The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-12-05
MILLION DOLLAR BLAZE.
A Picturesque ConaagratiOn in the
4sG- Metropolis.
DANGERS OF SKY sORAPERs. !"


New York, Dec SIN a binding rain
storm last night the massive block of
buildings on Broadway, Nos. 253 to
259, and included between Murray and
Warren streets, was almost destroyed
by fire. Within three hours more than
a million dollars worth of property
was destroyed Thousands of people
gathered on the scene, and the binding
glare of the flames lit up the lower
part of the city. Even in the down
pour the great crowds of people grew,
and the police reserves were called out
from many stations and kept the peo
pie back for blocks. Great showers of
sparks were carried by the gale that
blew 60 miles an hour in all directions.
1t was a picturesque fire.
The fire started in the basement of
the building occupied by Rogers, Peet
& Co., clothiers, about $3.50 o'clock. Two
policemen standing within half block
of Warren street heard a loud eXplo-
sion, and a moment later saw thin
line of smoke curling up from along the
side of the Rogers -Peet building At
that time the rain was falling in tor
rents, and the wind blew a gale. An
alarm was sent in, but before the first
engine turned into Broadway the
Rogers-Peet basement was a roaring
furnace with great flames bursting
through the floors above and rushing
fiercely to the roof. Within ten min
utes five alarms had been sent in,
bringing engine after engine to the
scene.
By 10 o'clock so rapidly and ffercely
did the flames make progress there was
hinp No nf
Peet building left, with mountains of
flame roaring a hundred feet in the
air and encircling the adjoining struc-
ture, the Home Life Insurance COM
pany building.
In the binding rain the firemen work.
ed surrounded the block stretching
the black and slippery lines of hose
through the building, fighting the
flames from every side. Soon great
wave of fire swept across Warren
street and caught the United States
Life Insurance company's building at
the northwest corner of Broadway,
numbering 259 and 261. The woodwork
on a dozen windows was afire in a
moment and from that time on several
streams were played on this building
to save it from destruction.
When the Warren street wall of the
Rogers-Peet building fell. at 10:30
O'clock a dozen firemen were directly
beneath the wall. Several of the men
were struck by bricks, but none was
more than slightly injured. Acting
Chief Perle fell, but was dragged to
safety by some of his men.
Just before II o'clock the Home Life
Insurance cOmpany's building 16 stories
| high, at 256 and 257 Broadway, caught
o1r
| lines in this building up to the seventh
floor. They were greatly handicapped
| by the many stories. The flames had
eaten their way through the side wall
| in many places, and the huge white
| structure burned fiercely. The ee-
vators made trips up and down until
| the men running the cages were COM
| PEELED to flee for their lives, and in
| this way many of the effects of the
| offices were saved The three top
| floors were on fire almost simulta-
neously from the beginning. The smoke
| was dense. Flames shot high above
| the roof and over the massive brown
| stone Postal building on the corner
| below. All the operators of the Postal
| building and everybody at work in that
| structure had been ordered out Of this
| building long before. Desperate efforts
were being made to save it. The in
| terror of the Home Life Insurance
| company building was by this time a
| furnace. From the windows of the
| six or upper stories the flames were
| pouring in masses. In the rear nine
stories were afire, and the fire de-
| partment, so far as this portion of the
| building was concerned, was absolutely
| powerless.
| AT 11:15 the Postal Telegraph COM
| panys building, of II stories, caught
| fire. Chief Bonner, who had charge of
| the firemen took the elevator and went
to the roof to give personal direction
| At this time there were a few opera
| tors who had ignored the orders of
| the fire chief two or three clerks and
| a few boys at work in the building in
| the sitting smoke, and messages were
| sent until the flames came and all were
| forced 60 rush for their lives. The un-
| sent messages We're left at the tele-
| graph keys.
| Chief Bonner had under his direction
| all engines stationed in the fire houses
| below Twenty-third street. In addition
| five hook and ladder companies in
| cludng water towers, were at the
scene. Most of the men worked in the
| lower parts of the building and at
| tempted to save adjoining buildings
| Only few gangs We're with the fire
chief on the top of the Postal building.
| They fought with all their strength to
| keep the flames back. But notwith-
| standing all their efforts at l o'clock
this morning three floors of this build
ing had been partly destroyed. Chief
| Bonner then had the fire under control.
At 230 o'clock this morning Chief
Do, ont ~,
would burn itself out in a short time,
that it could not spread and was prac-
tcally out.
The fire started from three explo-
sions. What caused the explosions no
one knows. The firemen could not find
out. They thought gas had escaped in
some manner in the basement, and so
resulted in explosion and fire. A fierce
east wind almost a gale blew all night
famed the flames and made fire fight
| ing the more difficult and dangerous