New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-17
FIRE IN POSTAL BUILDING.
CONFINED TO KITCHEN AND STORAGE
ROOM OF THE HARDWARE CLUB,
ON THE TOP FLOOR.

fire in the fourteenth, the top floor OF the FIRE
proof Postal Telegraph Building. at Broadway and
Murray-st and in superstructure on the roof
caused loss last night estimated by Chief Croker
at from $4,000 $4,000 In addition the building
below damaged to the extent OF several thou
sand dollars by the water which down the
elevator shafts and stairways in torrents. The
upper floor is occupied by the Hardware Club
which has had previous experiences with fire.
The fire started at s25 p. m in L-shaped
superstructure. 5OxS0x2O at the southwest corner
of the roof This used storage room
by the Hardware Club. The cause Of the fire was
not known. Three employees OF the club worked
for about fifteen minutes to extinguish the flames
before they teephoned downstairs to turn in
alarm. This delay made the work Of the Fire De-
partment more difficult Chief Croker himself
took charge and at once sent a second alarm.
In all, eight engines, trucks a searchlght
engine and water tower responded
Hose quickly carried up in the elevators
and six of them attached to the standpipe in
the building. which has connections with every
floor. AS a precaution also hose were run up the
stairway from the street and ropes let down
outside the building, with which 10 draw up hose
If needed.
BY the time the streams were playing two on
the roof and four below. the flames had shot up
through the roof of the superstructure and had
eaten their way down into the kitchen of the club
which occupies the western end OF the floor.
1t was little after 10 o'clock when the fire.
which destroyed the woodwork and furnishings of
the Kitchen besides the stores in the super
structure under control. The fire did not go
beyond these rooms.
Many of the valuable furnishings in the other
rooms of the club saved from damage by the
insurance patrol bur II was said that valuable
coIIectlon OF OIL paintings, which had been lent
the club by member and in a front room
was damaged by water.
The twelfth moor Of the building and the thir-
teenth story which is only gallery of the twelfth.
are used by the operating department of the Postal
Telegraph Company. About one hundred and TWEEN
ty-tlve men at work there under the direction
of ]. J, Whalen, the night manager. When the
ed he me
the iron shutters, as to keep out the smoke and
flames which playing outside Forums tey
the general switch board piece OF mechanism
which cost small fortune stands under the gal
leTy, and the water leaked down from the four
teenth floor it could reach the switchboard. II
II had done before the current was turned off
soon as the men stopped work order was sent
down to the basement to turn off the current and
stop the dynamOs.
blanket was thrown over the switchboard and
then rubber cloths. Just before turning off the
current other offices were given notice Of the fire
Nhen the big switchboard went out Of business
1t cut this city of from communication with the
vice concerned. Six hundred wires connect
on II was busy night in the office. Many large
newspapers have leased wires connecting with this
switchb board.
The employees Of the company walked down to the
fourth floor. and then were taken to the first floor
though the lights were turned off as the men were
-Four of the elevators stopped running because
the water permitted the current wires to burn
The night manager ordered his back work
AT lU:4o. The men went up to the operating room
RELUCTANTLY. as the water was several inches deep
the floor
This is not the first experience of the Hardware
Cup with flre. 1t was damaged to large extent
building, in 1888. a small fire another time was
caused by an explosion I'm the building.