Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-06
NEW YORK's BIG FIRE.
A Million Dollars Damage Done Last
NIGHT,


A fire started in the Keep shirt factory
at Broadway and Blocker streets, New
York, last night, and is estimated to have
done a damage of about s1,G0O,00O. The
comparatively new building of the Man
haitian Savings Institution was destroyed.
Two other buildings were destroyed and
others damaged by fire and water
From the point where the fire was first
seen, the flames ran quickly through the
building, which extends from the corner of
Crosby and Blocker streets, through the
150-foot block until it makes the southeast
corner of Broadway and Blocker street.
This building was destroyed.
From this building the flames got into
the struct ire adjoining on the SOUTH while
to the north they shot across narrow
Blocker street, caught the enormous build
ing of the Manhattan Savings Institution,
the upper stories of which soon crumbled
and fell with a crash, while firemen were
working on the lower floors.
Jacob Adler g. Co. control the clothing
establishment on the floor where the fire
started. Beneath, on the ground floor,
facing Broadway, is the Empire State
Bank. On the upper floors are Lauterback
& Co., silks, and several like concerns.
Half an hour after the flames We're first
seen in Crosby street. the building had
been demolished, the walls still stood erect,
but the apertures where the windows had
been showed through them solid sheet
of flame. Notwithstanding the enormous
heat, the firemeu crowded the building
close. From the very first it was seen that
the building was doomed, and the only
chance was the saving of the by
structures. An especial effort was made
on the Blocker street side to see that the
flames did not cross the street to the eight
story Manhattan Bank structure.
Fall Of the Wallis
Suddenly, few minutes before 8 o'clock
where all had been light for blocks around
from the glare of the flames. there came
darkness. From the rent walls there came
a great black cloud of smoke that blotted
out all light. 1t became pungent in
narrow Blocker street that the fire fighters
were forced to run for their lives. Then
the high walls parted, seemed TO hang in
the air for a moment, and fell where a few
moments before the firemen had stood.
The five-story building to the south caught
fire with the falling of the walls, and the
firemen's attention was turned to that.
Twenty of them we're before this house
when an explosion came that shook the
building, and every window in the house
was blown into the street. Iron shutters
were forced from their fastenings, and
sent sailing through the air.
1t was at first thought that fremen had
f
but when the first shock of the crash was
over it was found otherwise. Two men
who had stood near by were blown across
the street. Both were slightly injured.
How Twelve Men Escaped.
The Manhattan building was across the
street, and every effort was made to save
it, but in vain. Fire Chief Francis j. Reilly
and twelve men were in the sixth story of
the building, when from above the flames
came rapidly that their escape was cut
off. BY cutting a hole through the side
wall to the north the chief and his men
escaped. The twelfth fireman, Fitzgerald
crawled along a narrow coping, but be-
came so weak that two comrades, Brush anG
Barnett, had to climb out of window and
lift him along the edge. many feet above
the ground, to a window in the adjoining
building.
Chief Reilly tainted when he reached the
street, and was taken to the hospital with
his back injured. Fireman Walsh was
overcome by the smoke after rescuine
Annie Coon aged seventy, and five chill
dren from tenement There We're many
narrow escapes and twenty-five firemen in
jured.
The Manhattan building was occupied b,
many concerns. In the building were
among others: Heidelberg e. Co., clothing
Ouvebrood Brothers, silks; Guarantee Sill
Company; Goldstone & Sternberg clothing
Northwestern Stone Works; J. NJ Va1
Note, hats, and John A. Flommerfelt & Co