The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-26
CHIEF KILLED AT BANK FIRE.
EAST SIDE BRANCH or VAN NOR
DEN TRUST 90. BURNED OUT.
Lively Scramble 10 Save Funds and Books
at Blaze In which Old Ridley store
on Grand st. was DeStroyed-Huge
r.o.a ct.,. rTtD,h u,o,.,n uHra RsCanes

At Blaze I'm which Old Ridley store
on Grand IT. was DeStroyed-Huge
CroWd-Girls Climb Down Fire Escape
What was left Of the old Ridley store
building on the south side Of Grand street
and the west side Of Orchard street went
up In a Ave alarm blaze which began about
half past o'clock last night.
In the building we're the ofioes Of the East
Side branch Of the Van Norden Trust Com
pany, and the fire broke out on the second
floor, just over them. Acting Battalion
Chief W. j. wieland fell from a ladder
and sustained injuries fIom which be died
later.
The fire was hot one from the very
start. The moment the alarm was given
the Van Norden people, who were still In the
building, threw what cash and securities
we're still outside the fireproof vaults inside
the doors and locked them up. The exc
changes were sent uptown to the main
Office Of the company. at Fifth avenue and
sixtieth street. Then some Of the books
were carried across the street into the
offices OF the Mutual Alliance Trust Com.
pany on the opposite corner.
! As the fire grew there was a hot time In
the Mutual Alliance Trust Company's place,
only comparable 70 the more material blaze
across the street. +. II. Koelsch, the assist
ant secretary Of the company, was for get
ting everything inhammable out Of the place.
Chief Croker ran in and told him TO get out
and be quick about it.
And leave everything7 My books7
My money! It's nonsensel' yelled Mr..
Koelsch.
Outside for you'll Col This place may
start up any minutel' shouted the Chief.
Koelsch refused TO bulge. Chief Croker
went out and found Inspector Max Schmitt-
berger and announced that he left Koelsch
and his men 10 the care Of the police.
Koelsch's first reply TO SchmittbergeT was
to send A. Afenbein. the cashier and two
clerks with a chemical extingliisher to the
second floor with instructions to see 10 It
that the flames which were leaping from
the burning building should not cross the
street. The inspector at last got them
out by furnishing two Of his men TO escort a
company Of bank clerks laden " it'll leather
satchels full Of cash 10 the Corn Exchange
[ Banks branch at Norfolk street.
The inspector thought for a minute he
might have TO enforce even this concession
by force. But series Of terrific explosions
In the Ridley building, which shook the
ground like dynamite blasts were more
persuasive than all his eloquence.
The Ridley store went out, OF business
| several years ago and the property was
given over TO small concerns. Beside the
Van Norden Trust Company, there wers
in the building. two synagogues. dem
lists supply company, loan association,
a furniture store and a lot Of minor enter
prises. The loss was estimated by Chief
Croker at 100000.
The blaze was one Of the sort that sends
out great smoky streamers Of flame far
beyond the sidewalk line and makes the
street hot for blocks either way. II hap
pened that Inspector Sohmittberger was
having a meeting Of the police captains OF
his district at the Eldridge street station,
and as soon as il became apparent that the
fire was serious he turned them all out
to help in maintaining fire lines. This was
foresighted, for at that hour tho East Side
streets fai rly boil with humanity anyway
and everybody seemed 10 want 10 get near
enough to the flames to soorch his garments
It took 100 policemen, all the reserves south
Of Forty-seoond street, TO hold back the
crowd. The police fairly had 20 fight to
keep the people TO Eldridge and Ludlow
streets on Grand street, and a block north
and south on Orchard apd Allen streets.
| Mounted policemen came over from the
Bowery, and by making a great demoh-
stration Of willingness 10 trample the popu-
lace under foot, finally got the crowds to
| - 10 he To a. THAR wTOFr
Policeman Stobe, who dicovered the
Gre. as soon as he had sent in the alarm
went through the factory building on the
south OF the Ridley building, driving
out the 500 girls who were at work there
in an underwear factory. Many scrambled
down the Ere escapes 70 the aooompani-
ment Of shrieks and cheers from the oroWds
below.
The fremen found the flames eating
through into the upper floors Of the building
and spreading westward into Rosen.s fIrni-
ture store. The second and third alarms
we're turned in almost Immediately. Chief
Croker found, however, that while there
had been plenty Of water for the first COM
panies, the pressure was not adequate TO
feed the additional engines and none Of
them could raise a stream 20 the upper
foors.
The cause Of the explosions could not be
learned, but It was rumored that four cans
Of benzine were stored in a closet in one
Of the factories. The heat Of the blaze was
10 intense that the fancy glass portico
over the entrance Of the deceased Federal
Bank Of unhallowed memory, on the north
west corner, was cracked and fell TO the
street in great chunks.
After the fire was pretty we'll out Acting
Bstt1lon Chief W. j. Wieland Of the
70 nth Battal on went up a ladder 70 get
into the synagogues which were at the
west end Of the Grand street front Of the
burned building. They were full Of smoke,
though they were not directly touched
by the flames. The chief was followed by
his driver, Casimir Woodzich When they
we're half way up the ladder II slipped
across the sidewalk caught and bucked.
Both men were shot up into the air. The
a ting chief fell upon sofa which had
fallen out Of the furniture store front and
broke three ribs. He was attended by
Coroner Scholer and was sent, unconscious,
} II,arifa1 He died there IN