New-York tribune., 1901-10-26
MANY FIREMEN OVERCOME.
SMOKE AND SULPHUR FUMES DRIVE
THEM FROM SUB-CELLAR
CHAPLAINs PULL BATTALION CHIEF AND
OTHERS FROM DANGER-STORE TURNED
INTO A HOSPITAL.

one OF the most stubborn fires that the fire.
men of this city have ever had 10 contend with
occurred in the sub-oellar Of No % Park Place
last night. Fireman after fireman was carried
out overcome by the smoke and fumes of sui
phur which was stored there. The first floor is
occupied by the New-York Betting and Packing
Company, and the rest Of the building. which is
five stories high. by Steiger & Co, booksellers.
There are two cellars. under the other, and
it was In the bottom one that the fire started
This cellar was filed with rubber goods and
sulphur, which is used by the betting company
for vuloanizing the rubber. Smoke was seen
coming from the cellar about o'clock by
Patrolman Newell. Of the Church-st. station
He turned in alarm, and when the firemen
arrived another one was sent in. Chief Croker
who arrived on the second alarm realizing that
IL the fire spread fl would reach the dreworks
stores near by, turned in a thir5
The hremen OF Engi5e Company No o. whose
headquarters PFC in Liberty-st., were the first
% enter the sub-cellar They had only been in
snete fifteen minutes when a call for aid was
sent 10 the street, and it was found that Cap
tain William Clark and Firemen Charles Muir
ply. Carl II. Miller and John Mulligan, of
Engine Company No. g. had been overcome by
the smoke.
The store next door, which is occupied 10y
James Marschang Co, dealers in paints, was
opened, and the suffering firemen were carried
In there The men were laid on counters and The
Hudson Street Hospital was telephoneG 10 :or
an ambulance When the ambulance arrived
with Drs. Johnson and Nelson ii three other
fremen had been carried out of the cellar and
into the store. They were Thomas Porter. Scott
Porter and Arthur Fitzgerald all of Engine
Company No g.
The store soon resembled hospital, and the
doctors started in administering stimulants TO
the stricken men, wrapping Wet towels around
their heads and giving them cooling drauehts
or milk etc One OF the men, Carl Miller be
came delirious and imagined that his partner.
Scott Porter, was still in the cellar. He had 10
be forcibly restrained and held down in his
chair. he kept insisting that the other
man was there, in need OF aid.
Chaplans William St. Elmo Smith and Charles
Il. WalkleN had arrived in the time and
administered 10 the comfort Of the men.
The next TO be taken OUT were Battalion
Chiefs Kruger Of the First Battalion, and
Kenny, of the Third Battalion. Kenny was in
a bad way, and was almost uncOnscious
Kruger was taken away in Chief Croker's buggy.
Chief Kenny was found IN the rear OF the
cellar by Father Smith, and il due 10 the
cergyman's heroic efforts that the chief was at
last brought out. Father Smith was himself
slightly affeoted by the smoke, and had to be
attended By the doctors. While Father Smith
was helping TO pun the chief up the stepS from
the cellar he was assisted by Chaplain Waikley.
who efterward ran down trto the smoke and
found Firemen Renck, Of Engine Company No.
4, ana Ryan, Sn0nleN ana Dawn, OF f,nElile
Company No. 4. lying at the foot of the steps
overcome These men were hastily got out and
carried into the store.
The smoke kept coming out so thick, despite
the efforts Of the firemen, that il found
necessary to chop hole in the floor 10 let IL out
The building runs through 10 No. % Murray
St, and number OF hremen were taken out
there. None of them were seriously Frustrated.
They were Michael KendTigan, OF Engine Com
pany No. %; Captain DeVanney Of Engine Com
pany No. 90 James McDermott OF Hook and
Ladder Company No =; James Muchow, Of
Hook and Ladder Company No. I; John Sulli-
van, of Engine Company No. II, and Lieutenant
Reinhardt. OF Engine Company No "a
Most Of the fremen that We're seriously af-
fected men who had been slightly over
come and recovering had gone back again
into the smoke. Two firemen did this twice
Chief Kenny had been advised again and again
by the other men in the cellar tc go up 10 the
street and get little fresh air. IL only for
minute. But lie would not and final.
knocked out by the sulphur fumes He VIII not
get over Il for some time TO come.
II after 10 O'Clock before the firemen
could work satisfactorily, and Chief Croker said
the damage would be about $4,000.