New-York tribune., 1897-06-15
FIRE ON ELLIS ISLAND.
MANY BUILDINGS BURNED
ONLY THE POwER-HOUSE SAVED FROM
DESTRUCTION.

PORTED SERIOUSLY HURT-THE FLAMES
STARTED IN THE MAIN BUILDING.
WHICH is SOON WRECK.
Every building on Ellis Island except the
power house was totally destroyed by fire early
this morning, but all Of the 27O immigrants the
structures contained so far as Is known at pres
ent were saved. The immigrants. most Of
whom had landed here yesterday. were almost
all in the new wing Of the main building. only
a small number Of persons being in the hos
pital.
In ten minutes after the alarm was given they
had all been quietly awakened and marched
safely on board the John G. Carlisle. the newest
Ellis Island boat. So far known no one was
seriously injured In fighting the fire or from
any other cause
Three men were hurled from the top Of the
cupola, where the flames were first seen, their
heads turned by the draughts Of smoke and
heat They landed on the ground floor and were
badly cut about the head. but these were the
most serious casualties reported.
The first intelligence Of the fire was received
in this city at 1898 a. m. The harbor police
from their station at Pier A. North River, saw
flame bursting from the windows of the main
building on the island. Word was at once teie-
nboned TO Police Headquarters, and the freboat
New-Yorker was dispatched to the island
At the same time the sergeant in command at
Pier A called the reserves out of bed In the STA
t,on and with every other man he could spare
dispatched them in two of the police haph'nS
launches to the island. The police-boat Patroi Is
,o,d IN FOR repairs. and the slower launches had
tberefore to be used. The men were under cohi-
rora os Roundsman Mccormack. Captain
schultze who was at his home, was also te'e-
craphed for. and a call was sent out from Pier
A for the reserves from the other precincts IN
tho lower part of the city. Twenty-Five men
,yere obtained from the Old slip and Church-st.
stations and hurried to Pier to be ready Tor
any emergency.
A TINY FLAME.
When first seen by the lookout at the police
station the fire waa only flame, about as
large as a mans hand coming out Of window
on the second floor at the east end OF the main
building. The flames spread rapidly, however
ord at Loo a. m.-that is, by the time the boats
were fairly on their way to the island-the caves
Of the roof began to fall. setting fire to the
wooden piers and docks on either side
At 1:12 a. m the whole building was mass
Inner
The tons OF the skyscrapers in the city were out
lined in bold relief by the red light the gilt cor
nice Of the Manhattan Life Building rejecting
the light until that building itself seemed In
flames. too.
SPECTATORS AT THE BATTERY
The southern end OF the city Is extremely
quiet at this hour Of the morning. but WITHIN
thirty minutes of the starting Of the fire, several
hundred spectators were hurrying toward the
Battery. The owners Of rowboats and other
small craft vera presen, in considerable num-
bers. and they endeavored to make money by
letting their boats TO anxious people
FEARS or GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
The fire presented magnificent spectacle
from the Battery, and rumors Of terrible loss
of life few thick and fast. Although It was
known that It had not been unusually busy
day at the island. ard that the comparatively
few immigrants landed passed swiftly
through the pens. even the police were certain
that a serious loss of lfe must have resulted.
At first the flares could not be seen to d.
minish rerceptibly before the tons of water
thrown on the fire by the freboaa. AT a. m.
the fire was plainly at its height. but after that
rad.lly the red light over the Bay faded
away
SAFELY LANDED IN THIS CITY.
At 2:lO all apprehension for the safety OF the
people on the island was allaye, by the arrival
at the Battery OF the ferryboat John c. Carlisle
which plies between the Battery and the island
with all the immigrants and the sick from the
hospital on board. One of the women was suf
fering from typhoid fever. She was said to be
in serious condition. With the party the
doctors and nurses.
Before the ferryboat arrived. ambulances had |
been summoned from Gouverneur ard Hudson
Street hospitals, that the sick brought 10 |
the city could be cared for. The doctor in |
charge of the party said that. so far as he |
knew. no one had been burned or injured. All |
a bout there were ferryboats, tugs and small |
boats, willing to bring the people to the city, |
but some of the people. in their excitement, |
feared at first 10 venture on the water.
Just before the Carlisle arrived. man who
said he was D. X. Moscopaulas. an official in
erpreter on the island. rushed onto Pier A.
greatly excited. He had come to report for
duty he said. The crowd cheered him.
HOW TIE FIRE STARTED
Reporters who reached the island soon after
i,l dr. rto l.arnnl that Milliam Gaines n