The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-07-03
SWIFT MORTON BUILDING FIRE
SCALING LADDER GIMNASr
PICKS MAN orr EIGHTH FLOOR.
Ants March From other windows Down
the Firemenr Ladders Government
sIeuths Helped Out OF Department ef
Justices Onice-Croker on q Ladder

Jusuces Onice -troher on tsho1rS'
Narrow Nassau street saw rescuss by
ladder and scaling ladder late yesterday
afternoon when a fire that got its start
in moving picture films cleaned out part
Of the Morton Building at Iio Incl
denta.ly Il saw Chief Croker going up a
ladder a. ntInbly rs q cat going up tree.
The flames took suoh jump from the
colluloid strips that tho occupants Of all
twelve floors OF the building. which has
an extension running through % Ann
street, had hard time getting out
Nobody WIZ seriously hurt. Falling glass.
some OF it coming from a great height.
made things perilous for tho firemen
working OH the ladders. and some Of than
were cut. Only one had to go to the hos
pital though. and his injury isn't enough
to keep him under cover many days
The Vitagraph Company Of America
had it's business Office in the Ann street
wing Of the building on the first floor
above the street. There were a good
many reels Of film stored there awaiting
shipment Each reel weighs six pounds
and contains "a thousand feet Of film.
Charles 4. Burton. employed in the
Office Of the company. was writing at his
desk. fixing mp the last biz ~ the days
business. OF sudden he caught a
glitter in the stock room. tie didn't
think much Of it, hut when it shons
brighter and brighter he strolled over to
see what was the matter. There was a
str.amer Of fire shooting out from an
electric light switch set in the wall near
where the films were stored. and II was
licking az a tin can in which one Of the
reels was packed
Will. Burton looked at it the top
OF the can popped on showing the vicious
yellow flame 81 burning celluloid. He
grabbed the can in his right hand, think
ing To save the rest Of the stun stored In
the room. He ran out and slammed the
door behind him. He made his way 20
the hall overlooking Ann street and tried
to open a window with one hand. The
window swung on central pivot and
vas hard to bulge. The can was burning
holes in Burton's right hand but he didn't
lst go Finally he shouldered the window
open and tossed the can into Ann street.
Then he ran back to the office. As he
PASSED the stock room. he heard n sound
as 81 tin cans humping down on the
floor. He grabbed the knob and opened
the door = crack. 4 blast came out which
singed his face from the stubby beard
on his chin to the top OF his head. He
looked afterward as II a pan Of gasoline
had gone on in his face.
Burton made on down the corridor
yelling Fire. Morris Bremmer, who
works in the same Office. followed. Burton
lost his watch and s37 in money. He
had spent too much time trying TO get
rid 81 that burning can. and didn have
time IA gather up his o~n property.
William r. Rock. the president OF tho
Vitagraph Company. IL in Reno getting
pictures OF the hght.
Brrmmsr and Burton made for the
stairway ran down a flight and out the
Nassau street entrance. The elevators
used 70 run at the junction OF two cor
ridors. one leading into the Ann street
wing. the other TO the Nassau street
doorway Tn. rooms Of the vitagraph
company weren't far from the elevators
and that fact made the progress Of the
flames from one floor 20 another swift
and sure.
Martin Kramer. the superintendent
Of the building. was at the Nassau street
when he heard Burton yelling.
His first idea was to nun through the
building telling the tenants to get out.
He started for IT, but by the time he got
10 the second floor where the vitagraph
films were still popping. he had to turn
back He ran out into Nassau street
crying that the building was on fire
Then he bethought himself 81 the motors
IN tho basement
He said afterward that he didn't know
the thought u them worried him
Or why he turned them on But he did
Just as soon as he stopped tho current
tho elevators stalled and what persons
there were still in the building had to
take their chances with the stairways
Or with the firemen's ladders
Up 20 then Bruce Ross. a young scotch
man who ran one Of the elevators had
stuck by hia job ON the first trip from
The roof IN the ground floor after Burton
had given the alarm he brought down
eighteen pcTsons He couldn't remember
how many trips he made before Kramer
left him stranded. but he said that by
hat time the woodwork Of the window
frames was ablaze almost 20 the top Of
he building
The first alarm brought Battalion
thief Hayes lie didn't wait an instant
before sending In a second Smoke was
already filtering through the windows
u the top three floors on ths Nassau
street side. and the airrhaft in the angls
Il the l. was abla1e inside and out The
sccond alarm brought Chief Croker
iown from Great Jones street. and no
rang In a third
Everybody who waited in the building
10 see II the fro was going to amouns %
much was trapped and for some n thsn
the predicament was pretty serious. The
names broke through the doorways Of the
company and followed the ele-
vator shaft and stairways away to the top
VI the building. The tenants had 20 rim
FOR the e1tremittes % the corridors
furttsst from the shaft and walt Tor
belr. Thirty persons were helped out IN
me way and another
W ScOtt. barter. With a shop on the
ground floor. near the elevator. was
shaving u man when Burton went yelltns
Daat The mans faop was lafharad and