The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-02-22

SATURDAY NIGHTS FIRE
SEVERAL WELL KNOWN COMPANIES
BURNED OUT.

1t Was Stubborn Fight for Supremacy
The Flames Contended with the Fire
men-Captain O'Neil's Perilous Predica-
ment-Loss About 75,OOO-Fully In
sured.
The four-story building, SO Court
street, adjoining the Consolidated rail-
road tracks, and occupied by the New
Haven Steam Speciality company,
Barnum e Co., electrotypers, the
Strong Fire Arms company, H. B. Ives
& Co., and the Buckingham, Routh
company, was discovered to be on fire
shortly before IL o'clock Saturday
night.
The flames were not subdued until
there was nothing left of the building
but the four walls. The property of the
various firms occupying the structure
was totally destroyed.
The building is what is termed in the
fire department as rear" structure,
and was accessible from one side only,
being bordered on the Artizan street
side by buildings, and adjoining the
railroad cut.
Although the fire fighters arrived
simultaneously with the striking of the
first alarm the interior of the build
ing was a mass of flames. There was
no chance to save the burning struc-
ture, and the attention of the firemen
was turned to the surrounding proper
ty and the walls of the building. The
usual crowd that reports early to fires
was on hand, and persisted in giving
the police all the trouble possible. 1t
was not until some one started the ru-
NOR that several kegs of powder were
stored in the apartments of the Strong
Fire Arms company that the curiosity
seekers retreated to what they thought
a safe distance. A little later two or
three sharp reports confirmed the ru-
NOR in the minds of the lookers-on. 1t
was afterwards said that there was no
powder in the building and that the
noise was caused by the explosion of
several kegs of paint.
Captain O'Neill and three firemen had
narrow escape from suffocation in the
second story of the building. They
ground floor, and led it upstairs one
fight.
Just after they had begun to throw
water, partition broke through and
flame and smoke enveloped them. Their
lanterns We're useless, and being in ut
ter darkness and confusion they knew
not which way to turn.
There was no time to be lost, as the
smoke was becoming denser and to re-
main in it a minute longer meant suf-
location. So all four got on their
knees, and finding the hose followed
it on all tours and out Of the room and
down stairs.
The first had got such Roadway
when it was discovered that it was
difficult to tell where it originated, but
it is thought in the portion of the build
ing occupied by the Barnum company.
No definite estimate of the individ-
ual loss could be obtained yesterday,
as the officials of the companies burn
ed out said they could do nothing to-
ward making up the list of losses until
they gained access to the building.
1t is believed that the total loss will
approximate $4,000.
About 125 men viii be thrown out of
employment, as several of the adjoining
firms get power from the steam heat
ing company, among them the Farren
Bros, spring bed makers: Manning IS
joiner shop and woodworking estab-
lishment; E. P. Brett, carpenter and
boxmaker.
The building was owned by the Build
ing and Investment company, S. Fred
Strong, secretary.
The Steam Heating company, Bar
mum & Co., HI. B. Ives and the Buck
ingham, Rouet Co., are insured by the
Charles Wilson agency. The other
losers We're also fully insured.