New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-13
TAMMANY HALL ON FIRE
Chief Croker Directs Fight, and
Saves the Tigers Lair.
PICTURES AND PAPERS SAFE
Olympic, Once Tony Pastors,
May Postpone Production
New Wigwam Discussed.

For two hours yesterday morning the
fate of Tammany Hall hung in the bal
ance while several fire companies, under
the leadership of Chief Croker and Fire
Commissioner Waldo. fought to save the
grim old tigers historic lair on East
14th street. Patrolman Randolph, of
the East 9th street station, saw smoke
issuing from the windows of the upper
floor at $50. Turning in alarm, he
rushed into the building, to find fire
roaring in the west balcony of the big
been started by the cigar of some care
less merrynaker who had attended the
dance there the night before
Battalion Chief Ross arrived in a few
minutes with his command, but found
the fire had rot headway enough TO
make second alarm advisable. IN view
of the proximity of the Academy of
Music and the Central Hotel. Water
tower No. > responded, and was put to
work flooding the ballroom and the floor
below. b. prompt work the firemen
succeeded in confining the fire to the top
floor, but their efforts covered the entire
building with a sheet Of ice and set
nearly all the interior afoat.
May Delay Production.
The Olympic Theatre. Tony Pastors
OLD house and part of the building, was
SO badly damaged by the deluge which
descended from above that it will prob
ably be necessary to postpone the pro-
duction of THE Folles of New York,
announced for this week Inc eA-
tent of the damage to the building was
mt at So5 600. though Secretary Smith,
who made a tour of inspection after the
fire was out. did not think that it would
exceed $1,000
The Tammany leaders who watched
the fire from the side lines showed the
greatest anxiety over the safety OF the
old committee rooms in the lower part
of the building. where the destiny of
many a-1nan has been shaped from the
days of Kelly the Mighty.
There reposed the records of the or
eanization and score of famous pict-
ures that could not now be bought with
gold. There reposed also the fiat top
desk from which Kelly and his success
crs dealt out their spOils until 1t was
pushed into the corner by Carrolls
rawer acorisition to which Murphy has
succeeded in his turn.
None of these priceless treasures was
badly hurt by the fire. When Murphy
ino,1ired about them over the telephone
as soon as he was told of the hre lie
heard the records were unharmed ana
that his desk would be ready for MN In
. few davs Some of the furniture,
however. was badly soaked and some OF
tho fauous men will have to look down
ont of damaged frames until new ones
are provided but beyond that the lower
floor escaped injury.
MAY Build New Wigwam.
The fire revives the talk, prevalent not
long ago, of the society .deserting this
building. erected in 1867, and moving
rntown to a new wigwam. Nothing
definite has been decided on this point,
however. Repairs to the present quar-
ters will be completed in approximately
+,ree weeks under the direction of Mr.
Nurnby. head of the building committee,
ond in the meantime business will be
carried on temporarily at the state head
o,,.r+ars No. 1 West 34th street.
hundreds of business people, hurrying
to their offices at the time OF the hre'
left the 14th street and Third avenue
surface cars to take the subway and
elevated while the traffic on those lines
was held in check. Fifty patrons of the
CantraI Hotel. adjoining the hall on the
cast were routed out by the hremen
until the danger of the fire getting be-
I'D control was over They joined the
o,r;ous thousands who watched the
smoke pouring from the buiidihs' WHICH,
bv the way, has been threatened with de-
etrnction by the same cause twice before