New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-01-02
BIG FIRE LEAPS STREET
Continued from first page.

work OF saving the horses In a few moments
the heat grew too great, and he had to desist
IS the fire spread east and west and then
north through to 54th street piece after piece
or apparatus had to be abandoned Behind i'm
promptu shields the Smoke eaters" drove their
lines as close to the blazing buildings as pos
sible, but even with this protection they could
not get within fifty yards.
The men on the water towers stationed
in front of the Ormonde stables At no time
were they more than half visible through the
nnurk OF the binding and sitting smoke and
every now and then they were completely
wrapped in flame as the back draft drove it out
in great, glowing waves.
Just before o'clock the walls of the stable
crashed down. Hugging the water tower to
direct It's great pipe was Fireman John Shea
Of Hook and Ladder "a. AS the walls bulged
and buckled in warning of It's coming fall Shea
jumped. He smashed both legs and his left
shoulder. Disresarding the red hot bricks and
white hot iron plates and Orders raining about
them, his comrades rushed in and pulled him to
safety
Half an hour later the walls of the dairy stable
toppled The water tower crew saw It
coming and fled back few feet just in time to
save their lives. Ten seconds later the tower
had been buried under a white hot mass Of
wreckage
ment houses in 54th street abuttlng on the burn
ing buildings in the block to the south were
ablaze. Soon the of these buildings were
a mass of flame. The 1remen and the police
under Inspector Dick Walsh, went from house
to house. making sure that every person had
been put out.
In one house Patroman Tully Of the West
18th street station, found woman eighty-six
years old with her foot crushed. They carried
hoe
were found and taken TO the police station to be
held until called for. The spread of the fire in
the West 54th street houses due in some
part to the tenants who left their windows open
when they fed
In one house woman and six children were
found helpless with fright and half stifed by
the smoke. They were carried to the street by
tho police. In the rear OF this building was the
dyeing establishment OF the Thurkooff Cleaning
Company. at No. 435, West SD street The
woman and children had scarcely been rescued
when the exploding chemicals set afre the room
in which they had been. At No ASS 54th street
Patroman Kelly rescued a seven year-old girl
named Mary Smith at some risk TO himself.
Ii was not until 3 o'clock that the progress Of
the flames was stayed. In the meantime the
Ninth avenue elevated had been stopped and
service the Ninth and Tenth avenue surface
lines, we'll as the SD street crosstown line.
Where the fire had been was only a heap OF
glowing. twisted wreckase. and the streets
themselves were blocked up with wreckage, and
the boilers Of the abandoned engines and the
wrecked water towers rising above II.
While the fire was al IT'S height Negro held
up a white at SD street and Tenth avenue
and took his gold watch After the robber had
released his victim. the mans cries brought
some Of the spectators TO his aid They chased
after the thief. The Negro broke through the
fire lines. with a mob OF three hundred persons
chasing him He finally caught at Seth
street and Ninth avenue. and was taken to the
attn street station.
Thieves also were discovered In attempts TO
loot the tenement houses after the occupants
had been driven out. They got into the houses.
and several attempts were made 10 take every
thing of value. The patrolnen chased them.
but they got away. after a hard chase over
the roofs
Several persons we're reported missing It Is
though that they were caught in the tenement
house at Nos. 42S and 40 West Odd street
Mrs. Kate Garland. who lived No 42S re-
ported that her husband and her four-year- old
daughter were left in the house at the time fire
broke out She thinks that both have lost their
lives
While resouing her six months old boy Mrs.
Kate Dougherty severely burned about tho
neck ana hands she returned TO the burning
building at No. 42S Before tho police or fire.
men could stop her she ran to the top floor,
where the boy unconscious Grabbing him
up. she ran through the smoke filed halls to the
ground floor which was afre Her dress caught
fire. and when she reached the street she
almost Of flames. They were extin-
guished quickly by the fremen and she was
taken to Roosevelt Hospital in a serious condi-
ton.
The entirely destroyed buildings were those at
Nos 431. 433. 435 and 439 West SD street and
No. 438 on the south side OF the street. Be
sides these the buildings the south side Of
West 54th street which abutted on burning sd
street buildings were partly destroyed