The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-22
BIG FLAT HOUSE WIPED OUT
FIRE IN A SNORT TIME LEAVES ONLY
THE CRUMBLING WALLS.

Building Was Unfinished mud Small
Blaze started by n Plumbers Furnace
Was Famed by Many Drnughts-Cnrs
stoppsd TIL the walls Come Down.
While the plumbers. fathers. plasterers and
other workmen at work on the new seven
story apartment house at the northeast corner
of Ninety. seventh street and Madison avenue
were eating their dinner at noon yesterday.
most OF them having left the building Tor that
purpose. flames appeared In the rear OF the
house where the plumbers had lett their TOOLS
and a furnace. The plumbers foreman, re-
turning from his moal. was the first to SEQ
that the place was aflre. and he turned In an
alarm. The first engine company to reach the
place sent in three more alarms Immediately.
Meantime the half dozen workmen who were
eating tinpail dinners In the building had got
out safely.
As the windows had not yet been put In the
whole building was n labyrinth OF drauRhts
and er-draughts and cross-draughts. ana
the flames. travelling with amazing rapidity.
were all over the place IN very Few minutes.
II was a foregone conclusion from the first
that the interior OF tho building was lost. All
that the fremen could hope to do was to save
the walls. and their ability to do that was 80
doubtful that. TO be on the safe side. the police
set about clearing the tenants out OF the two
fiat houses adjoining on the north. 14OS and
1910 Madison avenue. Policeman Gordon ran
through the halls OF 14OS calling TO the
tenants to get their personal belongings 70;
no danger. Mrs. Emily johnson embarrassed
him by faintng on his neck rs he passed
her door. and he had to carry her to the
street
Then Gordon learned that Mrs Mcnamara,
a feeble old woman. lived on the top moor and
found her so pa5ayzed o by reeT b th dov she
young man. bareheaded and with panic inspir-
ing every feature. dashed passed him through
the hallway and rushed downstairs. long PEN
mons trailing out in the air behind him. The
policeman marvelled much what these things
might be. Iron reaching the outer air he saw
the young man enter a store near oy ana de-
post about thirty neckties for safekeepins.
He wanted to go back after some scarfpins. but
was prevented 80
The Are burned with undated vigor until
the floor came down then the fremen got IL
under control Only the shell Is standing now
md that wont stand long. as the north wall
has a wide bulge near the top: the east wall IL
apparently topping, and the other two aren't
much better. Fire Chief Croker says that the
north wall and the Madison avenue wall are
likely to crumbe. and he stopped the running
OF the Madison avenue cars past the place I'M
III the wall that overhanRs the track should be
houses will have to find other quarters until
the danger 10 removed. 500
Thousands OF persons watched the fire. The
building Is owned By Morris Mandelsteln OF
$50 Pleasant avenue. The loss ia estimated at
$4,000. While the fire was burning spark
ment at 1897 Madison avenue and set fire tn
bed. Mr.. Levy. who occupies the apartment.
bundled the m 1ttress out OF the window ana
the flremen did the rest Damage. 50.