Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-26
BIG bridge: FIRE SWEPT.
ORDERS DAMAGED ON NEW
], ], MAEHATTAN STRUCTURE.
New York Firemen Have Hard, Bat
3tle ON High to Subdue Spec
tacular Blaze.

NEW YORK March 26.-Fire which was
started by the bursting OF a metal recep-
tacfe filled with hot tar swept the south
side of the new Manhattan bridge for 800
feet yesterday, and did damage that will
delay the completion of the structure for
several months.
The monetary damage estimated by
Bridge Commissioner Martin before the
fremen had completed their work and be-
fore thorough inspection could be made
was about $4,000.
Mr. Martin said some of the steel grid
ers which are to support the ties for the
bridge part of the subway system will
have to DE replaced. and that some sus-
pender cables between the Brooklyn tower
and a point about $40 feet to the east
ward will be taken out.
The gIrders supporting the creosote-
soaked ties, which was the only fuel on
which the fire could feed. stood the heat
WELL but some of them are badly warped.
Many are sOot-covered but Commissioner
Martin was hopeful that when the paint
ers have scraped away the black covering
it will be found that the steel work has
been injured less than was feared. The
metal guard rail Between the subway
tracks and the roadway was twisted out
of shape by the fierce heat, and several
feet of 1t will have to be replaced
Made Fine Spectacle.
In its spectacular effects the fire rivaled
the historic blaze Which eight years ago
did much damage TO the Williamsburg
bridge. From the lower part of Manhat-
tan and Brooklyn the dense volumes of
smoke could be seen. and the Brooklyn
water front was lined with persons. who
obtained close view of the firemen bat
thing against the most unequal odds they
have met III a long time 1t was the sec
ond fire on the Manhattan bridge within
a week but the blaze last Saturday was
insignificant compared with yesterdays
spectacle.
The fire started within few feet OF the
Brooklyn tower. About forty men were
laying the fireproof sidewalk on the south
side OF the structure. On handcars which
stood on the tracks to be used by the sub
way system We're six huge tanks contain
ing tar, and under each a fire Just
before o'clock the bottom of one of the
tanks collapsed and the fire beneath 1T
was scattered over the railroad ties all of
which had been soaked with creosote. Al
most before the WOrkmen could flee the
fire had communicated to the other tar
tanks and started a blaze which increa sed
in fury as it swept Gown the incline to-
ward the Brooklyn anchorage.
Hard Battle on High.
the advancing fire they found their way
blocked by a blaze which had taken pos
session of the tarlike covering of the
roadway. In the meantime freboats and
other companies had started sending
streams from the high-pressure pumps
but by the time the water reached the
burning ties it had spent its force and
had little effect on the blaze.
With bridge employees to aid them the
tx,rtxJ
of hose. Although there was only slight
pressure the firemen met the oncoming
strip Of fire as it licked up the lies and
they fought it back. There was nothing
on the south side of the bridge to burn
except the railroad ties, but they all were
of pine and thoroughly soaked with creo-
sote, and the dense smoke which rolled up
from them made the firemen fight with
caution. At the point where the tar pots
had oeen left burning the fiercest fire re-
suited, and when the firemen had soaked
that spot there was nothing LETT but a
mass of twisted metal and charred wood
work