New-York tribune., 1899-07-06
RRJSK DOWNTOWN FIRE.
srx-sToRY BUILDING ALMOST ENTIRELY
DESTROYED IN THIRTY-FIvE MINUTES.

A sIx-sToRY BUILDING ALMOST ENTIRELY
DESTROYED IN THTRTY-FIVE MINUTES
The six-story building which stood at the north-
vest corner of Chambers and Washington SITS
uae almost completely destroyed by fire within
,h,r,v-eve minutes yesterday in the noon hour.
The stock Of three firms destroyed and that
of another badly damaged. The ground or hrst
floor of the building was occupied by Wlllam NJ
Hines a produce commission merchant on the
second floor were ". X. Cummings sons deal
era IN SCRAP rubber who were also on the fourth
and Hfth floors The American Wood Decorating
C,on,pany was on the third floor and h. FRANK
Rarrv e. Son. printers. on the sixth.
7, u,as in the shop Of Cummings Sons on tne
Chambers-st side. that the hre star'eu' 'uS'
what the cause was one seems TO know IL oe-
ing the dinner hour. most Of the men employed III
the building were out This was Ior'arS,e
considering the rapidity with which the fire spread
ICES ~ ufe might have resulted II they had all
been at their places.
Charles Cook. OF No. PSI Baldwin-aVe.' Jersey
Cuv who was employed by Cummings q oohs'
said he was lying on the floor when ne sa" ndlles
shoot ND from a mass Of material lie ana 'he
three others who were in the room tried TO ex-
tingr,sb the fire with pals Of water but without
avail In the mean time Joseph Lang. OF NO. q
Pose-st also employed by the Cummingses' rnsheu
through the building. warning the inmates 10 se'
ont and boy employed by MT Hines had gwen
the alarm Barely had the workmen time 10 Iedoh
tho street before the entire building was aolaze
ord hugo volumes OF dense black smoke, made by
the burning rubber, were ascending skyward
Tho first alarm was speedily followed by second
and third. 1t was apparent that the Uui'uIi'e
could not be saved fercely did II ourh AT T. 10
the upper floors had burned themselves out ana
tho Gre was under control. Chief Croker estimated
49, ,o.oI damage 10 building and contents at $50
ono Mr. Hines said he thought the loss would pe
.b,o that sum Mr. Cummings said his STOCK
as valued at about $4,000. and that II was lully
irsured The walls Of the building Will nave 10
come down. for they badly cracked.
NJ Hines while the building was burning urea
.. ra-,ova from his safe 5000 in cash and %D
in checks. but ne was forced away by the neat oe-
fore he could do 80. m, "a oo,re I'm
pajo M; ~ on his wey to luncheon. had reached
churchs when the % enslags foSw them and me he
Somnd his building on fire from ground 10 roc pOoi, M al,
tboueh he sa W no fire when he lett H. i IJ~ lbo
gtes before ,bS fire W was badly burned about the face
and arms -,. and Mckay. Of the Leonard
az staton' rescued with some difficulty yUS woman ad
from the third floor of me IL tSa chamhers-st
Sd The womans fright was greater man ne by
danger warranted The 9HitHrs Who viii suffer
l. g. He{Re' Hers{RIe loss from water and heat The ad
joining building on the isn ssghtIy damaged
n is occupied by j. f. Kline dealer III i'u''s anu
prS9uT pger the fire had been practically su6dued a
ILL., ALL ~ Nremen were working on hre-escaPe
on the Chambersst side pouring Wash "Tasb and the
thlIu ~ anrnaratus fell smashing Its way throuBn
floor after door sending out OF tne nSecred the
eI Everv one was startled for 1t was feaIeo @
thet come Of the brave fire fighters might nave
oeTh Thhoueands Of people who were out for e IIe.s
luncheon tried get to the hre snG tn ststion had
ssr ana bands m in Keeping the crowds back Tns
waer-tower did good work ana me the nade II pos
the tne 9p tbe remen to ght the fire from all SIDES
otherwise there might have been lar i''o are old
The burned building was leased from 'ne VA"
estate nv William II. Hines