenched to the
skin by the bursting Of hose The JET OF water
shot out Of the rent and spurted through the
open doors. ~,
Flames partially destroyed the contents OF the
second and third floors of the six-sory iron front
building Nos l31 to 1877 Spring-st. at $3.50 CLOCK
last evening. The second and third floors OF NO
1sl are occupied by NJ. Hermann Co, CLOAK ano
waist manufacturers and the loss. which is fully
500 O0o falls principally on this firm
Policeman Regan saw sparks nrst Inc re-
serve fire companies had just been recalled from
the fire at No. 547 Broadway and Regan ran
DOWN and intercepted Engine No. l3 battalion
chief Cash soon arrived with more OF the re.
serves returning from the Broadway fire. ana
the water-soaked fremen speedily began WORK
chief Cash sent out "A third alarm, as the puilu-
ing was full OF costly imported silks and velvets
The flames had gained a foothold on the thiru
floor but was put out inside OF half an nour'
stewart Howe & May, manufacturers OF utess
facngs on the fourth floor, and the American
Emhroidcry Company. on the fifth floor. suffered
slight losses from the smoke. The cause oi '"e
fire il not known.