New-York tribune., 1895-12-07

FIRECRACKERS Pop WHILE BURNING
SPICES SEND FORTH sTIFLING FUMES.

4 BLAZE WHICH COST THE FIREMEN GREAT
LABOR AND INFLICTED DAMAGE: AMOUNT
ING To 100000
fire which threatened to destroy a great
quantity OF goods started yesterday morning
about o'clock ~ Elliott F.. Drggs's bonded
warehouse. at South jefferson and Water SITS.
This is a six-story building, with about a hum
dred and twenty windows every one OF which was
suffered and barred. The fire began on the
fourth floor and was discovered by Policeman
Murphy, of the Madson-st. station. He first
saw 4 small cloud Of smoke issuing from win
dow that floor Cornelius Sullivan. the out
side night watchman Il the building. at almost
the same time noticed smoke coming from one Of
the South-st windows on the same floor The
alarm sent In by Murphy brought the engines
in a short time and with them Chief Bonner who
at once sent in second alarm He did this be-
cause he had learned that there was a large stock
of fireworks on the fourth floor because Of the
great amount Of property in the building, and
because Of an adjoining warehouse containing
an even more valuable lot of goods. The build
ing in which the fire started is known as the
Freedom Building being part Of the Freeborn
estate.
On the fourth floor where the fire was first
discovered the stock consisted Of frecrackers
and spices The. iron shutters made Il extremely
difficult for the hremen to gain an entrance to
the place When one Of them was broken open
no man could enter on account of the smoke.
fireman had to stand on a ladder and with his
head turned away hold on to a hosene and dl-
rect the stream Of water through the window
This was what was done at each Of the windows
as fast as il could be opened Dense CLOUDS oi
black smoke poured out Of the few exits tndt
could be found.
the hrecrackers. Then they popped steadily Tor
nearly another hour. People on the South-st
side Of the building could near them plainly As
there Wer. more windows open on that side. NJ
heavy explosions were heard The breaking open
of the spice boxes by the water and fre caused
a variety OF perfume about S0uth-st. for time
It was fully an hour and half after the frSi
alarm mad been ent in that a sheet OF flame was
seen. 1t biaZed out Of a Water-st. window cI)st
To the next warehouse. that Of Silas W Drlgg'
which extended the rest Of the way down the
block to ClintOn-st.
Besides the spices and frecrs ckers. there Were
tea and tobacco and some few boxes or other
goods in the building. All six floors said Mr
Drgga. We're filed with East India and China
consignments He also said that every penny
worth was insured. He had not the slightest
knowledge Of the cause of the fire and declared
that he had no stove Oh the floor on which the
fire began There were boxes and boxes. he as
serted. Of firecrackers, but the amount OF the
goods stored he couldn't tell.
An incident Of the fire. one which took all the
seriousness out of the mind Of every one
who noticed it, was the appearance Of
dozen Of Commissioner Warnings men. clothed al
i'm white The street Uttered with sticks
cinders from engines, paper cigar stubs, and
other refuse. and dozen Ines If hose Were
stretched across II. The engines were adding t.
this litter by having their fires drawn ana the
firemen We're pitching oilsIins out OF the win
d0ws into the street. Along came the street
cleaners and right in front of the burning build
ing they began their work But it lasted only
for moment. They Were received with a great
laugh and some policemen told a couple Of the
men in charge Of them 10 take their gang away
The belt line cars were stopped Passengers
had to get out and cross the fire lines 10 the
car on the other side which sent back ovei
its route.
The loss will certainly amount to 100000.