Warren sheaf., 1898-12-08
SIX Y-SCRAPERS BURN.
Towering Structures Prove an Easy
Prey to Flames.
Fire in New York Causes a Loss of
$1,000, O,OOO-The ROgers-Peet, the
Home Life and the Postal Vele.
graph Buildings Suffer.

New York, Dec. SIN binding ram
storm Sunday night the massive block
of buildings OH Broadway Nos. 253 to
p59 and included between Murray and
Warren streets. was almost destroy I'd
by fire. Within three hours more than
million dollars worth of property
was destroyed. The fire began in the
fve-story brick building occupied by
the mems furnishing firm OF Rogers,
Peet & Co.. on the southwest corner of
Broadway and Warren street. AG
joining the Rogers-Peet building and
south of it was the magnificent white
building of the Home Life Insurance
company, and next to this was the
brown stone building of the Postal
Telegraph company, erected at cost
of millions only few years ago.
80. Start of the Fire. ~
The fire started in the basement Of
the building occupied by Rogers, Peet
& Co., clothiers, about 9:30 o'clock.
Two policemen standing within hall a
block of Warren street heard a loud eN-
plosion and moment later saw a thin
line of smoke curling up from the side
Of the Rogers, Pete & Co. 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 Rog
ers, Peet & Co.'s basement was roar
ing furnace, with great flames bursting
through the floors above and rushing
6ercely to the roof. Within ten m1n-
utes five alarms had been sent in, bring
ing engine after engine to the scene.
BY ten o'clock so rapidly and fiercely
did the flames make progress that there
was nothing but the shell of the Rogers,
Peet G. Co. building left, with mountains
of flame roaring hundred feet in the
air and encircling the adjoining strrc-
ture, the Home Life Insurance buil6-
ing. In the binding rain the iremen
worked, stretching the black and slip
perry lines of hose through the building,
fighting the flames from every side.
sky-scraper Attacked
Just before II o'clock the Home Life
Insurance ~c:mpany's building, 16
stories high, at 255 and 257 Broadway,
caught fire. The fremen already had
their lines in this building Up to the
seventh floor. They were greatly han
dicapped by the many stories. Flames
had eaten their way through the side
wall in many places and the huge white
structure burned fercely. The ETC.
vators made trips up and down until
the men running the cages were COM
PEELED to flee for their lives and in his
of off 0f
were saved. The three top floors were
on fire almost simultaneously 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 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 company build
ing was by this time furnace. From
tile windows Of the six or eight upper
stories the flames were pouring IN
masses. In the rear nine stories were
afire and the fire department. so far as
this portion Of the building was con-
cerned. was absolutely powerless.
The Postal Building.
At 11:15 the Postal building of IA
stories caught fire. Chief Bonner, who
had charge of the firemen, took the ele-
vator and went to the roof to give per-
sonal directions. At this time there
were few operators who had ignored
the orders Of the fire chief. two or three
clerks and few hoys at work in the
building in the sitting smoke and mes
sages were sent until the flames came
and all were forced to rush for their
lives. The unsent messages were left
at the telegraph keys. Chief Bonner
Lad under his direction all the engines
stationed in the firehouses below Twen-
ty-third street. In addition five hook
and ladder companies, including water
towers, were at the scene. Nest Of the 4
men worked in the lower parts of the
building to save adjoining buildings.
Only few gangs were 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 one o'clock
this (Monday) morning three floors Of
the building had been partially de-
stroyed. The fire was then working it's
way downward. Chief Bonner thought.
however, that he had it underscontrol.
He, did not expect it to get much below
this. ls.s, .#. 4. '3. u
The Losses.
An insurance man roughly estimated
the losses at about as follows:
Rogers. Peeti &, Co.. building and stock