The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-12
AERIAL FIRE HORROR
The New Bridge Across EasI
River AbIaze.
Three Men Plunge From the Tower to III
River Three Hundred and Fify-fiys
Feet Below.
(By the Associated Press.)

New York, Nov. 10.-The new East
River bridge, in process of construction
between New York and Brooklyn, was
damaged to the amount of at least half
million dollars tonight by fire that
for four hours ragged 355 feet in the air,
on the summit of the great steel tower
on the New York side. Three men, who
Were at work on top of the tower when
the fire broke out, are reported to have
fallen into the river.
Owing to the enormous height of the
tower, it was impossible to reach the
fire with any apparatus in the fire de-
partment an the flames, after devouring
all the woodwork on the top of the
tower, seized upon the timber falsework
of the two bridges suspended from the
main cables, burning away the supports
until nearly a million feet of blazing
lumber fell with a might splash and hiss
into the stream.
The Fall River steamer Puritan and
several other craft had narrow escapes
while running the gauntlet of fiery
brands that fell in showers from the
burning bridge. The fire was the most
spectacular ccnflagration that ever has
been seen in New York. The falling
foot bridges carried with them many tons
of bolts, rivets, nuts and tools. AS the
Brooklyn fireboat came just below the
bridge heavy steel beam fell on her,
breaking her rudders and sending her
drifting helpless down the stream.
Daniel Brophy and his brother, John,
of Montreal; A. p Mcbride and an un-
known man were at work on the tower
when the fire started. While they were
helping the firemen to haul up the hose,
the framework on which they stood col
lapsed and the two Brophys and the un-
known man were hurled into the river.
Mcbride saved himself by catching
piece of projecting steelwork. While
the fire was at its height, party of
fremen were cut off at the base of the
tower where they were exposed to
torrent of brands and red hot pieces of
steel They were rescued after several
had been severely burned. Brands from
the tower set fire to the big storehouse
of the Pennsylvania Steel Company on
the bridge. 1t was entirely consumed
and the contents were hurled into the
ricks on the platform.
1t was II o'clock before the flames had
consumed everything combustible, leav-
ing only the steel tower and the four
great 1872 Inch cables stretching across
the river. These cables were recently
completed, save for the steel sheeting,
and it is feared that they have been bad
~ damaged by the intense heat Should
it be necessary to replace them, the
labor of two years would be lost.
The bridge extends from the foot Of
Delaney street, Manhattan, to the foot
of South Fifth street, Brooklyn. 1t was
designed to carry four surface railroad
tracks, two tracks for elevated trains,
two roadways for vehicles. two foctpaths
and two cycle paths at an elevation of
1876 feet above the river in the center of
the main span. The cost of the bridge
was placed st about $4,000 coo.
1t was officially announced that no
lives were lost during the fire, the three
men reported killed having been &C
counted for.