New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-23
MANY SAVED FROM SMOKE.
PANIC AMONG THE OCCUPANTS OF A
TENEMENT-HOUsE.
SOME OF THE TERRIFIED WOMEN RESISTED
THEIR REsCUERs-GOOD WORK BY
THE POLICE

THE POLICE.
A fire broke out about o'clock last evening
the basement floor in the airshaft Of the
five-story brick building No. 20 New-Cham-
bers-st. which caused a panic among the throng
Of tenants in the building II 1t had occurred
a few hours later II might have resulted in
great loss of life. AS 1t was. the police of the
Oak-st station rescued many of the frightened
inmates, some of whom terrified that
they fought the policemen and had to be forcl-
bly, dragged from the house.
The building extends through from No. 20
New Chambers-st to Roosevelt-st. where 1t is
numbered 7S. The side Of the building which
Is about one hundred feet in depth, is on Ba-
tava-st There is only Cne entrance. and this
is on New -Chambers-st. The single stairway
is about the centre of the building. and runs
up alongside the airshaft. There is one set of
fire-escapes on the Roosevet-st. front. and there
are three on the Batavia-st front.
The entire ground floor Of the building is oc-
cupied by Juehr's candy factory, and on the
floors above thirty families live numbering
more than one hundred and fifty persons in all
The cause of the fire has not been learned
When first discovered ii was blazing hercely at
the bottom Of the airshaft and by the time the
firemen reached the scene the flames had
reached the top floor.
told that there were number of people in the
building. Roundsman Henry Breen found on
the fourth floor Cornelius Conlon. sixty nine
years old his wife Hannah. sxty-five years
old and his sister, Mary Conlon, sixty years old
He got Conlon and his sister out into the hall
way and downstairs 10 the street. Mrs. Hannah
Conlon. however refused to leave the room
when Breen went back for her. saying that she
wanted to save her pet parrot. The room was
filled with smoke, and Breen had a severe tussle
with the woman before he finally dragged her
out. with the aid of Policeman John J. Lynch
officer Lynch in the meanwhile had rescued
a girl, whose name he did not learn. whom ne
found partially unconscious on the fifth floor
Policeman Thomas A. Dust found the two young
children Of woman named MarmiOn on the
first floor and carried them down TO the street
He then went back. and on the third floor iouhd
Mrs. Flanagan, who had tainted in her room
and her two children. both less than four years
old. He called another policeman to his aid ana
the Flanagan family were carried TO the street
Policeman Michael +. ONeil found Mrs. Annie
Lynch thirty years old, on the third floor. Sh :
was looking for a young child, and refused 10
leave. ONeil had to drag her downstairs
O'Neil then went back into the house. ana on
the fourth floor found John j. Gallagher. OF No
90 Roosevelt-st., an ex-policeman, who had gone
into the building to rescue the occupants Gai !,
lagher had been overcome by smoke. ana y Nell
dragged him up TO the roof.
Policeman James ]. Kelly, assisted by Joseph
Degnan Of No ia RoOsevelt-st. rescued MIS-
Carmen Williams. thirty-six years old: Mrs MIL
ler sixty years old Miss Miller twenty-five years
old from the fifth floor passing them down the
fire escapes Mrs Miller Is deaf and dumb. ana
resisted Degnan's efforts TO rescue her. Degnan
had his hand badly cut. 1t being forced through
pane of glass by the woman. Policeman
Thomas A. Logan carried down woman from
the fourth floor. young man. whose name was
NOT learned carried two children down the fire
escape
The building. which is owned by Well Meyer
Of No g 'hamhPrS-St..
tho amount Of s. 900 which Is covered by insur
ance The stock and fixtures of the candy fac
! tory were damaged about 5000 and the total
| losses Of tenante s placed a 500.
Many Of the policemen were still suffering at
midnight from the the effects Of the smoke they
had encountered.