The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-26
FIRE IN HEART
OF NEW YORK.
Flames Burst Suddenly from
No. 81 Broadway,
Causing Great Excitement in
the Financial District.
GENERAL ALARM RUNG
A Repetition of Baltimore Dis
aster Was Feared.
Finally Subdued With Loss Of
100000.

New York. March 26.-All Wall street
and the down town section of New
York were thrown into unusual excite.
ment today by a fire which started in
the building at 81 Broadway occupied
by the Morris European and American
Express company.
The flames spread to the adjoining
building occupied by the Adams Ex-
press company but the fire was
brought under control shortly after
o'clock, nearly two hours after its
start, and at that time the loss was es-
timated by an underwater at $400 0ug.
but nothing could be learned regarding
the insurance. When the neighbor-
hood in which the fire occurred is ta-
ken into consideration it was the most
spectacular daytime blaze that has
occurred for a long time in that part
of the city. Thousands of people pour
ed from the thickIy populated financial
district into the narrow canyon of
Broadway. and massed back for
squares above and below the blaze
The towering sky ScraperS that faced
the fire held a group of faces at every
window. The burning buildings reach
ed through a narrow alley on the rear
and as the wind eddied through, it
swept clouds of smoke into Broadway,
the flames be seen. The smoke rolled
up the street, hemmed in by the tall
buildings and great flaming brands fell
thickly in the crowds. Closely follow
ing the first alarm, a four was turn
ed in, and then with the warning Of
the Baltimore fire in mind, a two,
nine,' the dreaded general alarm fol-
lowed Engine after engine followed
by their trucks, water towers and lad
der trucks swept changing down
Broadway, the only street that faces
the fire, bringing in their wake added
thousands OF people to swell the crowd
that alreadys packed every inch OF
standing room in the vicinity. A back
roll of smoke now and then drove them
back and aided the police reserves 10
clear the streets.
The fire started in the basement of
7ne of the three express company
buildings which adjoin one another
Smoke was first seen coming from the
tagging of the sidewalk and almost
Immediately flames broke forth driving
employees from their desks and neces-
stating hurried efforts to save books
and effects. For more than an hour
after the first alarm, engines and other
apparatus continued to sweep Broad
way, the two nine alarm calling out
companies from as far north as Har-
lem, the horses blown from their eight
mile run.
For the first time in years the spec
tators saw some of the old fashioned
two wheel hose reels that were pressed
into service to bring extra pipe.
About fifty fire companies were on
the scene.
Trinity church is just north of the
fire and as the crowd began to pack
the street they overfiowed into the his
toric old churchyard with its ancient
graves and monuments. An attempt
was made to clear them out and lock
the gates, but without much success
At the beginning the firemen We're
handicapped by very low water pres
sure. One hydrant, almost IN front OF
| the fire, did not flow at all for 10 or
1 20 minutes and a water tower. hur-
riedly put in action, sent SO weak
stream that it hardly reached the
building. Meantime the nre escapes
on the back of the buildings were alive
with employees loaded down with books,
papers and bags and now and then
! woman empIoye being helped down
| The fire occurred in two numbers OF
series of old fashioned five story buIu-l
/ ings of the iron and glass construction
that was common 10 or 20 tears ago
The two burned buildings were on the
extreme south of the block. bordered
bv Exchange alley. On the norIn
! three buildings reached to the big sky
4 scraper known as the Empire build
ings from which the tenants were or
dered out just before it was seen tnat
the fire was under control
| nenutv Chief Binn explained that
he tnrned in the "two-nine' alarm IN
order to get as large a force OF men as
Dossible at work in the rear OF the
| buildings foreseeing that if the hre
were not checked there it would rage
until it burned itself out.
| The character of the neighborhood IN
the rear justified this belief For sew.
eraI blocks in fact clear to the Hud-
son river. is a mass of very old build
| ings. many of them used as ware
houses, and of an extremely infiamma-
bile character. Once well started there,
If is probable that the fire would have
eaten its way to the river and the
| wharves, ferry, docks and other valu-s
able property that line the river at TINS
Doiut been imperilled.