New-York tribune., 1906-05-16
PIANO FACTORY BURNS.
SEVERAL PERSONS HURT.
Croker Lays EDtent of Disaster to
LOzo Water Pressure.

The six story plano factory of Jacob Doll &
Sons, at No. 4O2 to 412 East 3Oth street: the
three story building next TO IT, at 3Oth street and
First avenue, occupied by John H. Carl sash
and door factory, and the Doll company's plan
ing mills were destroyed by fire early last even
ing Fire Chief Croker estimated the total loss
at S25OOOO. The chief was bitter in his criticism
OF the police and the low water pressure He
declared that the failure Of the water supply had
increased the loss to point far beyond what it
should have been. and predicted that unless
something was done to correct this deficiency
there would be great fire some time in that
section
The fire was spectacular in a high degree and
attracted thousands of persons. including several
city officials and many automobile parties, in
one of which was Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt
who was drenched by misdirected hose
Fire Commissioner o'Brien Secretary Alfred
M. Downes Of that department. Health Commits
sioner Darlington and Deputy Police Commits
sioner Rhinelander Waldo were among the city
officials attracted by the fire.
Several densely crowded tenements backed
up against the rear wall OF the burning fac
tories, and the tenants, for the most part Ital-
ians, made frantic efforts to save their house
hold goods. Several persons were injured in the
stampedes here A great crowd gathered on the
tops of the lumber piles on the north side of
3Gth street. Finally these piles caught fire, and
as the occupants refused to come down, Chief
Croker ordered several lines Of hose turned upon
them. They scrambled down when the streams
struck them, and William E. Berenz, of No. S32
Second avenue. fell TO the ground and received a
fracture of the ankle which may necessitate
amputation. Four others were less seriously
hurt
The fire was discovered at few minutes after
o'clock. 1t broke out next to the Office of the
piano factory, in the rear of the ground floor
Most OF the several hundred employees had gone
home, but there remained fifty or more in the
building. When they tried 10 get out in the
usual way they found the stairways all abIaze
and they fed to the roof and fire escape. 1t is
believed that all got out.
Battalion Chief Graham answered the first
alarm He turned in a second and few min
utes later third alarm. Chief Croker on his
way home from a fire in Brooklyn. had Just left
the I'D street ferry. Seeing the engines rush
ing to the First avenue fire. he hurried there and
sent in a fourth and fifth alarm
BY the time Mr.. Croker arrived the flames
were shooting 200 or 300 feet into the air and
great showers of sparks and brands were sail
ing skyward and falling into the neiRhborinR
lumber yards and on the tops of the tenement
house roofs
The big water tower was put at the front oF
lack OF water pressure it was impossible 10 use
the stand pipe Lieutenant Rush. Croler,s aid
commanding the squad in charge of the tower
saw the front wall toppling and had Just time
TO order the apparatus away when the wall fell
with great crash. The fremen had narrow
escapes from the mass of debris which fell
around them Soon after this, there was a
terrific report. caused by the explosion OF the
boiler. and the wall was lifted from its
FOUNDATIONS and came down with roar that
shook the neighborhoOd.
AS the neghbOrlng tenants fled from, their
MONIES ana tried to guard such property as they
had carried out into the street a horde of Young
rOughs swarmed into the street and even the
houses, intent loot This made the italians
frantic, and scores of them drew knives and
reVolvers, determined TO resist the invasion
There were many small riots until the police
nnally cleared the street OF the intruders
The low water pressure caused Mr. Croker TO
order several engines TO the foot of Both street
where they connected with the engines of the
hreboatS Abram S. Hewitt and William L.
Strong Three companies were hurried 10 29th
street, where they got their lines into the river
direct. These eight companies, aided by the
fireboats. saved the day, according to the chief
The fire hot that some Of the lines Of
flremen who were fighting the fire in close. Only
this made IL possible for them 70 stand the heat
for even few minutes at time.
Philip Stern, eight years old OF No 342 East
25th street, was struck by a falling wall and
was taken to Bellevue Hospital with a probable
fracture of the skull
The fire was under control within an hour, but
1t well after o'clock before the excitement
of the neighborhOod began 20 die out