New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-08

with interest knowing that 1t would prove nIe
which would draw blaze into long, roaring
flame. -
,oa IN tho adjoining streets the flames had
,rrs, through the upper windows. and, high over
the tall buildings In the neighborhood, oiazeo
6ercelv making an inland lghtho' sc with a uoze"
beacons flaming in the gloom OF the s'ormlhs
evening An explosion, then long sheet oi io
across the falling snow and into the black smoke
n,cb was blown down the river by the sharp
r,ebuary wind and then the blazing tower 20
feet above the street level must heVe oeeh see"
for miles for from all the upper WINDOWS .iie
e-noka poured and the flames within the TOWERING
structures shot red streaks through II, or caush'
NV the wind. burst through in fiery mass ana
.c..,arad I'm the flying and mist 1he piaz-
ing tower was the target of nearly all eyes GOWN
town for an hour while the flames roared WITHIN
q and the masses of smoke were carried s"ii0I!
away.
A LANDMARK FOR MANY YEARS
The sho,-tower is in the rear Of the build
ing occupied by latham Brothers manu-
,facturers of lead pipe and shot II mas peeh
oro ~ the landmarks of New York for many years.
Il Is a six-sided structure. built Of BRICK Win an
inside iron frame and sheathing, and having iiiie
OF stairxays and steam hoistway running H ,
the bottom to the top. There are seNeiai ~
,ond,ncs On the top floor furnace lot iheit-
g. ,aad and oil was used as fuel in the furnace.
7, mas ten minutes after o'clock when an expo
sion started the fire. Oil in tank Oh INC .op
eoor exploded The burning oil immedia'eF IL
ci,ed the floors In the upper stories OF 'he 'oMe'
r,raderic, Erickson and Frank NJ. Foye workmen
vvho had been regularly employed In the tower haa
,.en on the top floor Of the day. melting ieao
and pouring II down the tower TO 1rshsiolih II M
shot Foye had gone downstairs, leaving Hi'oh "
the TOD of the tower. before the explosion ocSu.e
The report Of the first explosion caused seVera' Vi
the workmen in the employ of latham q bro'ne,s
"a mako their way into the tower with all possoie
speed. A few Of them, who got up more than haia
Way the top Of the !ower ia me tans down the
stairs He RAD been burned urn his hO Sdng %as s
way. and when the ireme1 "a aIrVe enbnlance
ERICKSON SERIOUSLY BURNED.
Erickson was able TO speak after he was carried
nut Of the tower and he said he had been purheu
~, tho exnlosion of the oil. He thought he MAD
fallen down two stories before he began TO MAKE
his way down the stairs, but ne salu lie oouiA A'
well remember what had happened iinrheuia'eiy
after the explosion An ambulance surgeon iion
the hospital in Hudson-st. placed bandages soaked
IN oil about Ericksons head hands and arms before
taking him TO the hospital. He said the man was
seriously burned Workmen who knew bad Ercx wtfe
SAID he was cb f9Tiynr sfcyS fdys 0
When the firemen reached the shot-tower they
soon hi ames and they Confined their efforts TO
preventing spread OF the names res 90 ne conM
Tght the flames from the interior or the tower.
as a stream from the highest adjoining building
would not reach them. AT O'Clock the hIe was
nnder control but the firemen did not have 1t COM
pletely extinguished for another hour o. s.,or.,
The damage TO the tower Will amount TO several
thousand dollars. The fire did not oufn through,
except in one two places and after IL was as, eN,
tingushed the only evidence visible TO snow that,
blaze had occurred high In the air was the plack-
ened paint which originally yellow color.
The tower built in 1888 -, -.
IL was said at the Hudson Street Hospital iaSt
night that Erickson's condition was serious; re
was severely burned about the head, face ana pody
but ii Is not thought however that his injuries
will result fatally.