New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-17
MARTIN i. BROWN g. CO.'S Loss.
DAMAGE ny FIRE AND WATER TO THEIR
PRINTING ESTABLISHMENT.

FLAMES DISCOVERED Ky POLICEMAN AND
ny rinEMEN WHOSE HOUSE WAS oP-
rosITE THE BUILDING N FULTON ST.
Fir. vas discovered In the nve-story double
brick building Nos. 2O6 and 20S Fulton-st about
: 10 o'clock last night. II was first noticed by n
policeman. who was on the opposite side OF the
street The policeman had started 10 run 10 the
nearest nre-nlarr1 box when shout went up
from a group OF nremen who were sitting and
standing in front Of the houses Of Engine Com
pany 40 20 and Hook and Ladder Company NO
10 almost directly across the street from the fire
The smoke was pouring from the windows on the
second story OF the burning building. In few
seconds there was a crash Of windows. caused by
the pressure OF the heated air inside. and great
sheet of flame leaped out. Engine Company No.
% and Hook and Ladder Company No. 10 went
to work at
II was evident from the start that the fire would
be somewhat difficult 10 subdue and second
alarm was sent out Six engines and two hook
and ladder trucks were brought around and set TO
work. The second floor Of the building where the
flames started, well as the third and fourth
stories were occupied by the extensive printing
establishment OF Martin II. Brown q Co. The
great amount OF paper and the many kegs Of
printers Ink were good food for the flames, and
within fifteen minutes the whole interior of the
three stories occupied by the printing office were
filed with flames and smoke. The smoke
dense and the odor OF oil and lampblack was so
sitting that the firemen had considerable diff
Guilty in maintaining their positions upon the lad
ders which had been raised against the front OF
the building. 1t was found necessary to send for
the water-towcr in order to get the streams of
water into the upper windows. The water did
rot seem to have much effect upon the fire in the
first quarter Of an hour after the fremen got to
work but after a while the blaze slackened. and
II was evident that water had conquered.
Martin B. Brown & Co.'S property had been
saved from complete destruction by fire. but
everything which had been spared from the
flames was thoroughly saturated with water.
Thousands OF bundes of paper were soaked to a
pulp Ii was nearly an hour after the breaking
out of the flames that the steamers stopped work
ing and the hose taken up. 1t was estimated
that the loss II Martin b. Brown d Co. would be
found TO amount to somewhere between SD 900
and $4,000. The loss Is covered by Insurance.
The printing concern did large quantity Of work
for railroad companies and others, which involved
intricate typesettng. Considerable OF this work
had Just been completed and was ready for de-
livery when the fire took place and 1t will have to
be done over again In order to I'LL contracts. The
presses were damaged somewhat, but they can be
quickly repaired.
The first floor of the building was occupied by
the Akron Iron Company as an office and sample
room. AS the samples were iron shaftng and
other heavy pieces OF metal, the loss of the Akron
company mainly confined TO having their Of
flee desks and furniture completely deluged with
water which ran down from the upper stories
The fire did not get down into the first story at all
The origin Of the fire rs unknown.
The workmen in Brown & Co s establishment
quit work about O'Clock in the afternoon, earlier
than usual on account OF the day being Saturday
1t Is supposed that the fire was smouldering
nearly two hours and a half before the flames
W. discovered m ha al
from spontaneous combustion from oily rags used
to clean the machinery.