The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-30

Big Building of Tarrant q Co.,
Containing Explosive stock. the
Scene of the Origin Of the Fire
Force of the Explosions Tore
Away walls OF Buildings ~
Though They Were of Paper
Many Firemen Were Injured.
NEW YORK. Oct. 0-Ths isng list OF
nre horrors that have occurred In and
around the city of New York was added
20 today by Are and explosion which
shook the lower end Of Manhattan island
like an earthquake, hurled seven-story
building into the air. and set fire TO two
blocks OF buildings. with a loss OF life
that only the efforts of hundreds OF men
who were rushed to the work Of digging
away the ruins as soon as the fire was
extinguished will reveal
The big building OF Tarrant q Co., maxi
ers OF medical speciaities. standing at
the northwest corner OF Greenwich and
Warren streets, and filled with chemicals,
took fire in some way that NAV never be
known. at about 1875 this afternoon. 1t
was sixteen minutes after noon that
citizen rushed into fire house No a. on
Chambers street, near Greenwich, and
shouted that Tarrant's drug house was on
fire. He had seen volume of black
smoke coming from the third story win
dows. An alarm was turned in. Soon ar
terward second and third alarm we're
turned in.
One DIRE company had just arrived when
terrific explosion occurred and threw
the entire engine crew down the stair
way. The iremen, realizing the danger
OF their position, rushed out of the build
ing TO the street. The explosion had filed
the street In front with shower OF fall
ing glass and small debris. which rent
the crowd. which was gathered on the
sidewalks.
Engineer Rocksberry and Fireman
Brown were injured by falling glass, az
was another fireman belonging to the
company.
Harled Across = street.
Capt. Devanney. of the company, order
ed his crew back into the building They
were dragging the line to the doorway
the second time when there came an
explosion more terrific than the first, and
the whole crew was hurled across Green
wich street Devanney was so badly In
jured that he was sent TO hospital
In the meantime the other engines that
had responded 10 the alarm had collect
ed, and the fremen were busy rescuing
people from surrounding buildings Fire
men had already taken many girls down
the only hre escape upon the building,
and more persons had been carried down
the escape OF the Home Made restaurant
next door, and the buildings adjoining
Mnn Warren street.
The second explosion occurred about
i've minutes after the first. Witnesses say
the building seemed TO leap into the air
and In a moment masses OF brick wall
timbers and stone were falling into the
street
The force Of tho explosion tore away tho
walls of the big commission storehouses
fronting on Washington street and caused
them 10 collapse. falling all at once In a
mass OF timber. boxes and barrels Then
flames burst ont from the Tarraut build
Ing like the helching OF a cannon.
Chokcd With Debris.
Across Warren street to the opposite
buildings the flames feapcd. setting than
afire at once. the work of the explosion
demoiishinS windows and all wooden
structures about the houses. In mo
ment Warren street was choked with a
mass OF debris and the whole place was
sfiame. The great explosion was followed
ny half dozen more. scarcely less In
tense. and By countless number OF small
or ones.
BY this tfme the fire apparatus was ar
rivinE from every direction, Deputy Chief
Ahearn came about two minutes after the
second explosion. and he AT once ordered
afty alarm sent out. followed hy a gen
eral call for ambulances.
The explosions and fire together had
now assumed the proportions of a great
calamity. aud II was thought that hun
dreds had been lest. ThrongS of people
were running about Ia the nearby streetR
many os them panic-s;ricken by the Ore
They mingled IN the crowd that was rush.
ing from broadway to see what had hap.
pene&
ff.1s q, An.. .st.x -. .x~t..t-- a..
streets fer blacks around the Gre wers
crowded with ere apparatus ~ith a score
90 &rnhsianccs. while hundreds of police
were h~lns rushed frem sn the iowex pre-
eincts 70 form tines.
From the burning building column os
sTnGke was risins high la tho air. mingled
with rAmeS that could net he controlled
hy hundreds % streams threwa upon
them
second Explosion.
The second explosion carried 3estrpc-
sion IN every direction. That Il dit not
cause wholesale foss OF lifs was due 20
the fact that almost ten minutes warning
came after the nrst cry Of are. and flliy
ave minutes between the FIRST and minor
explosion. which warned every ore In
hearing nf the second one.
Just after the outbreak q IRE from the
windows % the hsiidtug downtown
bound train stopped Al the Warren street
station ~ the Nia8h avenue elevated road
Ii PASSED ON in tigne 70 escape the explo-
sion ard the few people who were Lex, on
the platform of the station are al thought
to have escaped before the great sxpl0-
sion came. The station master aed across
the structure. carrying with nina the re-
coipts Of the day and his unused tickets,
while two women who had stopped on ahe
platform 20 watch the fre. friEhteuea by
the arst explosion. fed down the down
town tracks IN safety.
The big explosion completely carried
away the station Immence masses q
masonry. nleces ~ corRlce. great beams