New-York tribune., 1902-01-29
FIRE MENACES BIG AREA
MANY 7'ENEMENTS AND A
CHURCH IN DANGER.
F1REMEN NEARLY CUT OFFLHOSE
KNOCKS DOWN COMMISSIONER
STURGIS-FOUR ALARMS.

with such ferceness did a fire rage in the two
upper floors of the seven story brick building at
the southwest corner of Rleecker ard Mott etc
last night, that four alarms were turned in and
" SiilaiI army of ffremen tested to their utmost
ioi hoie than TWO hours before they got the
plaze under control. Flames leaped fifty feet in
the air, and burning brands carried on the
strong westerly wind, descended on the roofs
OF dozen crowded tenement houses setting
hre to them and endangering the lives of sew
eral hundred persons. mostly women and chill
dren The Italian Roman Catholic Church of
Our Lady of Mercy. in Elizabeth-st directly in
the rear of the burned building was threatened
py the flames, but the efforts of the firemen
saved it.
FIREMEN'S NARROW ESCAPE
The members of three engine companies barely
escaped from the burning building when they
entered it on arriving at the first alarm The
sixth floor, where the fire started, was dense
win smoke and the firemen thought they could
md the blaze and extinguish it before it spread.
The men from Engine Companies Nos. 20, 33
and % had climbed the fire escapes on the Mott
st. side of the building to the sixth floor and
directed streams of water through the windows.
After few minutes it seemed as If it were safe
for them to enter and at the order from a
battalion chief the firemen dashed through the
windows cropping their way through the dense
smoke to the rear where the fire started. They
could see the glow of the flames licking the
walls and ceilings in the rear. and they were
sure that they could put out the fire in short
time.
But none had thought of a possible back
draught. Suddenly sheet of flame swept
through the entire floor from the rear. and it
looked as If the firemen had been cut Off
Back out, men; back for your lives!" rung
}1a
and the firemen. seeing then that their only
chance was to get back to the fire escapes,
dashed through the flame and smoke and got to
the windows, dragging their lines OF hose with
them Again they fought the flames from the
fire escapes. but they had been working but
few minutes when the flames shot through the
windows. driving them down to the fifth floor.
Several times they attempted to get back where
they would have a better position TO fight the
fire, but the smoke and flames made them
treat every time
AS the fire was gaining headway II spread
rapidly to the top floor eating through the roof.
and the flames shot fifty feet in the air. iIlu-
minating the neighborhood for many blocks.
Sparks and burning sticks were carried high in
the air and swept in all directions and the fam
ing brands descended upon the roofs OF the tene
ment houses.
TENEMENT HOUSES SAVED.
The fire had spread rapidly that second
and third alarm had been sent in. and Chief
Croker. when he arrived. turned in fourth.
Companies sent 10 the roofs of the houses
that We're menaced. The roofs of Nos 20. %
and "a Beecker-st. ablaze. were a row
of seven story houses in Mott-st.. adjoining the
burning building. Two six story houses in
Elizabeth-st. caught fire. The fremen directed
their streams on the burning houses, and pre-
vented frOn spreadfuR % their in
teriors. After the house fires had been
tinguished the fremen again centred their ef-
forts the building. and restricted the flames
to the three upper floors.
PRIESTS RESCUE CHURCH VALUABLES.
Father Nicholas Russo. pastor of the Church
Of Our Lady Of Mercy. at dinner with the
assistant priests and the brothers from the
church school when the fire broke out They
first detected thin column OF smoke coming
through the rear of the Bleecker-st. building.
They rushed from the rectory. and when they
reached the street the flames We're shooting
from the building, menacng the church All
into the church and gathered up their vest
ments, the chalices and other valuables stored
In the vestry, and ran TO the street.
The fire spectacular for two hours. and
thousands of persons were attracted TO the
scene Inspector Brooks called out the reserves
of the Mulberry, Eldridge. Union Market and
Mercer-st. stations to handle the enormous
crowds.
Fire Commissioner Sturgis and his secretary.
William Leary. at Fire Headquarters
when the third alarm sent in, and they
hastened to the fire. They were standing at
Mott and Bleecker SITS. watching the blaze when
a hose burst throwing them off their feet and
drenching them. Both were bewdered, and lay
on the ground until firemen and policemen
sisted them to their feet and helped them to
the sidewalk.
The coffee wagon of the Church Temperance
Society loaded with coffee and crullers for the
firemen, while turning in from Broadway had
a mx-up with Hook and Ladder Company No.
Z, and was damaged. The firemen. however,
We're served with hot coffee. Chapains Smith
and Walkley attended TO the wants of the men.
The story building is No 26 to 80
Bleecker-st. The ground floor is occupied by
Feller's cafe, the second floor by the Novelty
Clothing Company the third floor by Sykes and
Alb Kirschbaum & Co., clothing manufacturers,
and the fourth by Farr Fishman, manufacturer
OF boys clothing. The fifth floor was occupied
by repair shop Of Rogers. Peet & Co.. and the
sixth and seventh floors by Wolf & Solotar.
manufacturers of suits and clothing. The three
upper floors destroyed. The damage TO
the building is placed at $4,000.
HALF A MILLION IN TIMBER LOST.