New-York tribune., 1905-04-26
SESSION CITY CLUB
WATER FAILS AT FIRE
BIG BLAZE IN GRAND-ST.
Battalion Chief Killed Branch of
Van NOrden Trust Co. Burned.

.
The deficiency of the water supply was
demonstrated again yesterday when the four
story brick building the southwest corner Of
Grand and Orchard SITS, occupied by branch
of the Van Norden Trust Company and others,
was destroyed by fve-alarm fire. which started
on the second floor late in the afternoon.
Chief Croker had to send eight engines back
because there was no water. He loud in his
denunciation OF the low water pressure and at
tributed three-quarters OF the loss to that fact
Until the citys plan of installing its salt water
main system for fire fighting purposes gets into
working order. Chief Croker said. the same thing
may happen at any downtown FIRE.
The building occupied Nos. S15, 317. S19 and
321 Grand-st. No. 321 being on the corner. The
building just west No. S13 Grand-st. caught
fire and the two upper floors burned
out. The fire spread repeatedly to surrounding
tenemeEts. and windows. awnings and clothes
lines in rear yards were repeatedly fire The
windows OF the buildings the three other cor
ners of Orchard and Grand SITS. were practically
all broken by the great heat and several times it
looked if nothing could save these buildings.
Acting Battalion CHIEF Wieland. of the Fourth
Battalion was thrown down fourteen feet by the
slipping of his ladder, and was sent to Gouver-
neur Hospital with internal injuries He died
shortly afterward Three hundred girls and fifty
men in the building were rescued. The loss, as
estimated by Chief Croker. was $3O0OOO 1t took
two hours to get the fire under control, and sew
eraL times the firennep were almost discouraged
by the lack of water.
When the fire broke out the three hundred
women and girls and fifty men stiu at work be-
came panicstricker. The two policemen and
several citizens who went to their rescue had
great difficulty in keeping them from leaping.
About half OF them got down the stairway and
the rest on the fire escapes.
Acting Chief Weland answered the first alarm
and sent in second and then third call that
brought Chief Croker He Immediately sent in
the fourth and fifth alarms. and his chagrin was
great when engines began to arrive with nothing
for them to do but go back. Many of the
streams did not reach the second floors.
Ten minutes after the fire started five explo-
sons occurred in the upper floors of Nos. 315
and 81. where Frank Rosen had furniture and
carpets. Supplies Of oil and varnsh be-
lieved to have caused the explosions
The flying brands reached as far over as the
Ludlow-st. jail, and several times started little
fires the roof. The prisoners were much
frightened. At time. however. the keepers
said, was there anything approaching a panic.
Every precaution was taken to get the prison
ers out If it were found necessary.
After the fire was extingvished A. Cohen who
has cigar store over the Mutual Alliance Trust
Company complained that his place had been
robbed in the excitement.
While the fire burning pan of fat on a
gas stove in the tenement at No. 81 Orchard
st. tipped over and set fire to the fiat The
tenants in the street saw the smoke coming out
of the window and thought the whole block was
doomed and became panic stricken. Firemen
put the fire out with a hand chemical fire ex-
tinguisher All buildings III the zone of danger
were cleared of tenants.
In the Mutual Alliance Trust Company when
the fire broke out were William F. H. Koelsch,
assistant secretary, and fifteen clerks balancing
the days business. They got all the books pos
sible into the vaults. and still at that work
when the flames cracked their windows and
they were ordered out by Inspector Schmittber-
ger and Chief Croker. Koelsch Sot the consent
Of the branch Of the Corn Exchange Bank. at
Grand and Norfolk SITS, to agree to take any
money he would delive: to it. Inspector
Schmittberger gave him a detail Of six men and
they moved $4,000 in currency.
The only persons in the Van Norden Trust
Company's branch in the building destroyed
We're Mark Markell the manager. and three
clerks. They slammed everything into the
vaults and, each carrying whatever he could. got
out. On the freproof qualities Of the vaults de-
bends the loss to this company in money and
books the amount of which Manager Markell
declined 20 state. The company announced that
they would open offices nearby for business this
morning.
The building destroyed was for years occunisd
by r Ridley & Sons. credited by the East Side
with establishing the first department store in
New-York. They rehuil: the building making
IT comparatively modern. with steel and mason
~ IL 1856.
While fghtins the flames in the cellar of tine
buildings in Grand-st. late in the night. twelve
firemen were overcome by the smoke and gas
Lieutenant Charles Weber, of Engine Company
No. 81, was dragged out and later taken 70
Gouverneur Hospital by DR.. Hunt Fireman
Engel. OF Engine No IL. while in the cellar had
his right hand badly cut. and DR. Hunt took
four stitches in the wound Fireman Feth of
Truck No 6. was cut in the leg by glass and
he was removed TO the engine house in the am
bulance.
Acting Battalion Chief William J. weiland who
was killed: was forty years old He was appointed
In 1880 and made an assistant foreman in 1897 and
a captain In 1913. He then with Hook and
Ladder Company No. in Sth-ave. He made
captain frOrr
the third to the fourth battalion He had headduar
terS with Engine Company No. g. AT No 200 Eliza
beth-st. Weilard roll Of honor man He
was badly injured eight years ago in an East Side
one Of his Kidneys