New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-06
HAVOC WROUGHT BY FIRE,
BIG DOWNTOWN BLAZE.
rwo BANK BUILDINGS AT BROADWAY
AND BLEEcKER-sT. WRECKED.

AND BLEEChER-S1 WRE\hED.
.xx-rsAL NEIoHBoRINa BUILDINGS BADLY DAM
.oup-rouR FIREMEN HURT BY THE FALL
mo OF A srAIRwAY-REscUE OF TEN
ANTS IN NEARBY HoUsEs-THE
LOSS HEAVY.
hie Are, in no way connected with the cele-
s-ot;on of election victories, broke out at Broad
nov and Bleecker-st. few minutes before 9
o'clock last night. and ragged until nearly mid
r,eht. wrecking two bank buildings and dam
sg,ne other structures. For time the
FIRE Department appeared to be powerless to
on.ck the spread Of the flames, and several fire.
men were hurt in the discharge OF their duty.
A, one time It was feared that the flames would
.weep away two city blocks. The losses could
not be estimated at late hour. but 1t was
thought they might exceed 100000.
The flames started in the six-story building
an the southeast corner OF Broadway and
BIeecker-st., the first floor of which was occu-
MED by the Empire State Bank. The upper stor-
tes OF the building were occupied by manufac-
turing Arms. and were filled with innammabie
materials. which caused the flames to spread
rapidly. The building extended back to Cros-
by-st. and It was soon mass of flames. build
ing adjoining it on the south soon took fire. That
building also extended to Crosby-st.
INTENSE HEAT
The heat from the flames intense that
the fremen were driven back. All OF the ca ble-
cars In Broadway were stopped. Inmates OF
tenement-h houses on the north side or Bieecker-
st. east OF Crosby-st were driven from their
rooms by the police and fremen, as the build
ipgs were in great danger. A number OF fire
men who entered one Of the houses were partly
overcome by the smoke and heat. and had to be
rescued. They were able to resume work at the
FIRE later.
The comparatively new building OF the Man.
haitian Savings Institution on the northeast
corner of Broadway and Bleecker-st., eight
stories HIGH was thought to be fireproof, and the
nremen were surprised about 10 o'clock when the
flames appeared in the top stories Of the building.
The upper stories occupied for manu-
featuring purposes. and the heat from the fire on
the south side of Bleeckers;. demolished the win
dows OF the Manhattan Savings Bank building
and set fire to the infiammabe materials In those
stories The upper stories of the building were
soon we'll abaze
All of the available force Of the Fire Depart
ment for the district called to the fire. Three
companies Of fremen ma lie their way into the
Manhattan Bank building ard went up TO the
fifth story with lines of hose TO fight the IRE from
the inside Of the building, while a water-tower
was stationed In front Of he building
SEVERAL FIREMEN HURT
The fremen inside the building had barely got
I, work when a stairway which was above them
and had been weakened by the fire fell suddenly.
Several Of the men we're caught under the falling
stairway and were hurt. They were taken out
Of the building by their companions Ambu-
Iances which had been summoned at the out
hreak OF the fire carried the men 10 st. vincent
Hospital.
Deputy-Chief Reilly and Battalion Chief Laiiy
led the crews Of Engine Companies g. = To- H.
IS and q into the building and up to the si*.h
eoor The fremen took unusual hazards IN
climbing I'D 10 reach the flames. when hau
seized the entire upper portion Of the building
while an the sixth oor the stairway below them
caught fire The fremen still considered them
selves safe. so much faith did they place IN the
6renroof construction of the building.
Their hearts wer- in their threats five min
r,es later however wi the stairway lead
Ing 10 the seventh floor gave way ana Ie'i
,,pon them Some OF the fremen were aole 10
climb TO the seventh floor out OF danger. Nh'ei
Lally was with them. Deputy reilly anu
the rast Of the fremcn were hemmed In 30 that
they could neither go up nor down. Inc hahe'
were crawling upon them from below ana oea'h
confronted them unless assistance came III
haste. The brave fellows were perfectly COOL
despite the danger they were racing Ihey
shouted 70 the tremen In the street to run up
ladders Two crews of fremen working IN
broadway reared spliced ladders to the sixth
floor. and the imperiled firemen were soon
clambering carefully down to the street.
Among the last to step on the saving LADDERS
vas Deputy-Chief Reilly. 1t was noticed that
bis descent was slow and painful. when ne
reached the sidewalk 1t was found that he mad
been injured about the head and shoulders.
F'jrernen Lawler and Coleman also sustained
severe bruises and COMMISSIONS Coleman was
able to continue at work. Deputy-Chief Reihy
was 30 disabled that he had to be taken TO 81.
Vincent's Hospital Lawle- was also taken
there in the same ambulance.
An ambulance was also summoned 70 romeo
Headquarters to dress The wounds or FRANK
Henkel, thirty-four years DID, or NO. o3S East
Eighty-third-st. He fell while helping the hre-
men 10 drag the hose through Bleecker-st.
THRILLING RESCUE.
The escape Of the firemen from the Manhat-
tan Bank Building closed with particularly
thrilling rescue. Assistant Foreman Fitzsm-
mons. Of Engine Company No g. became sepa-
rated from his companions in corner OF the
building on the Broadway side. He was the
last man left In the blazing building. and the
Ere WAS on every side Of him. above and be-
low him. When his turn to be rescued came
the extension ladder refused to work DO what
thew could to aid him. his comrades peiow
we're unable to raise 1t to where ne croucheu
on tho window ledge Of the fifth floor. He had
reached the northern side OF the buidihg 'n"'
fur,hest from the fire. but could get no
further dozen feet below him. but twenty
feet away from the edge OF the buiidins IN
which he was confined. was mario" sign
board above the fifth floor Of the next ouiiu-
ing. Further away still, and just aoove Tue
board the edge of which was barely TWO
inches wide. was an open window.
Quick as thought the men OF FIRE ia"o' .1
uter