The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-02-05
s6,0OO,00O BLAZE STRIPS
'F|REPR0OF' sKYscRAPER'
Thirteen-Story Parker Building in
New York Destroyed.
RARE ART TREASURES BURNED
The Fiercest Fire in Years-ThTee
Firemen Dead and Many Others
Injured-Many Daring Escapes
From Tenth Story.

Injured-Many Daring ESCAPES
From Tenth Story.
New York kCity-Flames consumed
to it's skeleton Of iron and brick the
supposedly freproof structure known
as the Parker Building, which occu-
pies the northwest segment OF the
block bound by Fourth avenue, Eigh-
teenth and Nineteenth streets and IT.
wing place. fE
The flames licked to the bare bones
Of the thirteon-story structure. The
steel girders, with their facing OF
white stone on the Fourth avenue
side and brick on the other sides,
threatened to collapse and because
of this peril the police cleared build
ings which nestled beneath the burn
ing structure of hundreds of tenants.
The subway runs under Fourth
avenue, and because, Of the menace
of falling walls peremptory orders
were sent to the officials of the In
ter.-Met. Railway to stop traffic In
the subway Immediately. In case OF
the collapse of the building, Fire De-
partment officials said, 1t was practi-
cally certain that thousands of tons
of masonry would crash into the sub
way. The order to stop trafhc was
obeyed.
Three lives were lost and scores OF
freman were injured.
The dead are: John Fallon, Fire
Patrol 8; George O'Connor, Engine
72; Thomas Phillips, Engine q.
Seldom have New York fremen had
to fight more stubborn blaze. There
were many thrilling rescues, and
from time to time rumors went
around that some OF those fighting
the flames had been killed by falling
debris. Many of those working IN
the building when the fire started
were saHed with difficulty.
The amount of damage done was
estimated by Fire Commissioner
Lantry and Assistant Fire Chief Binna
at more than $4,000, 900. They said
that the disaster proved the inability
of the New York Fire Department ia
cope successfully with flames IN ting
city's skyscrapers at a greater heigh1
than the eighth story.
Two score firemen had miraculous
escapes from death when the floors on
the fifth story fell, carrying debris
downward to the cellar and upon the
heads of the men fighting the flames
on the second story and in the base.
ment. gs'-.L9
The flames spread throughout tht
building with amazing Tapidity, at
tracing $4,000 spectators. Fire
lines were established early, and II
is estimated that 10000 persons were
massed In Union Square alone.
The tenants of the building vert
as follows: - Al 3
First fioor-The Brunswick-Balke'
Collapder Company, manufacturers
of billiard tables and billiard ballsf
T. Snyder Sons & Co., fancy upholst
terry. ;
Company, manufacturers Of fine SUR
gical instruments.
Third f1oor-Sambaiac & Son
French and Venetian embroideries;
Silver & Co., steel engravers.
Fourth floor-Karaghensign, Orb
entail rugs, of Constantinople; stocs
valued at close to $1,000,000.
Fifth foor-Encyclopedia Brit
tanica; James Clark & Co.. publish.
ers. -
Sixth foor-The Detner Woollen
Company. 81 a
Seventh hoor-Frederick W. Evera
furniture.
pens and pins; Moses King, publfsh
ers: M. Goldberg, printer; John Finn,
printer; P. P. Caproni G Bro, ar
casts. ~
Ninth floor-E.. c. Heath, school
books; the Judge Publishing Com
paiy. ... a...stt
Tenth foor-Vacant. 4.
Eleventh floor-Local branch Col
lier's Weekly; Allan Stirling, civil
engineer; Cushing Engraving Conn
pany. steel plates; Post & Co., print
ers. 81
Twelfth hoor-sixteen small offict
tenants.
On the tenth floor was stored one.
of the costliest art collections in the
World-that of the late Henry Walt,
ers, president Of the. Atlantic Sea-
board Line. s.;..'s:s.ciit, s:s..cii. i,s::s is,,Ss:s
Mr.. Walters, Baltimore man, paid
$250,000 duty to bring to the United
States statuary, paintings and bric-a'
brac valued at about s2,000,000. Thil
priceless collections seems to have
been totally destroyed. ~-' rF&''