New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-12
BLAZE IN LONG ISLAND CITY.
FREIGHT SHEDS. A PIER AND CARS DE-
STROYED.
FIREMEN HELPLEsSLY BATTLE AGAINST THE
FLAMES AND ELEVEN TUGS THROW WATER
or THE BURNING MAss-THE LOSS
ESTIMATED AT ABOUT s6DeoO


A fire broke out at five minutes past o'clock
last night in Long Island City Between $4,000
and $4,000 damage was done by the flames. The
Long Island Railroad Company the heaviest
loser. hut as quantity of baggage de-
stroyed the loss cannot be even closely esti-
mated until the claims Of the own pre-
sented The freight sheds. pier and a number
Of ears with their contents were destroyed.
The fire started in mail and baggage COM
bnation which was standing in the freight
sheds ready to be backed into the station To
take on mail for the fast sag Harbor Mail, which
leaves Long Island City carly In the morning
It is not known what started the flames. but 1t
Is thought they came from AZ exploding lamp
The car was abaze inside when the fire was
seen first. To 1t were attached three other cars
OF similar kind. When the flames were dis
covered an engine ran down the yard and hitched
on to the train. The cars were pulled from be-
meath the shed and taken to the Vernon-ave
crossing at the end of the yards. Fire Engine
No. is housed within hundred feet Of the en-
trance of the yard and when the cars reached
the crossing the engine was ready to play two
streams on it, In pulling the car up through
the wards the flames spread TO the cars In the
rear The firemen had almost suppressed the
flames when II was that the sheds beneath
which the cars had been were burning.
The firemen abandoned the cars at once. ana,
leaving them to burn. drove hastily 70 another
re-pug. and effort was made to throw water
on the fire. It found there was not enough
hose on the ground and not drop OF water
could be thrown to the place. supply wagon
was sent to the engine house for more hose
This caused further delay. and by the time the
first stream Of water was thrown on the flames
they had taken a hold on the fimsy wooden
structure. The buildings were old and dry and
soaked with the refuse oil Of many years.
The entire department OF Long Island City was
at the place promptly. but could do little. Under
the freight sheds number Of cars filled with
freight; These burned, and from the ferceness of
the flames it is thought one of them at least must
have contained oil
The freight sheds covered a full block, ana ten
minutes after the fire was discovered in the sheds
they were entirely wrapped in flames. From there
they Jumped 10 the long sheds which extend up
Wost-ave toward the entrance If the Thirty
fnur;h-st ferryhousc. These contained the fruit
store Of Frederick Moore. the mailing department
- the Long Island Railroad Company, the bag
gage rooms the Rockaway Beach station and the
offices and storerooms of the Long Island News
Company.
Extending out from the freight sheds into the
river for distance of $50 feet was pier. In the
summer time this is used AZ the landing place Of
the steamboat Harlem. which plies between Pine
ST and Hunters Point. This TOO. caught hre
There was tied to II. without steam and In winter
quarters. tho ferryboat Flushing. which is out Oh
commission The buildings facing in West-aVe.
were all one-story buildings. They were ouit
close 10 the water front. They extend to witnin
twenty feet of the ferryhouse. The street Is not
A broad one and the railroad station across the
street was fully exposed To the flames.
With the outbreak ~ the fire the tugs In the
-t,. fr.
Within a snort time these tugs were aldlng 'he
engines: Golden Ray. j. j. Driscoll Nlgiiant'
Golden Rule Protector. Conqueror, Nestor WON
DER. Garrison and 7. verdon. They threw great
streams on the fire. but II was too far anNahceu
to yield easily.
The ferryboat Flushing began to burn and one
81 the tugs ran into the flames and pui line on
her The lines were cut and the ferryboat towed
out into the stream. where she was saved She Is
he'd on side and some OF the hsh' Woou-
work is scorched but the loss on her VIII De
When the fire first started the employees OF the
railway mail service. aided by the Ions iStanu t
Citv policemen. removed the mailoags InsIe
was no mail In the cars which first caught nTe'
bur number Of pouches were destroyed
Adjoining the burned strip. which Is IN tne
shane OF a great l.. are the big lumber-yards or
the McClave Lumber Company. some or me
lumber taught fire but the tugs fougnt ths
danes hack Probably $500 will cover the loss OF
Mr. McClave The streams from the engines ana
tugs were directed TO save the plg passenger
station and the long train sheds which. wnen
blaze
sidas The ferrvhouse required much attention.
but was saved Miller's Hotel on the opposite
corner was also in danger. Both the station anu
hotel were scorched.
over one part OF the freight sheds was sec
ond story used by the railway department VI
tho Y VI. C. A. and as restaurant. win
number Of other rooms devoted to various uses
These with their contents. went down with the
general ruin The parlor-car conductors haG
their quarters In this part OF the station ana
many Of them will lose 4 considerable aH0uh,.
and the annex buildings opposite the station.
Austin Corbin reached the place two hours
after the fire broke out. He SAID he could not
oe,in,ata the loss He took steps al once to nave
tho work Of clearing away the wreckage begun
mis- morning The station agent t'rankln said
,ha loss would not be less than $4,000 lie knew
nothing about the insurance. nor did Mt Cor
bin. A.. -,,,,,.
u.iiI no heavy The loss OH Moore's fruit store Is
moi known The flames lighted up the East
RIver and presented beautiful picture from the
niars on the New-York 81 Ie of the river.