New-York tribune., 1907-08-18
FIERCE BROOKLYN FIRE
FOCR HOURS TO CONTROL.
Fireman Ouercome by Columbia
Heights BIaze-Loss, $500 900.

A fire in the De Haven Manufacturing Com
-,.,x,,s building, Nos so and 81 Columbia
t,eights Brooklyn. kept the hrernen busy for
fou- n srrs yesterday morning before IL was got
,,,ser control The blaze spread to the ware
,o,,se in the rear on Furgnan street, and caused
= total loss OF half million dollars to buildings
IN Columbia Heights and Furman street.
John Watson, OF Engine los. held the nozzle
srher the men OF his company We're In Of
the De Haven company's buildings Furman
street. When the walls of the building fell a
gas pipe was broken. and he stumbled and fell,
overcome by the smoke and gas. The fremen,
who were in danger themselves from the totter-
ing sides Of the building. dragged Watson
through a narrow passageway into Fur1nan
street A call sent for ambuiances. but
before two arrived from the Long Island College
HOSPITAL Watson restored consciousness
End anxious 20 get back at the nozzle.
The top floor OF the De Haven company's
building. in Columbia Heights. is occupied by J.
II Paddock & Co. cork manufacturers. where
thirty women were at work. They got out Of
the building without any trouble.
No one knows how the fire started The
flames were noticed the top floor and in the
basement az about the same time. Patrolman
Heating remembered that Catherine O'Neill.
fifty years old. and her sister Agnes. .>sixty-five
wears old. two retired school teachers. lived
the top floor Of the adjoining story build
ing Forcing in the front door and cropping
through the smoke filed Railways. he got TO the
rooms Of the two women and found Catherine
excited and choking from the fumes of the burn
ing oily cork. Agnes O'NeiIl. who was bedridden
and helpless. was rolled in blankets and carried
with her sister to the street They were taken
10 the home Of a friend No. 9 Poplar street.
Captain Berenpohl the librarian Of the Ham
tr,rg- American Line, was also taken out of the
same house
Battalion Chief Reilly among the first to
respond 10 the alarm He seht In a call for sec
ono and third alarms. This brought Acting
Chief Duffy and fourth alarm then sent
81 which brought the reserves OF the Adams.
Butler and Amity street police stations. Acting
Police Commissioner O'Keeffe. Borough In
s2ector Flood. District Inspector Holahan. Dep
uty Fire Commissioner Wise and other officials
alsc answered the fourth alarm
The blaze spread from the De Haven building
10 the Nassau Machine Works New York and
Brooklyn Coffee Roasting Company and the
Nassau Coffee Company buildings Furman
street When the engines started pumping the
water supply was found inadequate, and II Il
were not for the high pressure salt water mains
which used for the first time. the fire
would still be snouldering. Only half dozen
engines were needed TO send streams into the
burning buildings after the salt water mains
were tapped
The Nassau Machine Works loss $4,000.
TIE De Haven company had s15o.0oo insurance
On IFS buildings, and lost s35000O. The Pollock
conpanys loss was $4,000. The loss 10 the
coffee roasting companies IS placed at about
sI56o00
Father NcGrontn the chaplain OF the Fire
Department, furnished the men with sandwiches
and hot coffee and helped 10 restore Watson.
who was overcome.
The worst part Of the freulen's Sob was 20
save the coffee roasting houses on Furrnan
street and this they did by soaking the coffee
with water. probably destroying thousands Of
dollars worth of material