The evening world., 1894-05-16
THREE CITY BLOCKS BURNED.
Old Jones Homestead DESTROYED
and the Sohermerhorn
Mansion Damaged.
FIREMEN AND CITIZENS HURT.
Workman Gillespie Barely Rescued
from Certain Death In the
East River Tunnel.

Fire broke out about 4 o'clock this
morning Ii. one OF the wooden buildings
in the inclosure. formerly known as
Jones's Woods, but latterly as the EN-
pire Coliseum and Washington Park, at
Avenue A and Sxty-eighth street.
Before 1t had been extinguished the fire
spread over three blocks, between Sixty
seventh and Seventy first streets, Avenue
and the East River. over $4Oo, 600 dam
age was done, twenty-five horses per-
ished in the flames and several people
we're injured.
The sudden changing Of the wind caus-
Cd he spreading OF the flames when they
were thought to be under control.
The flames were discovered by Police
man Nasa. OF the East Sixty-seventh
street station. He was patroliing his
post In Slxty-eighth street, between Ave-
nue. A and First avenue. when he saw
flames and smoke coming from the roof
OF the dancing pavilion in Joness Woods,
about 200 feet from the river.
He sent in an alarm, and Engine 80.
from Fire Headquarters. was soon on
the scene Capt vedder had his engine
stationed In sixty-eighth street. near
Avenue A.
All Mas of Flames.
Twenty minutes after the discovery of
the flames the long dancing pavilion,
the two tiers OF seats and galleries Of the
Woods were a mass of flames. There
was a stiff southwest wind blowing.
which carried the flames towards the
river with remarkable rapidity, and the
buildings, which were all wooden struc-
lures, burned like tinder
The flames spread across a bridge
over Sixty-ninth street and caught the
wooden buildings OF Washington Park,
which occupies the entire block between
Sixty ninth and Seventeen streets.
Capt. Vedder. when he saw the fire
getting beyond his control. sent out q
third alarm. This brought, besides As
sistant Chiefs Cooney, Fisher and Gic-
quel. Chief Bonner. He sent in a fourth
alarm.
Avenue A buildings Catch.
Suddenly the wind changed and turn
ed the flames towards Avenue A. Like
streak, the fire seemed to clutch the
fimsy buildings. and in five minutes
the great wooden towers at the en-
trance OF the grove, in Avenue A. were
burning. together with the line of build
ings along Sixty-eighth street.
So rapidly did the buildings burn and
fall that the buildings on the north
side OF Sxty-seventh street caught.
Here the 6re burned so rapidly that
| Capt, Nedder's men. who were at work
I In the street, were driven back on q
run from the flames.
silver King" Engine Destroyed.
The buildings fell so rapidly around
engine 80, which was stationed in the
street. that the men were compelled
to desert II. having barely time to un-
hitch and get the horses out of harms
way The engine was buned beneath
the ruins. and crushed and twisted out
Of shape, II is a historic engine, that
has been in the Department for twenty
four years and mas been rebuilt sew
eril times. 1t is known as the silver
King"
The flames first caught the stable and
two-story dwelling of Patrick Dean, on
the north side OF Sixty-seventh street.
next the river Dean Is a milkman. and
stabbed close TO his house thirty horses.
He and his family got out Of the house,
and escaped by boat TO a place OF
safety. Fourteen OF the horses were
rescued. but the others were burned.
Down towards the avenue the fire
! burned fercely. and the firemen were
unable TO get anywhere near 1t.
Horses Ronsted Alive.
! Next to Deans house, at OPS, the two
story brick dwelling OF Michael Boland
was reduced TO ashes ten minutes after
the flames reached II. With the house
went eight of the fifteen horses in Boz
! lands stable.
John Carrolls two-story house at bsi
East Sixty-eighth street was the next.
Carroll, his wife and five children were
dragged out of their house by Police
man Ballister. A few minutes later the
house. with the stable in the rear. fsli