The sun., 1903-12-13
PANIC FROM DERRICK'S CRASH.
BROKE ELECTRIC WIRES AND
CAUSED 4 FIRE.

uIg Arm smashed Through q Roof and
Tore a Corner on . Building Missed
a Trolle. Car by Few Feet-F1re men
Handicapped by Net Of Deadly wires.
A biz derrick used to hoist the immense
eirders Tor the construction Of the Williams-
burg Trust Company's new building at
ss3 Fulton street, Brooklyn, gave way At
a2o cock yesterday afternoon. crashed
through the roof OF the building adjoining,
tore away the northern end Of the roof
of he Brooklyn Citizen building and bounded
of into Adams street, carrying telephone,
electric light and trolley wires with II, caus-
ing FIRE to break out in the Citizen building,
and missing narrowly number OF passen-
gers in a Fifth avenue car.
McMurray Bros. contractors, have been
working on the new skyscraper for the
William sburg Trust Company for several
weeks. Yesterday they placed In position
a girder weighing several tons, using q big
wooden derrick for the purpose. The
building was so far advanced In construo-
the roofs CT the adjoining buildings and
the arm Of the derrick swung free, with
the drop into Adams street.
After placing tho big girder In position,
the arm of the derrick was swun9 out and
bundle Of heavy planks adjusted to the
hook The planks were TO be used for a
temporary flooring on which they were
to work, The signal was given and the
big arm Of the derrick slowly swung around
90 tha, the bundle Of planks might be landed
on tie topN,ost girder.
feT with crash to the street and the der
rick br ken into three pieces, fell on the
roof OF sos Fulton street, occupied BY
tion cf The derric k bounded to the roof Of
he Citizen building, crashing through
the corner and penetrating to the compts-
ing room where the men were getting out
he last editi'n n; The third piece Of the
rpes attached, fell to the street, breaking
he wires Of the telephone, electric light and
uSriheern rGte l'n end q the roof 4 the citisss
building as we'll as the sm' kesta, K and
prtitn tf he roof Of Sehumm's cafe.
The bretkng Of the wires caused ter
-ibe sizzling and sputtering Of electricity.
Two hrrses attached to delivery wagons
dashed away frr m the vicinity Of the crash
and Patrc lnian Henry Mallt n Of the Adams
street stat n, who saw the accident, jumped
in. the middle of the burning and sizzling
wires and stopped the horses Just as they
we're about to crash into Fifth avenue
trolley oar that was passing.
The heavily charged trolley wires, falling
n every direction, had inducted electricity
into all the ironwork nearby, causing an
electric display that set fire TO several
buildings. and cres ting a panic among
the people in the Fi1th avenue car. that was
missed by the falling derrick by only q few
feet, as we'll as among the Thousands Of
specta tors who quickly gathered.
On the top floor Of S93 Fulton street VIII
liam Steich had tailoring establishment
where he employed eight women. When
the derrick fell the roof was crushed in and
the women were thrown into panic. None
vas seriously injured, however. although
four Of them tainted and were assisted
to the street by employees Of the Citizen
They were Mary Morley. 1ol5 De Kalb ave-
nue., Annie Rasmussen, 10 Columbia place.
Annie Salerno. 271 Pacific street and Marie
4orsaru, Of 423 Eleventh street
J The fren en- were handicapped for sornc
time after their arrival because Of the net
work of wires that were sizzling and shoot
ing out fire In all directions. After the
power was shut OF the fire IN the Caise.
building, the only place whore II had gained
any Roadway, was extinguished with q
loss estimat;d at q, 900. The damage to
Schumms cafe building and the tailoring
establishment was estimated at e 500.
AL traffic was blocked on Fulton street
for half an hour and on Adams street for
more than two hours.