New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-22
ORDNANCE STORES BURNED.
A FIERCE FIGHT WITH FIRE IN THE
NAVY YARD IN BROOKLYN.
BUILDING NO. 10 PARTIALLY DESTROfED-A
BRILLIANT SPECTACLE WHICH ATTRACTED
GREAT CRowDs-FIREBOATs. ENGINES
AND BUCKET BRIGADES KEPT
BUSY FOR HOURS - LOSS
ESTIMATED AT 500. coo.

BUSY FOR HOURS - LOSS
ESTIMATED AT $4,000
A lively fire broke out about 0:3O o'clock last
evening in building No. 13. in the Brooklyn
Navy Yard. which occupied the entire block be-
tween Second and Third SITS and Chauncey and
Perry aves The fire was fought vigorously by
crews from the Brooklyn Fire Department, six
hundred sailors from the ships now at the yard
and three hundred marines, but In spite OF the
best efforts of all these men the building was
partially destroyed and all its contents seri-
ously damaged The estimated losses were $50,-
600 on the building and $4,000 on the contents,
but it was impossible 70 get exact figures. There
was no insurance on the property.
The first alarm was turned in by Policeman
T. F. Conroy of the Twenty-second Precinct who
saw the blaze from York-st. He turned in the
alarm Mt Hudson and York SITS. and two more
alarms were sent in in quick succession. AT the
same time Conroy gave the alarm to the marines
at the York-st. gate.
Inside the yard Captain Sperry, Of the equip
ment department was the first to see the blaze.
The fire bells were Immediately sounded on board
the Vermont, the Maine. the Indiana, the De-
troit, and the monitors Puritan and the Terror.
After falling into their stations. the men picked
up their buckets and rushed off In squads TO the
scene Of the fire. They arrived about the time
the fire engines rolled into tEeir places. Nine
engines responded to the ALARM but only four
were able to work because Of the scant supply
Of water. The fireboats Seth Low ard David A
Boody were called from their piers, and soon had
streams at work the fire, doing the mons
share of the work, and, according to Chief En-
gineer Dale and Fire Marshal Brymer the en-
tire building would have been destroyed had II
not been for their efficiency. At one time the
Boody was supplying seven streams Of water.
the hose having been taken from the five en-
gines not in use and attached to the boat.
GOOD WORK BY SAILORS.
The fire worked rapidly from the rear OF the
building through the top floor to the 'front.' ana
descended to the second floor only in the rear.
While the firemen we're pouring water on the
roof and into the upper windows the tars were
working hard removing the stores from the
ground floor. The work Of the sailor boys was
the most interesting feature Of the fire exhibit
ton Clad only in their loose trousers and their
blue Jackets many Of them without caps or
shoes they rushed into the burning building,
seized the large boxes and pieces of machinery
and pulled them out amid showers of cinders
and the steady downpour Of dirty water from
the floors above. In front Of the building. while
all this was going on, stood a bucket brigade
ready for work at a minutes notice. but des-
tined to have little to do in fighting the flames.
Squads Of marines were marching here and
there but they allowed the policemen to do
most OF the work of clearing the way for the
frenen. This not difficult job. as only
those were allowed to enter the yard who could
show a good reason for being there.
Commodore Bunce was early on hand, clad in
citizens garb. He consulted frequently by
his officers, and held several conferences with
Fire Marshal Brymer. He was also besieged by
the reporters with questions as to the cause Of
the blaze and everything else about 1t, but he
had little to say to them Civil Engineer Memo
cal was also on hand were also the COM
manders of the warships and monitors.
The Navy Yard depends entirely on the city Of
Brooklyn to fight its fires but it is singular
fact that building No 13 had only yesterday
been equipped with full set Of fire appara-
tus ircludng hose and buckets. but none of
these could be used last night.
Across Perry-ave. from building No. 13 is
building No II. a low structure. containing
1000 gallons of oil. Cinders from the burning
building began to fall in showers the roof
OF No. IL and Fire Marshal Brymer Immediately
detailed two forces of men to keep the roof wet.
The sailors also assisted here. forming q bucket
brigade. and making ready to set upon the first
flame that appeared. But the work of the fire.
n en- was effective in keeping the fire away from
the building and its contents.
After working at the blaze for fully an hour
the firemen gained control Of ii before 1t had
done much damage to the lower floor The roof
fell In from end to end. and the top floor and
part OF the floor below it were completely eaten
out BY II 40 the fire out, except for a
feeble blaze here and there but several lines of
hose were kept trained on the ruins until after
r,,6 ripht Thp fn
quarters a squac at time, and the extra de-
tails Of marines were also relieved OF duty leav
ing few special policemen and the regular night
guard to keep watch
MANY GUNS DESTROYED
The building, which was OF brick and three
stories high, was erected between thirty-five and
forty years ago. ], OF the largest in
the yard having a frontage Of 80 feet and a
depth of go feet. On the ground floor were
workshops, with supplies Of various kinds, many
of which were kept In large boxes. In one
ner was a pile of empty Whitehead torpedoes,
which were to hav. been shipped TO Newport
to-day. On the second anh third floors a
vast quantity Of ordnance stores of all kinds,
including gun carriages.
The most valuable articles probably were
about three hundred and fifty six-mmetre
3O-calibre Lee rifles. of the new Navy pat
tern Captain G.. +. Elliott, of the Marine
Corps had Yesterday issued 32J of these guns
for Immediate use. and 5000 had been issued
within the last ten days. The building contained
also lot OF old guns recently exchanged for
new ones by the Essex Alliance and other ves-
sells and many larger guns Of the Hotchkss |
Gardner and Nordenfeldt patterns On the top |
floor were supplies Of small arms and equip |
ments including cartridge-bclts, knapsacks and |
other utensils. and a quantity Of shavings and
light wood made by the carpenters. who had |
been at work cabinet work
Like the Ellis Island fire. the blaze attracted |
attention all over the city Several thousand |
people from the lower portion Of the city at |
tracted either by the blaze or by the fire en- |
gines rushed down TO the yard wall where |
they were held In check by the marines on |
guard Those streets near the yard from which |
any view could be obtained of the fire were |
q 1owded for several blocks back. and the house |
tops and windows in the neighborhood were COW |
cred and filled with sightseers.
There was some dispute as 10 whether there !
were any explosives in the building. Commodore |
Runce and his subordinates declaring that there |
vas absolutely nothing of the sort except such |
as may have been left there by the painters. |
Chief Dale of the Fire Department said that !