New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-13
PANIC At BUSY CORNER
Derrick Falls Near Brooklyn BO7-
ough HaU-T5co Fires Result.

Electricity exhibited some remarkable pranks
which threw terror into hundreds Of persons and
set FIRE to two buildings following the crashing to
the street Of part Of heavy derrick from the new
building CT the Williamsburg Trust Company run
ming between Fulton and Adams sts opposite the
Borough Hall. Brooklyn, yesterday afternoon.
Falling on the trolley feed wire Of the Brooklyn
Rapid Transit Company of the guy ropes con-
Quoted the heavy current down to the base Of the
derrick out and on the other guy rope. which had
fallen the roof OF The Brooklyn Citizen" build
ing. a ave story structure standing at the apex
% the triangle where Fulton-st joins Adams-st The
current ran along the cornice and distributed itself
in various parts OF the building. setting fire to sew
eral places in the roof.
Between The Citizen building and the lot on
which the skeleton framework OF the trust COM
pany building is being put up is one other buidlhg'
No 395 Fulton-st When the heavy boom save way
Il knocked the corner off the roof Of this structure
soaring four women and employed in a
shirt factory the top or fourth floor. The ten
ants throughout the building were terror-stricken
EXCITEMENT IN CAFE.
But the greatest excitement in the cafe Of
Frederick Schumm the ground floor. About
thirty persons were quietly dining when the crash
sent a Jar through the building, and the falling
electric wires gave forth sharp explosions and vivid
flashes Every one thought there had been an ex-
plosion. and the building was about TO fall down
With mad rush the diners dashed for the Fulton
st door leaving dinners and hats and coats be-
OF crockery added to the general confusion.
The other tenants Of the building came tumbling
down TO the street, as did the STAFF and other
ployes Of The Citizen" next door. The afternoon
edition had Just come from the presses, but the
men working on the Sunday morning edition
The derrick that broke top Of the steel
skeleton. which has reached the height Of three
stories. and about twenty feet from the Adsms-st
side. A big ifty-foot wooden boom eighteen inches
in diameter, swung out over the street A load of
planks. not heavy burden. being hoisted
about 2:5o y. when the wire rope holding 1t
up snapped suddenly and the boom crashed down.
When the guy ropes fell upon the trolley wires
there was pyrotechnic display that caused per
sons within half block TO if for their
lives Streaks and flashes Of flame leaped into the
air from the wires. from the girders of the new
building and from various metal parts on the
Citizen Building. In ten seconds the copper trolley
wires had burned through, and four separate wires
fell writing seething and splitting fire into the
street
A contested CORNER
The junction of Adams Fulton and Willoughby
SITS. is Of the most congested in Brooklyn. 1t
remarkable that neither a trolley car nor any
pedestrians happened 10 be under the falling
boom wires Nor were any within range of
the wires that wr1thed around the corner after
they had fallen. One Of them passed the
iron grating around the edge OF the CItiben Build
ing The grating was highly charged with cleo
tricity, and burned partially through in several
places.
When the Fire Department arrived flames were
beginning TO leap up from The Citizen" roof. The
other building was also af1re in one place. Until
the power turned off by the Brooklyn Rapid
Transit Company the iremen did not dare 10
tackle the flames at close range. 1t was an hour
and half later when the cars were started again
Adams-st.
The fire put out without much damage
There was no delay in getting out this mornings
edition.
Two horses attached TO delivery wagons ran
away when the crash came. The commotion in
Adams and Fulton SITS heard in the Park
Theatre and Hyde & Behman's Theatre near
by. and caused considerable uneasiness until the
exact nature Of the trouble explained. Several
persons ran TO the street. but there nothing
approaching panic.