The record-union., 1898-12-05

ing, at the west corner of Broadway,
Nos. 259 and 261. The woodwork on
dozen windows was afire in a mo-
ment 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 & Co. building fell. at
1870 O'Clock, dozen hremen direct
ly beneath. Several OF the men were
struck by bricks, but none We're more
than slightly injured. Acting Chief
Perle FELL but was dragged to safety
by some of his men.
just before IL o'clock the Home Life
Insurance Company's building, sixteen
stories high, at 255 and 25S Broadway,
their lines in this building up to the
seventh floor. They were greatly
handicapped by the many stories.
Flames had eaten their way through
the side wall in many places, and the
huge white structure burned fierceIy.
The elevators made trips up and down.
The men running the cars were COM
PEELED to fee for their lives, and in this
way many of the effects Of the offices
were saved.
The three top floors ware on fire al
most simultaneously from the begin
ming. The smoke was dense. Flames
shot high above the roof and over the
massive brown stone Postal building
and everybody at work in the structure
had been ordered out of this building
long before
Desperate efforts were being made to
save it. The interior of the Home Life
Insurance building was by this time a
furnace. From the windows of the six
or eight upper stories the flames were
pouring in masses. In the rear nine
stories were afire and the Fire Depart
ment, so far as this portion of the
building was concerned, was powerless.
At 11:15 the Postal building Of four
teen stories caught fire. Chief Bon
ner, who had charge of the firemen.
took the elevator and went to the roof
to give personal directions. At this
time there We're a few operators who
had ignored the orders of the Fire
Chief, two or three clerks and a few
boys at work in the building, and all
were forced to rush for their lives. The
unsent messages were left at telegraph
keys.
Chief Bonner had under his direction
all the engines stationed in the fire
houses below Twenty third street. In
addition five hook and ladder conpa-
MES, including water towers, were at
the scene. Most Of the men worked in
the lower parts of the building to save
adjoining buildings. Only a 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 Notwithstanding all efforts.
at / O'Clock this (Monday) morning,
three floors of the building had been
partially destroyed. The fire was then
working it's way downward. Chief
Bonner thought, however, that he had
1t under control. He did not expect it
to get much below this.
The fire started from three exnlo-
sions. What caused the explosions no
one knows.
The fremen could not find out. They
thought gas had escaped in some man
ner IN the basement and so resulted in
the explosions and fire.
The Postal Telegraph Company off,
Gals say that all their wires have been
burned out and that they had no con-
nections from their building.
The Hardware Clubs quarters. which
were on the top floor of the Postal
building were ruined. Their loss is
heavy. The Home Insurance buildino
was one of the handsomest on Broad
way, and was supposed to be absolute
ly f1reproof. It's summit was $50 faet
above the sidewalk. ,. Leading archi-
tects OF the country submitted plans for
its obstruction.
o'clock Chief Bonner went home
sa ng the fire would burn itself out
III snort time, and that it could not
ST ad and was practically ont