The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1908-01-14
SIS, 900 BLAZE STRIPS
'FIREPROOF" SKYSCRAPER
Thirteen-Story Parker Building in
New York Destroyed.
RARE ART TREASURES BURNED
The Fiercest Fire in Years Three
Firemen Dead and Many Others
Injured-Many Daring Escapes
From Tenth Story.

AOAA ANAAh CSSAJ
New York City - Flames consumed
to its skeleton of iron and brick the
supposedly tireproof 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.
The flames licked to the bare bones
of the thirteen-story structure. The
steel Orders, 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, it was practi-
cally certain that thousands of tons
of masonry would crash into the sub
way The order to stop traffic wac
obeyed.
Three lives were lost and scores Of
firemen were injured.
The dead are: John Fallon, Fire
Patrol 8; George O'Connor. Engine
72; Thomas Phillips, Engine ~.
Seldom have New York firemen, 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 saved with difficulty.
The amount of damage done was
estimated by Fire Commissioner
Lantry and Assistant Fire Chief Binns
at more than $6,000.000. They said
that the disaster proved the inability
of the New York Fire Department tc
cope successfully with flames in the
city's skyscrapers at a greater height
than the eighth story,
Two score firemen had miraculous
escapes from death when the floors OF
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.
The flames spread throughout the
building with amazing rapidity, at
tracing $4,000 spectators. Fire
lines were established early, and II
is estimated that 10000 persons were
massed in Union Square alone.
Tho konopfc ne tho hni1dfnU TUnra
as follows:
First fioor-The Brunswick Bake
Collander Company, manufacturers
of billiard tables and billiard balls;
T. Snyder Sons & Co., fancy uphols
terry.
Second fioor-The Kuy Scherei
gical instruments
Third floor-Sambaiac & Son
French and Venetian embroideries
Silver & Co., steel engravers.
Fourth or-Karaghensign ORR
entail rugs, of Constantinople; stool
valued at close to 100000.
Fifth fioor-Encycloped Brit
tanica; James Clark & Co., publish
ers.
Sixth fioor-The Detner WoolleI
Company.
Seventh Frederick w. Evers
furniture.
Eighth fioor-Fairchild & Co., golt
pens and pins; Moses King, publish
ers; NJ Goldberg, printer; John Finn
printer; P. P. Caproni & Bro, ar
casts.
Ninth foor-E. c. Heath, schoo
books; the Judge Publishing Com
pany.
Tenth fioor-Vacant.
Eleventh floor-Local branch Col
lier's Weekly; Allan Stirling, civil
engineer; Cushing Engraving Com
pany, steel plates; Post & Co., print
ers.
Twelfth Sixteen small Office
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.
Mr.. Walters, a Baltimore man, paii
$250,000 duty to bring to the United
States statuary, paintings and bric-a
brac valued at about 100000. Thi:
priceless collections seems to have
been totally destroyed.