New-York tribune., 1896-10-07
PATONI4 FERRYHOTSE BURNED.


4 BLAZE IN THE TELEGRAPH OFFICE REACHES
SERIOUS Proportions PASSENGERS FLEE
TO FERRYBoAT--A FIREMAN INJURED
The Pavonia ferryhouse Of the Erie Railroad
Company. at Chambers-st. and the North River.
was wrecked by fire last night The telegraph
Office on the south side of the building was de-
stroyed. the part of the structure burned
and the baggage room waiting rooms. and Of
fees were scorched and drenched with water.
Two flarms were necessary TO summon "A big
enough detachment Of the Fire department TO
subduc the flames and the ferry service had To
he discontinued for n while. passengers being
compelled to take the Twenty-third-st. ferry The
fire lasted an hour and when 1t was all over at
1890 o'clock the police estimated the damage
10y the flames at abou; SSn0r
The fire was discovered hy Policeman Mackey.
of the I.eonard-st. station. who IS specially de-
tailed at the ferry About $50 Mackey saw
smoke coming from the telegraph Office. The
Office was closeo. and the operator had gone
home. SO MArkrss without waiting To invest!-
gate the size OF The hrc. ran 10 the n'nres, box
and turned I'm an alarm Wien he returned h"
met NJ T. Staples. the general manager OF the
Erie Railway, who had been In his Office on the
second floor and had just learned that the
building was ON fire. Neither was able 10 re-
turn TO the ferryhouse. the occupants OF which
had already fled The flames spread rapidly.
running mp through tn" open framework Of the
ferryhouse and soon appeared at the base ~
the second noor Then the fire ate it's way 10
the rear part ~ the fcrryhousc. and from there
10 the north side through the flooring
chief Bonner Of the Fire Department. APP
pcarcd with the first alarm engines. After
single glance n, the fire he ordered a second
alarm. and soon the hrcbont New-Yorkor and
oieh, engines were pouring water on the flames
Crowds gathered To watch the fire. and Captain
Cross If the Leonard-st. station. ordered out
the reserves to keep t1c fire lines. None o'
the few pass, nfcrs who had been In the ferry
house when the fire started. had any difficulty
in escaping. The ferryhoat Pavonia had been
In her slip when the Ere was discovered. ana
she drew OF into the stream at once. IN" people
in the ferry house either boarding her or run
ming into the street. The ferry employees re-
maned and helped the iircmen. After the ce-
parture Of the Pavonia the ferry service was
discontinued. About 100 pieces Of baggage.
which had been in the baggage-rooHl. were
hauled out into the street and escaped the
flames but not the water from the hose
The Gremen had hard work fighting the flames
which reached the mansard roof. and 1T one
time It looked as II the whole building was
dued and the fire practically out Fireman
John OConnor Of Hook and Ladder No. ]. while
on The roof. had two arteries In his left wrist
and thumb severed by the slate roof He was
attended at Hudson Street Hospital and taken
I'm his home, No. ODD East Eighty fifth-s.
A number Of the pigeons which had made
their nests in the caves Of the ferryhouse. cx-
cited the sympathy OF the sightseers at the fre
They c,rcled above the burning ferryhouse un-
I'll many of them, smothered by the smoke. fell
into the flames and were consumed. william
Perry, an old man who has been In the service
NJ the Erie Railroad for forty years. was almost
In as bad a plight as the pigeons. lie locked
himself in the bagRage-room and refused 10
inave IL until he was dragged out by police
man through the smoke . A.,
The ferryhOuse ~ Il two-storied structure the
second floor beirg occupied AS offices 1t was
hut In 1871 when James Fisk was the Presi-
don't Of the Erie Company. Mr.. staples. the
general manager Of the Erie Company. said
oftcr the fire, that the building cost about
$50 600 and would doubtless have TO be rebuilt
He placed the loss on II at about S'o.OO: and on
tho furniture and fixtures at about SS.0W. The
latter suffered much by both fire and water.