New-York tribune., 1902-02-16
FIREMEN IN HOSPITAL.
EIGHT HURT IN BLAZE THAT DESTROYS
DURLAND'S OLD ACADEMY.
OCCUPANTS OF APARTMENT HOUSE oP-
POSITE IN PANIC-WOMEN FAINT
SUSPICION ATTACHED TO BOYS.


SUSPICION ATTACHED TO BOYS.
Eight fremen were taken to Roosevelt Hos
pital yesterday afternoon to be treated for in
Juries received in fighting the fire when de-
stroyed the building at Central Park West,
Broadway and Sixty -frst-st.. formerly occupied
as Durland's Riding Academy. They were:
CLARK PsT Engine N9 40 o burned me $ on
face and hands.
cosGRovE Captain James II, Engine Company No 90;
aames: aaTpsa Son4itio1 on ao2 serious. sTH ."''''
coTE Engine 3 c Dsa snS 30 hands @ Of No 'S
MAING Robert Hook kan and Il Ladder .h 59 sc No OF
MKEoN Captain John. Engine Company No q ourns
PEYroN. W. J.. fireman OF No. 17ss Broadway; burns
face and hands.
Hospital .afrSrnF from an injured leg
sTR%EF a EnFlaf san sPss oa @ aH9 "
Those not seriously injured. whose wounds
were dressed by ambulance surgeons at the
scene OF the fire, were:
DEvLIN James Engine Company No. so: burned on face
and hands.
AtlsIsii hsnds and d'afs' saS on fscs ana sddy
HUGHES. Lieutenant John B. Engine Company No p;
the head and spraiued ankle from jumping
The fire broke out shortly before . p. m. The
flames were first discovered by George Griffiths.
a motorrnau who was standing in the Circle
at the time. He and Nathaniel Battle. who Is
in charge OF the subway work at Fifty-ninth-
St sent in the first alarm. The fire originated
in the northwestern part Of the building fac
ing Broadway and within ten minutes the
building was a seethng mass of flames
Engine Companies Nos 40 and 23 responded
on the first alarm, Captain James II. Cos
grove, of the former company, with five OF his
men and five men from Engine Company No.
% hull frny fha
by means OF n doorway and ascended to the
second floor They were soon enveloped in
cloud Of smoke and Captain Cosgrove ordered
his men to jump in order 10 save their lives.
Ten men jumped from the second story in the
rear and were followed by Captain Cosgrove.
who fell. striking his head on the ground and
becoming unconscious He was carried into
nearby store and an ambulance surgeon dressed
his wounds and removed him TO Roosevelt Hos
pital. There It was found that he had inhaled
the flames. and, besides. had severe cash in
the back of the head and burns on his face and
hands
The other firemen who jumped received only
slight injuries. and after their wounds had been
dressed by the ambulance surgeons resumed
their work
Soon after the flames had spread through the
building, IT was apparent that the structure
doomed, and the efforts Of the flremen were. by
orders Of Chief Croker directed to saving the
large seven story apartment house at Central
Park West and Sixty-frst-st. The flames and
sparks from the academy were flying across the
street. Men and women in the building tainted
and others madly rushed from the house.
Trunks blocking staIrways and II was
some time before the flremen could satisfy the
occupants that they were in no real danger
All the windows the south side were broken.
and sparks had set fire to section OF the
roof. A well directed stream soon extinguished
the blaze.
Chief Croker was on the scene after the sec
ond alarm had been sent in He ordered a
third alarm at once. and directed the firemen
70 the buildings in the near vicinity which were
endangered by the flying sparks
Ambulance surgeons from Roosevelt Flower
and the Presbyterian hospitals were relieving
the sufferings of the injured firemen.
The building was unoccupied. 1t was being
put into shape for the American and London
Hippodrome Company, which was TO have
Mr.. Haas, the former the manager and the lat
ter the lessee OF the Hippodrome company had
their office In the rear OF the building. An office
boy made his escape soon after the flames were
discovered.
colored boy is said to have seen the smoke
first and rushed down Central Park West to
Nathaniel Battle, screaming that the building
was on fire. AS Battle reached the north seq
ton OF the building he says he saw two bows
ABOUT sixteen years old disappear from the rear
Of the building
This is considered significant. because a fire
was discovered earlier in the day by some con-
tractors at work in the subway. but the flames
were quickly extnguished. The building was a
sort of playhouse for boys in the neighborhood
ana IL Is surmlsed that the presence of the bows
In the building in the morning may have some
connection with the fire
The nre was not eXtnguished until almost 4
p m. The walls fell about an hour and q half
after the flames were first discovered Throngs
OF excited people blocked all sides of the build
ing.
The building owned by j. C. McCollough.
7. l. Park and Frederick B. Jennings the latter
LAWYER, with offices at No. 10 Broad-st. 1t
was built over fifteen years ago by canitalists
from Boston at cost of about 500 600 and was
nrst used as a bicycle academy. They failed
afterward. and the building was then leased 10
Mr.. Durland, who for ten years used II as a |
riding academy. The building was well insured
S.}JO00 $4,000