New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-09
GAS TANKS THREATENED
BIG 18TH STREET FIRE.
Printing Firm Burned Out-Many
EScaDe an Haste.

a four alarm fire which threatened the four
mammoth gas tanks of the Consolidated Gas
Company, in West 44th street. started shortly
after o'clock last night in a four story brick
building at No. 62s West 44th street, occupied
by the William Green Printing Company and
the Star Electrotype Company, directly oppo-
site the tanks.
The fire was discovered by William Graham
chief engineer Of the printing plant, on the third
floor in the moulding room, in the northeast
corner Of the building. which is 125 feet long in
A4th street. Graham turned in an alarm and
then told Superintendent Hawthorne of the gas
works. who at once sent his fire brigade of fifty
men TO fight the fire.
The flames spread rapidly in spite of their eff
forts. and when Deputy Chief Binns arrived with
the regular firemen he turned in a second and
a third alarm Chief Croker, who came on the
third alarm. ordered a fourth sent in. as not
only the gas tanks. but other buildings to the
south, separated only by an alley from the fire.
were threatened.
Superintendent Hawthorne in the mean time'
had ordered his men to play streams OF water
over the gas tanks. which were becoming so
hot that he feared explosion. They kept a
blanket of water between the fire and the tanks
but in spite of this the latter became so hot as
to be unsafe. and the superintendent ordered
them emptied This was quickly accomplished
by means Of a pipe which connects the tanks
with Others at Goth street Each tank contained
365 600 cubic feet Of gas. but they were empueo
in less than twenty minutes.
The danger from the gas tanks being past the
frernen devoted all their attention TO the nre'
and managed TO conflne It to the building where
it started The freboats New Yorker and George
B. Mcclellan came up the river and did enectiVe
work with their 6-inch streams.
The Green Printing Company IS one OF inc
largest printing establishments IN the country.
and does all the printing for Town TOPICS
and 1.-The Smart Set" besides a lot OF miscel-
laneous work The printing and composing de-
partments were in the building which was
burned. and included four Webb presses. worth
$50 600 each About o'clock the roof fell IN
and shortly afterward the north wall fell into
the street The crew Of Engine Company "a
which was working close to the wall, had mar
row escape and had 10 drop the hose and run
when the warning cry came.
About four hundred men were in the building
when the fire started. but all got out safely
Thirty girls, who were working in the bndery
of the Green company on the second floor IN
the 43d street building. were frightened by the
smoke. but the forewoman. Miss Elizabeth Nc
Carthy. quieted them and then marshalled them
In line and led them TO the street
The damage was estimated at 100000 Auto
matte sprinkIers had been installed IN the build
ing recently, and would have been ready for use
In a few days.
There are three buildings in parallel rows.
connected by a IT" piece the river side and
separated by alleys. The Green Printing Com
panys building runs from No 62S West 44th
street around to No 627 West 43d street. The
bTiI5inp in the centre is occupied by the Green
Automatic Lamp Company, which the fremen
managed TO save. The Home Pattern Company
ana The c E Ellis Real Estate Company, which
OCCUPIES tho building the upper leg on the
49d street side. sustained some damage from
water as did the Green bindery.
Colonel William Dalton Mann. owner Of
..rTov-n Topics" and THE Smart Set" is in Cuba
at present and II could not be learned last night
where the two publications will be printed IN the