Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-01-11
Parker Building, Considered to be
Fireproof Burned Almost
Like finder.
WATER COULDN'T REACH TOP.
New York Fire Department Had
Been Dreading lust Such
A ConfIagration.
Shows, Says Deputy Chief Binns. That
Water Towers Cannot Reach
Above Eighth Floor.

New York, Jan. 11.-With the first
srteaks of day when this morning
scores of firemen began the task of
searching in the ruins of the Parker
building at Ninteenth street and Fourth
avenues for the bodies Of the three
firemen who were reported missing aft
er the calling OF the roll of the COM
panies that took part in lighting this
particular fire that destroyed the l3
story building last night, caused loss
variously estimated at amounts reach
ing S6,000,000 or $1,000, 900. Although
accounted fireproof the great build
ing burned almost like tinder the
fire In the upper atories gaining great
headway unchecked, as 1t was far be-
yond the reach of even the fire de-
partments great water towers. Sensa-
tional rescues were the feature OF the
fire. Five men who were at work on
the top floor of the building were cut
off from rescue from below and sought
the roof where they stood shouted
against the flames which had broken
through the roof. From the top of
an adjoining building, several stories
lower than the blazing one, line was
shot up from a mortar and with this
line the beleaguered men drew UP n
stout rope which they fastened to a
chimney, sliding down to the lower
roof in safety.
DREADED SF<YSCRAPER FIRE.
For months the fire department has
been dreading a fire in skyscraper
and although the Parker building was
only 10 stories in height, the fate of
one OF the modern buildings of twice
that height Is easily imagined from
last nights experience. The water
pressure. even when augmented by the
force OF the largest engines In the de-
partment was not sufficient TO raise
the water to a point anywhere near the
top of the building. When the new
salt water high pressure mains are
completed, officials say this fault will
be no longer SO prominent.
At an early hour this morning or
ders were issued closing the subway
which runs past the burned building,
No trains were allowed to run in the
block between the Fourteenth street
and Twanty-third street stations, the
Eighteenth street station being oppo-
site the burned builing Shuttle trains
ran north OF the Twenty-third street
and south of Fourteenth street to the
next station provided with switching
facilities.
FIRE UNDER CONTROL.
The fire was officially declared to
be under control soon after o'clock.
Dul bEPuAs tiiiti othAAANh tito
police to keep crowds as far away as
possible from the wrecked building
as there was great danger that II
might collapse Is a result OF the con
traction of the steel girders as they
cooled. This resulted in a complies
tie-up OF the Fourth avenue trolley
line and II was not expected that any
cars would go over the Eighteenth
street crossing during the day.
The subway service which had been
resumed during the early rush hours,
was suspended shortly after 3 o'clock
owing to fear of the officials that the
wreck OF the Parker building might
collapse and crash through into the
underground tube After that hour
no trains were run between Grand Cen
trail station at Forty second street and
Fourth avenue and Fourteenth street
During he forenoon It was not at all
certain when the great underground
highway would be reopened TO traffic.
The officials of the marlborough RIA
pid Transit company said they had
acted upon a suggestion from the fire
department
From Information given by the oc-
cupants OF the surrounding buildings
II Is believed that the FIRE was In pro-
gross fully an hour before II was dis
covered. Supt Fullerton of the AM
erican photographic company. directly
across the treet from the burned
building. said today that fully an hour
before the alarm was given. he smelled
smoke and had q thorough search
made on every floor Of his btilding An
hour later the firemen were In posses
sion OF one Of the upper floors or the
American photographic company turn
ing flood OF water on the Parker
building.
DEPUTY CHIEF TALKS.
Deputy Chief Binns Faid
"The fact that the fire gained great
headway was due entirely TO the lack
of water. There arc two 12-lnch mains
on Fourth avenue. There is no pres
sure whatever In the side streets
there are 6-inch mains and on Broad
way there ia n 36-inch main. But the
pressure from the Broadway main was
more than half lost az a result of the
distance from the fire.
MANY OF the engines worked under
q fiyepound vacuum instead OF rs to n
pound presume, which is ordinarily
found In the street hydrants,
at shows that at the present time
in New York" continued the deputy
chief, tho water towers cannot reach
above the eighth floor. Because OF the
poor water pressure, the three water
towers responding TO the i've alarms
had 10 be laid aside"
Mrs. Kltzler who lived on tho third
floor had 20 be taken out OF q third
story window by fremen. Coming
down the ladder she fell 20 feet IA tho
sidewalk and WIS sent to O hospital
badly injured,
a number Of other persons were over.
come by smoke, while several were
more or less burned before they were
carried out OF the building.