New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-06-30
FOUR FIREMEN NAY DIE.
SCORES ARE OVERCOME.
Gas Erplodes at Broadacay BIaae-
,Sidezcalks Field Hospital.

Nearly fifty fremen were overcome four of them
perhaps fatally by smoke and gas stubborn
fire yesterday in the subceliar of the double five
story brick building at Nos 4S3 and ass Broadway.
extending through to Nos. 56 and 5S Mercer-st.
Half a hundred employees We're driven from the
building, and the damage inflicted by fire. water
and smoke was estimated at between $5O.OOO and
$201.001. The fire situated that it diff
cult TO fight it. and IL burned for more than two
hours before it got under control.
The smoke from the burning material was so
dense and so pungent that the fremen could work
in 1t for only a few minutes a. time and many
of those who braved it fell PROSTATE where they
stood. Some who fell unohserved by their
rades lay unnoticed on the floor for minutes and in
for nearly an hour, before they were
dEcovered and dragged the open air, to be cared
for by a large force of ambulance surgeons and
other relief forces There were many acts of
bravery in fighting the fire and making rescues-
The breaking of gas mains inside the building
and he & sdirs Of tt.s T4aee with thousands OF
cubic feet of Illuminating gas added greatly TO
the difficulty and the danger Those who may
die
LEVY Edward captain. Engine No. 90 St vincents
McKEEvER. Patrick Engine No. "a: Gouverneur.
RILEY John Engtue No. "a; Gouverneur
WANDREss John. Engine No %: St Vincent's
Those seriously affected:
DERMoDY Thomas Hook and Ladder No. 6: Gouver-
DoRBLER. Oscar Engine No. "a; Gouverneur.
CESS Jotn Engne No 81; Gouverneur.
LINK. John. Lieutenant, Engine No. II; CouVerneur
GUERIN William. battalion chief. 5th Battalion; Gou-
MCCARTHY John Hoo, Ladder No g. New-York
voCHNIAN George Engine No 8; St Vincents
Over a score OF others were overcome and re-
lieved from duty.
The fire was discovered By an elevator man who
gave the alarm. Deputy Chief Kruger. who re-
sponded to the first call. quickly sem in second
which summoned Chief Croker He sen. in third
Lieutenant Link with numbe- of men of his
comranv was the first to enter the cellar. They
had been insiIe only short time when they stag
gered out overcome by the fumes. Ambulances
had arrived from GouveTneur, New YOrk, Hudson
Street. ST. Vincents and Bellevue hospitals The
Hochstatters father and two sons who are known
as the fremens angels large fires. also were
on hand with hot milk l. Sulzbacher. a silk mer-
chant and a member OF first aid to injured soct-
ety. and Dr. Henry McGrath. Of the 22d Regiment
ambulance corps, also aided the ambulance sur
geons.
Captain Lew with a number of his men. started
TO make a survey of the fire. The smoke so
dense that the could not see one another, and
as the party reached Mercer-st Levy was missed
Men groped around in the smoke, but could not
find him. After Levy had been missing nearly
hour Captain John Vaughan Lieutenant Sidney
Johnston and Firemen William Bartells and Will
lam rossuer, of Fire Patrol No. > in making tour
Of th*5 first floor stumbled over the form of the
captain. lie was lying his back, and the water
several inches deep on the floor nearly covered his
face and body.
TIE fremen could stay in the cellar only few
moments They would go down in relays. and
when they had stood the sitting fumes long
possible would tug the hose. Then a fresh
batch of men would be sent down TO pilot them
and relieve them.
The fremen overcome were stretched the side
walks on blankets in a long line. until streets
resembled a field hospital Before the fire
under control nearly forty were receiving
treatment or had been sent to hospitals.
Fireman McKeever when he succumbed to the
gas and smoke fell into the subcelar, which
filed nearly to the ceiling with water Thomas
Halpin Of Hook anC Ladder No. 8, jumped to
McKeevers assistance. and. with the aid of others
saved him. Lieutenant Link, after his first
perience, insisted on returning 10 duty, and was
again overcome.
So great a crowd gathered in Broadway and the
adjoining streets that Inspector Titus and the
serves from the Elizabeth. Leonard Mulberry, Mac
dougal and Mercer st. stations had their hands
mi in nreserving the fire lines The crowd cheered
the rescues of tho nremen
Battalion Chief Guerin was overcome twice by
smoke and gas. After recovering from his first
perience he insisted on going back TO direct his
men Then he collapsed.
Dobbler was saved by Lieutenant Johnson of
Fire Patrol No. 2, who found him unconscious
in the cellar nearly Immersed in water. James Nc
Auliffe Of Engine No. 20. overcome four times
before he would Sive Up.
tion at Broadway aud Broome-st-. near the office
Of the Commercial Security Company, borrowed a
bamboo couch and improvised a hospital on a
shaded corner. Then he gave a boy a dollar and
sent him TO a saloon for bottle or WhiSkey and
some seltZer and milk AS the fremen placed
on the couch, Hindes administered the remedies,
and a number of revived under his In
some cases the patrolman resorted TO artificial
respiration and otherwise gave them first aid.
Digitalis hot milk whiskey and other remedies
worked over the stretched along the sidewalks
Those most seriously affected were sent at once 70
hospitals