New-York tribune., 1906-05-27
FIRE DESTROYS BLOCK.
TWELVE HURT-ONE DEAD
Whole Manufacturing District ON
West Side IN Danger.

One was killed and eleven persons were
injured yesterday as the result of fire which
swept the entire block between oath and 25th
streets and Tenth and Eleventh avenues. The
dead man is Max F. Zeraline, chemical worker
who lived at No. 517 West 42d street He died
at the New York Hospital.
For few moments the entire manufacturing
district on the West Side was threatened. The
fire followed an explosion of chemicals on the
south side of the second story of the factory of
the Fucker, Levett and Loeb Company, dyna-
makers, at No. 526 West 25th street. The
flames, feeding on chemicals and paints. tore
through the seven story structure like a tornado
The entire building was occupied by this COM
pany, and hundreds of men, women and girls
employees. were in it at the time. Some jumped
from windows and dozens dropped from fire
capes, while those in the rear crowded them on
ward.
Famed by brisk wind. south and east, the
fire spread along 25th street through factories
and shops at Nos, 524 522 and go then worked
its way backward to 24th street TO Nos. $50. 527,
go and 531
Those reported seriously injured
dpanT Wa Ia acreS D aEe en % to 0 Sew Erss Yd
Hospital
5 shock sHd 69ras oa iaea Of y no. Ne$ :s 6
Hospital and later home.
s hoeSa SSs: i s to TO- New s'S Ho
Hospital and later went home.
MARKWART Fred. thirty=four years old chemist Of
No 49e Sc; eSrmanla ma, a.. avenue EN- Jersey CITY seriously &
aospiea S may 'i die a'' ana O00s taken to Ne" YORK
sLEcBGANN. Louis, Hook and. Ladder Company I;
Soms Sk on hsA' WIN nozzle OF nose removed to his
STEVENS Michael. twenty-eight years old of Engine
HospitsI HiI{ ''''''''A' INJURIES '4Nsl 10 Ne" h0'A
Zeraline and Markwart we're sealing big chem
ical jars with wax when the heated wax pene-
trated the fluid, causing an explosion. The cloth
ing Of both plen caught fire and they rushed into
the street screaming with pain Luther Lewis
negro, tore the clothing off them, but the fire
had already eaten into their eyes and faces and
other parts of the body
Meanwhile the flames tore through the str7,ct-
ure up and down, north and south, until it
seemed that not a soul could escape. Girls
threw themselves from windows and almost
trampled over one another in their hurry to Jump
from fire escapes. James Murphy. of No 34l
west Zoth street was passing by at the time
and dashed to the freight elevator He ran the
elevator up and down until he could do so no
longer. He was the Of saving at least
thirty girls from being burned.
Patrolman Callaghan carried several girls out.
and other acts of bravery were noticed When
the fremen arrived the flames had mounted to
the second and third floors
Five alarms in all were sent in. bringing two
freboats. twenty-five engines. six trucks. i've
chiefs Of battalion and a water tower
The flames spread to Elott's stable at No
532-534 West 25th street, and twenty horses were
hustled out. Burning tirnbers fell on the next
building, at No 54S, occupied by the z. B. New
man Charcoal Company In 9th street the
flames caught four story building occupied
by Eugene Dietgen company. the Mutual Steam
Laundry and the ". & S. Schlessinger COM
pany, furniture agents, The building burned
rapidly.
Engine Company Il in fighting the flames
threw thirtytwo foot ladder against the build
ing. Firenen CahilI and Stevens started I'D
the ladder with a line OF hose. and when they
reached the second story the ladder broke and
the two men were pitched to the sidewalk, but
not seriously hurt
The building owned and occupied by James ].
Duffy, contractor, at No. 535. caught fire The
nth and six stories burned fercey and the
flames spread TO the lower floors. Chief Croker
put more companies at work in the street and
the building was saved The building of the
New York Metal Ceiling Company was scorched.
In the rear Of the building in 25th street
is stable occupied by Walton's Theatre
horses in stalls. and an old man on the second
floor who had hoped save some clothing The
horses were taken out and John O'Connor, q
keeper in the Jefferson Market prison, carried
the old man 10 the street
After an hours hard work Chief Croker got
the fire under control. 1t burned until late in
the evening Chief Croker estimated the dam
aga ar