New-York tribune., 1901-07-03
APARTMENT HOUSE RUINED
WIND TOSSED FIREBRANDS IGNITE
THREE OTHER HOUSES TENANTS
IN A PANIC READY TO FLEE

IhREE OTHER HOUSES
IN a PANIC READY TO FLEE.
Fire thought to have been caused by a stroke
of lightning last evening completely destroyed
the seven story brick and stone apartment house
In course of erection in Ninety-ifth-st., near
West End-ave spread many apartment
houses and private homes IN the vicinity, and
caused almost panic among the residents Of
those places
The fire started just before o'clock at the
time when the heavy electrical storm was pass
ing over the city. Although there high
wind only little rain fell In that neighbor-
hood. and the flames had full sway.
The apartment house to be ready for oc-
cupancy on August 1. 1t being built by
Lorenz Weiher. Of No. II East Eighty y-sixth-
ST. who stated that the building would cost him
100000 when completed. but who refused to
place any estimate the damage. The build
ing is a wreck, however, and the police place he
damage at S15O.OO0. There is only a portion of
the walls left standing, and the ground will have
to be cleared before the building can be carried
on anew.
In addition. the flames spread to the Hudson
Apartment house, No. 227 Riverside Drive
where half dozen or more apartments were
damaged by fire and water to the estimated ag-
gregate amount of $4,000. The three story brick
hotel, No. $50 West Ninety-sixth-st on the
south side. occupied by Leonard Ratz and
Charles Williams. caught in the sweep of
the sparks and flying frebrands. and suffered
a loss of 5000.
The old Riverside Drive Hotel. two story
frame structure. standing the north side of
Ninety -sixth-st.. at No 327 a house that was
We'll known forty years ago, also in the
pathway of the flames. and destroyed The
loss is placed at $1,000 The hotel was occupied
by John Garrigan. 1t was one of the few old
landmarks of the old Bloomingdale Road days
that remained in existence. The building was
gutted. nothing but a portion of the walls re-
naming.
Directly in the Of the Weiher apartment
house. in Ninety-seventh- st. were two stables
used by Max Ludecker, of No. 102 West Ninety
siXth-st.. expressman In these were about
twenty horses. all of which were got out safely
by two stablemen.
Facing Riverside Drive between Ninety-ninth
and One-hundredth SITS, and standing in the
centre of big plot of ground stood the old four
story frame mansion of the Furniss estate. This
was surrounded by a quantity of locust trees.
The mansion is now occupied by NJ Coe Stewart
and James Trestin. Sparks from the burning
apartment house and flying firebrands, carried
for blocks by the high winds. dropped into the
fresh green foliage of the tops of these trees in
such profusion that in a minute half the trees
surrounding the old house were burning. Mr..
Stewart and Mr.. Trestin both climbed TO the roof
of the house and with buckets of water handed
up through the skylight fought the burning
brands that fell on the roof. They thus sue
ceeded in saving the house. The fremen, when
they arrived, turned their attention TO the trees
and lines OF hose were played through the tree
/ tops for some time.
The fire also ignited the awnings on a number
of private houses on the north side of One hun
dredth-st., near Riverside Drive. known the
Livingstone buildings. There but little damage
done aside from the awnings
BY the time these small fires had been at
tended to. II discovered that the blaze had
spread to the fourth floor awnings OF the old
Bradford mansion, frame structure. at No. S41
West End-ave. 1t is occupied by z. W. Osborne,
who with the janitor. John Hayes. put out the
Os borne was frightened. and tainted. but was
revived by her family physician, who lives near
by. and said last night to be entirely re-
( covered.
Sixth floor awnings the building at No
/ 3Ol West NineCy -siXth-st., became igEited from
flying sparks This blaze put out by De-
tectives McManus and Hughes OF the West
One-hundredth-st police station.
When 1t was seen that the flying hrebrands
Schmittberger called out the reserves from the
West -hundredth-st., West One-hundred-
nd-twenty- -fifth-st. and West Sixty-eighth- st
police stations. The policemen posted themselves
all sides OF buildings within the range of fly
ing frehrands, and saw that awnings were not
set fire. They went through the big apart
ment houses in the vicinity and quieted the ten
ants, many of whom panic stricken and
were packing up their more precious belongings
preparatory 10 beating a hasty retreat in case
the blaze got too close.