Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1899-04-13
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
Thirteen People Perish In New York
Confagration.


NEW YORK, April 8.-A disastrous
fire visited the wealthiest section Of
this city during the early morning
hours OF yesterday and caused the
death Of thirteen persons. Nine or ten
persons were injured, one of whom
will die. A mother and her three lit
tie children persisted. The list of dead
is almost equally divided between peo-
pie of unusual wealth and servants.
The fire spread so rapidly that it gave
no chance of escape. The amount of
damage to property is estimated at
about S220,0O0.
The fire originated atrthe corner of
Slxty-seventh street and Fifth avenue
in the house occupied by Wallace c..
Andrews, president of the New York
Steam Heating company
There were in the house fourteen
persons fast asleep. How the fire origi-
mated is still mystery, though it
seems tolerably certain that an explo-
sion of some kind occurred, but what
ever was the cause the flames gained
hold with such rapidity that only two
escaped from the building. One Of
these is so BADLY injured that she has
no chance of surviving. The fire COM
municated to Sixty-ninth street and in
the house of Albert j. Adams servant
was burned to death, thus bringing the
total of victims to thirteen. So
thoroughly did the flames do their
work that when the Quilted Andrews
house was searched the corpses were
so charred as to be almost beyond iden-
tification.
The names of the dead were ascer-
tanned more from certain knowledge of
those who were in the house over night
than for the traces of the living image
that they retained.
The fires were in the home of WAL
lace c. Andrews, president of the New
York Steam Heating company, at No.
East Sixty-seventh street, and in the
home OF Albert ]. Adams at No. 3 East
SlXty-ninth street. The fire started in
Andrews house and the Adams resi-
dence caught later in the morning. The
first fire was discovered about 2 a. m.
A policeman was passing in front of
the Hayemeyer residence in East Sixty
sixth street when he heard an ex-
ploslon and saw a great flash of light
er with all speed. When he arrived
the names were shooting out of the up
per floors of the Andrews house. They
ieaped half way across the street. The
policeman tried to get into the house
10 arouse the occupants. He was driv-
en- back by the flames. He then turned
IN an alarm and returning got the peo-
pie out OF V. H. Rothschild's house,
which is close by.
Around the corner of Sixty-seventh
street and Fifth avenue are the homes
OF some of New York's wealthiest men.
Next to the Adams house, which was
handsome four-story brownstone az
fair, is the splendid home of H. o. Ar
mour of the Chicago firm of packers.
Next to that is the home of Perry Bel
mo-s. Directly opposite this is the
house of George J. Gould.
With the arrival of the first engine
company the value of the property
threatened was apparent and a second
and later third alarm were turned in.
While some of the firemen fought
the flames with hose and chemicals
others rushed into the Rothschilds
house and from there into the And
reWs home, by way of tie rear win
doWs. But they were even then too
late, for in the middle room of the
third floor the firemen stumbled over
the bodies of Mrs. st. John and Wal
lace, her 3year-old child. The child
was dead, but Mrs. st. John was still
alive and gasping for breath. A fire.
man picked her up and staggered with
her to the Rothschilds house, but she
died as she was being carried in.
Mrs. st. John, her three children and
two servants, Kate Downing and Maria
Roth, were all on the third floor. Mr..
st. John, who is the treasurer of the
New York Steam Heating DOM pany
and brother of Mrs. Andrews. was
not at home during the fire and had not
been notified of his great loss as late
at O'Clock in the morning Mr.. An
dreWs and his wife occupied the middle
room on the second floor. There. two
hours later, their bodies were found
clasped in each others arms. They
were so charred as to be almost he
yond recognition.
Later.-About 6 o'clock the firemen
had sufficient mastery over the fire
to permit of a search of the Andrews
mouse. They found the bodies OF TWO
st. John children and the bodies of
what are thought to be the two SER
wants, Marie Roth and Kate Downing.
At 11:15 o'clock the firemen found
Mr.. Andrews body. 1t was badly
burned and parts of the legs were
missing.
At O'Clock the workers in the de-
bris found body which was identi-
fled later by dentist as that of Mrs.
Andrews.