Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1900-10-29
T0-DAY'S TELEGRAPHli NEWS
Terrible Explosion aud Fire I'm Ne


Terrible Explosion aud Fire I'm New
York.
New York, D t. GA big FIRE broke
out in the down town business district
soon after noon today. II began In
Terrant's drug house, Greenwich and
Murray streets. fhree explosions fol.
low quick y. the hast OF which was tre-
roendous, rocking nearby buildings
and breaking windows for blocks
around. 1t is feared that many persons
have been killed. Dozens were injur.
ed, including fremeu, aud for fifteen
minutes the police were busy leading
away the injured. The fire spread
rapidly extending to the lithographing
establishment of Swarty & Co. and the
Irving Bank on either side. The Hoff-
man Building on the other side is also
in flames. Merchants on Warren street
are packing their books 10 their safes
and preparing to leave.
Traffic on the Ninth avenue elevated
railroad is blocked. The compsny's sta
ton at Warren and Green wich street is
III flames.
The origin of the fire is unknown but
it was sudden and probably acciden al.
Following the third explosion the wbole
frort of Carren's drug store fell out TO-
to the street. A fourth explosion c.
| Cured few minutes later. At 12:45
the fire is raging furiously and it looks
as If there would be great conhagra
ton.
Sixty five girls and many men were
employed in Terrant's drug house,
| which was located ia a seven story
block. Most of the men we're out at
lunch, but nearly all the girls remained
in the place. How many of these lost
their lives cannot be stated now. People
in the Franklin Building, block away,
who were watching the fire, say they
saw a number OF bodies shoot up in the
sir when the big explosion occurred.
Twenty girls we're at work in Swarty's
Autograph establishment, and it ia be.
| lieved some of them were lost.
The HOME Restaurant, two doors
from Tenants, was filled with diners
when the first explosion came. There
was a wild rush from the place 10
which some were hurt. 1t is not known
whether all escaped, as the fire licked
| up the restaurant few minutes later.
| Eye witnesses and those who should
know now many people were in the
| building, saw the loss IF life may reach
between so and 100 There are 20 serl-
ously injured people 10 the Hudson
street hospital. The physicians say
five OF them will die.
The latest indications are that the
oss Of life will fer exceed the earlier es
Inmates. II is reported that 70 men
who were at work 10 the coffee house
Of Ephens, Smith & Weedmsn are
missing. The coffee house was on
Warren street just opposite the drug
house.
The explosion came without warn
ing and the building was wrecked.
The men bad no chance to escape and
there is little chance that any OF them
are alive.
A report has just been received that
10 men OF fire truck No. 10 are miss
ng. II these met have perished the
loss to the fire department Is the most
serious sustained 10 years.
A. 2 o'clock two CITY blocks bounded
Oy Washington, Greenwich, Chambers
aud Warren streets were practically in
ruius.
When The wall fell which knocked
10 the front OF the Irving Bank, the
banks teller had $50 900 in cash on the
table 10 front oil him. There was no
time to transfer the money TO a safe
Olace and so a message was sent to
! headquarters for central office men to
come and guard the gold. They are
now doing so.
The explosion was of chemicals,
ether, gasoline, beDzine and kindred
'tuff, all of which was stored on the
sixth and seventh floors. The force
Of the explosion was terrific.
New York, Oct. 29.-The worst fire
that has visited MaDhattan Island for
years broke out at noon today 10 the
| wholesale drug house of Terrant & Co.,
At the corner OF Warren and Green
| ~ich streets in the heart of the business
| district. 1t is impossible to even est.
mate the loss of life. There may be
ten, twenty, or two hundred bodies 10
| theruins.
People on the streets for two blocks
around were thrown down The second
explosion threw the elevated railroad
station off the structure into the street
where it soon burned. At the third ex-
plosion the building next west on War
rem street went down like card house.
Il was occupied by small concerns.
At the time the explosion took place
Broadway was thronged with the
noon crowd. The panic was intensifit d
when showers of broken glass descend
I'D upon their heads.
| At 300 the fire was under control, but the
treets were so choked with debris that no.
| body could get near, not even tht fremen.
| A dozen buildings are either burned or blown
down and two whole city blocks are laid