The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-11-14
DAMAGED BY FIRE
NEW YORK.BROOKLYN BRIDGE SCENE
OF A COSTLY BLAZE.
II Was the New One Now Under Course
of Construction - Fire Was 3SS Feet
In the Air, Rendering Fire Apparatus
Useless - Loss VIII Reach $500, 900,
and Work May Be Delayed.

New York, Nov. l2.-The new East
river bridge, in process of construction
between New York and Brooklyn, was
damaged to the amount of at least
$500, 900 tonight by fire that for four
hours ragged S55 feet in the air, on the
summit of the great steel tower on the
New York side. There was probably
no loss of life.
Owing to the enormous height of the
tower it was impossible to reach the
fire with any apparatus in the fire de-
partment, anil the flames, after devcur-
ing all the woodwork on the top of the
tower, seized on the timber falsework
OF the two foot bridges suspended from
the main cables, burning away the sup
ports. Nearly 100000 feet of burn
ing lumber fell with crash and hiss
into the stream. The falling foot
bridge carried away score of lighter
cables and guys, which trailed in the
water, rendering it necessary for the
purpose of safety to stop all traffic up
and down the river.
The fire was the most spectacular
confagration that has ever been seen in
New York. The fire started in a tool
shed, and from this spread to the
framework. Within five minutes after
the discovery of the fire the whole top
OF the tower was in blaze. Then the
foot bridges fell, carrying with them
many tons OF bolts, rivets, nuts and
tools.
While the fire was at its height
party of firemen were cut off at the
base of the tower, where they were ex-
posed to torrent of brands of redhot
iron and steel. They were rescued
after several had been severely vburned.
Brands from the tower set FIRE to the
big storehouse of the Pennsylvania
steel company. il was entirely con-
sumed, and the contents were hurled
into the river, together with two hoist
ing derricks on the platform. 1t was
IL o'clock before the flames had de-
voured everything combustible, leaving
only the steel tower and the four great
1917 inch steel cables stretching across
the river. These cables were recently
completed, save for the steel sheathing,
and it is feared that they have been
badly damaged by the intense heat.
Should it be necessary to replace them,
the labor of two years would be lost.
Chief Engineer Martin, in charge of
the bridge construction, said that four
steel saddles, weighing "a tons, on the
top of the tower, were red hot, but
we're not damaged. One of the four
cables resting on the saddles, too, he
thought, would have to be partially re-
placed by splicing. This will involve
delay of at least four months. The
remaining cables suffered little injury.
The loss on the two foot bridges is esti-
mated at 100000.
The bridge extends from the foot of
Delaney street, Manhattan, to the foot
of South Fifth street, Brooklyn. 1t
wae designed to carry four surface
railroads, two tracks for elevated trains,
two roadways for vehicles, two foot
paths and two cycle paths, at an ele-
walton Of 1876 feet above the water in
the center of the main span. The main
cables had recently been completed,
and the work of laying the main span
was soon to have begun. The cost of
the bridge was placed at about $l0,-
100000.