New-York tribune., 1896-02-06
FLAMES IN A PLAYHOUSE.
FRIGHTENED TENANTS MAKE THEIR ES-
CAPE To THE STREET.
r1REMEN OVERCOME BY sMoKE-A FIERCE D1.Azl

FIREMEN OVERCOME BY sMoKE-A FIERCE BLAZE
FROM SOME UNKNOWN CAUSE.
Great excitement was caused by fire which
started in the cellar of the lve-story fathOuse
No "A West ne-hundred-and-twenty -fifth-st.
at 75 o'clock last night. the cause of which Is
unknown. The janitress OF the fiat detected a
strong odor of smoke. and upon reaching the
cellar found that the fire was in one OF the
store-rooms. which for some months had been
unused. She then rushed upstairs and gave the
alarm to the families who live in the house.
The flames spread rapidly from the cellar to the
ground floor. where the Harlem Chair Company
has a furniture store and the furniture in the
place quickly destroyed
The smoke In the cellar OF No "a became
dense and when the hremen arrived they ex-
perienced great difficulty in fighting the fire,
which spread to the cellar OF No. 26 West One
Observation-Disclosures. over which Mayer,
Sam & Co. have large shoe store. Thus the
hremen compelled TO play the hose upon
both cellars. while the smoke poured out in great
volumes Firemcn Kicker and ODonnell, or
Engine Company No. &c, We're overcome by smoke
shortly after the fire began, and a few minutes
later L. Fitzgerald. Of the same company, was
carried to the street in srmi-conscious condi-
ton. All three quickly recovered consciousness
and resumed work upon the fire.
Others overcome by smoke were Firemen Jones
Goodsen and Moore of Engine Company 40. 25
Moore was overcome while fighting the flames in
the rear OF the building
The fire is said to have been caused by some
defect in the furnace The cause is not known for
a certainty. The cellars and basement Of Nos. "a
and 26 a mass Of flames when the firemen
came in answer to two alarms. Ladders were
LOT 6ou ha wi a
OF men with hose and spreaders were hurried
down. The intense heat and smoke overcame
some Of the men almost Immediately. The flames
quickly ate through the floors Of the two stores
and appeared above. Those in the Harlem shoe
store quickly got under control. but In NO.
"a the fire the back quickly up an air shaft
and the five floors were ablaze at the rear.
Most of the tenants with bundles Of their most
valuable effects. ran down the front stairways
One man. Charles Thomas, who lives on the iifth
floor and is manager Of the Equitable Gas Com
panys branch across the way, escaped over the
roof with his wife. two children. servant and a
pug dog. -
and-twenty -ffth-st.. but was driven back by the
police reserves to Fifth and lenoX aNes. Cable
cars were blocked In a long line till the hose was
removed and the tracks cleared.
The following the losses in detail by the ire
No q West One-hundrel- Land twenty y-nfth St
basement. occupied by Arthur Beerg JanltoT
damage $500. not insured; hrst moor, HarIrm lem
second floor Richard W. Friedman damage $780,
insured: third floor. vacant; fourth foor. Henry
L. Twait Sl00 fifth floor, Charles Thomas. SO IL
sured: NJ. &c West One-hundred -and-tWehl! :,
nfth-st. basement cellar and first Moor. occupied
by the Harlem shoestore, kept by Mayer sam q
Co. damage $1,000. insured; second floor. Frank =
Wilson. $500. insured. third floor vacant; fouIth'
Simeon Hoas 800, insured; fifth, Frank Ban
ham, $50. insured.
The buildings are owned by William Palmen-
berg. OF No. Io7 West Tenth-st: His loss VIII be
about $4,000 which is probably covered by In
surance. - -.
The art store Of William Sietz. at NO 50 West
smoke and several valuable pictures were dam
aged number OF watercolor paintings 10 he
exhibited next week were so badly injured by the
smoke that II Is feared they are ruined. large
number Of paintngs were carried out by Mr.
Seitz and his employees at the beginning Of the
fire.