New-York tribune., 1903-01-13
FTREMEN IN DANGER,
Pw7'og Says Third Rail Current
Vas Not Turned off.
FALLING WALL cRusHEs PILLAR.

A FIRE that wrecked the large factory OF faSer-
weather e. Ladew. manufacturers Of learner
betting Allen and Houston sts- broke out 81
4 g. m. yesterday and kept many companies or
firernen busy until late in the day A failihs
wall in Afen-st- broke down the elevated roao
IN that street, oT1ppling the Second-ave. line OF
the Manhattan Railway Company. Acting FIRE
Chief Purroy's order to turn off the electrical
current from the third rail on the line was not
oheyed hy the company, and he declared tha0
the lives of many hrerpen were kept in danger
for hours THE police drove tenants out of many
tenement houses near the fire. fearing that the
flames would spread 10 those houses The losses
hy the fire were believed to exceed si'o''uO''
partly covered by insurance
Intense cold caused considerable suffering TO
the fremen in the early part Of the fghtine'
and to hundreds Of people who were driven ont
~ their homes by the police reserves at an nour
when they usually asleep The spread OF
the flames in the factory was so swift that the
entire building was ablaze before the firemen
could get 10 work and danger from falling walls
compelled them 10 remain at distance from
the building. Water Tower No. was abanooned
on the Eouston-st side. when il was throwing
its powerful stream into the seething flames
and il was crushed by = falling wall Went
down fighting." the fremen said
II was about 3 a when the hremen VINO
were directing streams from the elevated road
IN Auep-st. obeyed an order from Battalion
Chief >55uerin TO run for their lives. They ran
sust in time to avoid the falling wall which car
RED down with 1t part of the elevated structure.
One big iron girder Of the structure was broken
like paper and another WAS bent out of shape
IIp TO that tine the current from the third rall
had not been turned off Acting Chief Purrov'
who had been injured by fall on the icy pave
1nent but had remained to direct the work of the
fire fighters. said
Immediately on my arrival telephened to
the railroad officials that We must use the
elevated structure and asked them TO shut on
the power from the third raL No attenuoh
whatever was paid to my request. aithough no
trains could be through after the nre
started / intend to bring this matter to the
attention OF the Fire Commissioners and request
that he take action against the railroad oiclals.
This shows the disregard the officials have for
she lives Of the freTnen- About one hunoreo
nrenen were IN constant danger, ana IL seems
almost miraculous that some OF them were not
hurt fatally.
The secretary Of Manager Skit. OF the ele-
waited road. after reading the statement, said
ne had no comment to make. and that the COM
many knew nothing about the circumstances eH-
cept that no trains We're running south or
rTweuty-second-st. on the Second-aye- line
The fire was not under control untI laIe IN IN
the afternoon. Ex-Chief Croker was a silent
witness of the work OF the freneh curing a
part Of the day. Members Of the betting hrrn
established temporary of1ces Ii a restauraht
and ordered hot coffee served 70 the Chilled
firemen They said the firm had s62lQG0 IN IN
Suranee and the loss would exceed S1ooo.uoO.
J. H Ladew said that arrangements We're oelng
made whereby the firms employees who had been
temporarily thrown out of work were being
sent 10 the factories at Fail River. Mass: New
arlE n I and Charlotte. 6 c. He said that the
fire would not interfere with any OF the hrTn S
business contracts. as the manufacturing plant
in the annex in EldTidge-sT- had not been DAM
aged by she flames
The firm has been established forty-five years.
Tt was originally known as Hoyt Brothers, then
as Hovt q Co then as Hoyt & Ladew, and
finally as Fayerwearher & IadeN fhe nrrn
now consists of the Iadew brothers, MI. fayef-
weather having died