New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-12
ANOTHER IN HARLEM
KEEPS FIREMEN BUSY.
Back Draft Throzcs Smoke Eater"
Into Ditch-Trafc Blocked
Damage, $I5O,OOO.

damage In all amounted to about Sl50OsO of
whlch SIorOoo was done in the West Broadway
blaze Both fires were spectacular and pro-
duced vast volumes OF smoke which caused
much excitement in their respective neighbor-
hoods
The Sixth avenue elevated line south of
Bleecker street was blocked for three hours be-
ginning at 6:4J. while the surface lines using
the tracks West Broadway suspended oper-
alton south of Desbrosses street for the entire
evening. The Harlem fire. at Madison avenue
and the Harlem River. stopped the i35th street
and Port Morris cars of the Union Railway and
caused mucn inconvenience TO persons living In
The Bronx
The fire in West Broadway completely Quilted
the six story factory building at Nos 3S3 and
$50, a few doors north of Broome street 1t
afforded one OF the finest demonstrations OF the
high pressure system that has yet been seen.
IL took three hours Of the most stubborn kind
of fighting before the blaze was under proper
control. and for the greater part OF that time
fifteen streams were playing the flames
An accident that might have had serious con-
sequences was narrowly averted when dozen
iremen OF Engine Company 13 were thrown
from a platform I'm the rear of the building by
back draft. They were hurled into seven
foot excavation at Nos. 80 and II Wooster
street. All but three escaped injury. The
who were hurt were found TO be suffering from
contusions OF the back and legs After treat
ment by DIR. Walsh. Of ST Vincent's Hospital.
they went back to work with their company
THREE ALARMS SENT IN
The fire discovered about s. 30 O'Clock by
PatroIman Decker. OF the Macdougal street sta
tion. who passing the building when he saw
smoke pouring out OF the cellar entrance AS
soon Captain Link saw the dangerous aspect
Of fire ba in ala ,,-bi
Battalion Chief Martin and several companies
chief Martin sent In second alarm. 10 which
Deputy Chief Ahearn responded with additional
equipment. third alarm brought all the ap-
paratus Of the lower West Side to the scene.
The building was occupied on the second and
third floors by the II. B. 81. George and Hello
l!thographing companies. l. ]. Jacobson. man
ufacturer Of paper boxes had the fourth. NTH
and sixth floors. The cellar and ground floors
were unoccupied. the j. II. Wiemers Company
manufacturers OF paper novelties having moved
from there two days ago. Much paper and rub
bsh was left in the cellar. and IL Is believed that
the fire had it's origin In that refuse.
wher the fTemen began TO work dense clouds
~ smoke were rolling ou. Of the 'front.' Of the
building so that the horses attached TO the
apparatuses had 10 be taken 10 ueghboring
streets The hremen finally got eight streams
going against the front OF the building. which by
this time n OF flames through the
first five floors. AS the water poured into the
building the smoke became denser. and IL was
necessary for the fremen 20 work In relays
Two lines of hose were taken up on the roofs ot
adjoining buildings. hut they could not he
brought into play until massive iron shutters
covering the windows had been wrenched apart
Several companies were stationed in Wooster
street directly I'm the OF the burning struct-
=
ishcd and a seven foot excavation gave the fire
mon an excellent opening to get at the flames
from the rear Part of the first floor OF the old
building had been left standing and 1t on
this that the men OF Engine 13 climbed In order
10 get their hose through the ground floor win
dovs when the iron shutters we're opened the
back draft struck the hremen with great force.
and they were thrown back into the excavation
Most OF them scrambled up again. however. and
soon had two streams playing on the blaze
other companies dragged their hose through the
third and fourth floors of the adjoining buildings
I'm Wooster street and from the windows
shot streams into the blazing building.
For two hours than dozen streams
poured on the blaze but still II continued 70
creep toward the roof Finally IT burst through
Firemen on neIghboring roofs were waiting for
this and four cross streams were poured into
the openine With six streams playing from the
elevated structure into the NTH and sixth story
windows four through the roof and three
through the rear windows. the fire soon
drowned out although a couple OF streams were
kept going most of the night.
DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT 100000
Deputy chief Ahearn who had charge of the
Nre I'm the absence Of Chief Croker. estimated the
damage at 100000. which is said To Re fully
10
which mad just vacated the cellar and ground
eoor was burned out In the building at West
prood,yuv and Spring street early In the spring
The Harlem fire practically swept the entire
hiock between 135th and 136th streets Madison
avenue and the Harlem River. II began in
one story structure occupied by the Sperry &
pophem Coal Company The origin Of the fire
is unknown, but 1t spread with great rapidity
IN the building OF the woodworking firm OF
Hogan & Duggio and Leonard Brothers coal
yard.
Three alarms we're sent In. and Deputy Chief
R,r,s who cam, on the second alarm. took
charge IL was almost useless To fight the flames
in the coal and wood yards. so the fremen
turned their attention to- two large tanks of the
pure oil Company at Madison avenue and l36th
street The tanks contained about three thou
sand gallons of lubrcating oil. while large
Quantity of benzine was stored by. These
were saved.
Flying enbers set fire to Farley & Co.'S livery
stable In the same block. and soon IL was
mass OF flames The twenty seven horses m
the building were taken out with difficulty. as
also were thirty ir Leonard Brothers stable
Captain Walsh. OF the East 126th street sta
tion. called out the reserves and kept the crowds
hack from the burning buildings The total
damage was estimated at $4,000
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