The evening world., 1905-12-15
BLOCK IN PERIL,
W|THNO WATER
TO FIGHT FIRE
Blaze in Gas Plant Reveals
Fact that Hydrants
Are Dry.
MAN BADLY BURNED
Flames Start in Tar Oil Stored
by Gas Company Though
Prohibited.
FlREMEN ORDERED OUT
Superintendent of Plant First Tried
to Keep Policeman from Send
ing in an Alarm
MAN BADLY BURNED
FlREMEN ORDERED OUT

Following several dramatic incidents
Including a man with his clothes aham
rlinging to one Of the high chlmneys Il
the Consolidated Gas Companys plant
which takes in the block between Forty
FIRST and Forty-second streets and Elev
enth avenue and North River; settint
frs to the big plant a fight between tn
hremen and employees OF the Gas Com
pany the discovery was made that some
employee In the Water Department
over which John T. Oakley presldes
had turned off water from the hrt
hydrants south Of Forty-second street
and west of Tenth avenue.
How far this drought extended
Through the west side Of the city had
not been discovered by Deputy Fire
Chief Devanney and nremen who were
working with him. but the statement
was made by men in the Fire Depart
ment that property worth millions OF
dollars was wholly unprotected from
IRE, and that. had a blaze started in
that section Of the city, the only hope
OF checking 1t would have been from
the freboats,
The discovery was also made that the
Consolidated Gas Company has untold
quantities OF tar oil stored In It's plant,
and the deduction is drawn that gas fur
nished to tho city by the trust Is made
Of this cheap material.
Man Roasted on Chimney
The charge has been made many times
by officials in the employ Of the De.
partment OF Health and by city officials
WHO have been called upon 10 invest.
gate the quality OF gas furnished to
New York, and who have looked into
deaths from gGs poisoning. that poison
Gus gas, was furnished to consumers
The discovery OF the tar oil may have
q bearing on these charges.
Peter Bechter, a fireman employed BY
the Consolidated Company. was sent 20
nj opening near the top OF one OF the
high chimneys which had become choked
with SCOT Bechter was standing on an
iron ladder twenty feet above a net
work OF pipes. He rammed long pole
down the chimney when suddenly
flames belched from the fires below. set
nre TO the SCOT and blew Il from the
top OF the chimney The blazing soot
fell In a cloud OF Are upon the work.
man. His clothes were ablaze imme.
diately. and. with scream. he fell 10
The pipes below.
Tne blazing SCOT had been blown IN
al parts OF the plant. II looked for A
time as II there would be Are which
would carry the entire block up IN
smoke Gas tanks, all loaded to their
capacity, stood all about.
Refused Departments Aid.
Policeman Mclaughlin. OF the Yves,
rhirty-sevsnth Street Station. saw ths
Dig burst OF flame and heard Rechtel's
scream as he fell, Mclaughlin ran 10
tho ? hnt and there met Alfred
Stricken the superintendent.
We can attend TO this Are and We
qon need your assistance" Az
Lagshih reported the superintendent
said 10 him.
- " tIile tHe pOnceman looked IN
Ine smoke was getting denser evsr,,
minute He heard some OF the assS
mouse employees say that oil was on
nre Then Mclaughlin turned IN
FIRE alarm. "0" III
Engine No. 81, which houses IN w..,
iForty-seventh street Just OF p,osS'
way, was the first fire company ~ fba
scene First the engine went m Srs
Aydrants In Forty-second strest hji
OF them were dry. II made FOR Fortv
nrst street 20 hnd n Ike eondItio ~
and then 70 Forteth, but NOT a dran -,
water could be had. Then the sHgiot ~.
sped back to Forty-thlrd street a..
tached IT'S hose and when other com
panies came up the firemen startea
for the entrances TO the gas plant a.
every entrance they were met by EN-.
ployees OF the company.
Flremen stormed Place,
1--WE don't need any help," str,Aar
said We don't want any, either
Deputy Chief Deyanney saw thar tha
fre was growing, He ordered hIs men
Get In there quickl Put out thai
fre" '"''
The hremen burst past the work
men, pushing them aside, and IN less
than a minute water was playlng an
The blaze u was extlnguished VIth-
out any great difficulty. Then the tira-
men discovered the barrels OF tar oil,