New-York tribune., 1911-11-22
FIRE DAMAGES PLANT
. OF brooklyn CITIZEN
Blaze in Basement of Newspaper
Building Attracts an I'M
menSe Crowd.
EMPLOYEES BARELY ESCAPE
One Is Hurt by Fall and Others
Are Slightly Burned While
Rushing for Stairs
Damage Is $15, 900.

= Ire III tne DululDS bNtupIfI bN i hN
Brooklyn Citizen" at the intersection of
Fulton Washington and Willoughby
streets late yesterday afternoon at
tracted an immense crowd in these
streets.
rhe fire started in the pressroom and
cellar Of the building, about > o'clock, and
rapidly spread to the stock cellars and
adjoining rooms. An alarm was sent
in from box 90. and with the arrival of
the engines Deputy Fire Chief Lally was
ON the spot to superintend the fighting
of the flames.
The first intimation that any one IN
the building had OF the fire was when
several men at work in the press room
saw cloud of smoke suddenly sweep
by them. Looking up they saw flames
rapidly spreading in the direction oi
the one stairway leading from the
cellar
Among the men in the room were
Luke Falin.. Of No. 257 Lexington ave-
nue.. superintendent Of the mail depart
ment. John Frost. of No. 227 East S9tn
street. foreman of the stereotypins de-
partment; John Duffy, of No. 24o Law
renee street and John Kennedy. OF NO
1240 Fulton street. assistant torema"
Of the mail department.
Frost. who was preparing to go nome
was clad ir his undertaking. GTao-
hing his other clothing he rushed TOT
The stairs with his companions. on the
u.av IN the stairs, which were already
surrounded by flames, he fell and struck
his knee against the bottom step
Duffy and Falin, who were just Dehihu
Frost seized him by the arms ana
dragged him to the top Of the stairs
whore they helped him into his clothing
and out 10 the street. All received minor
hurns but refused the attendance OF a
surgeon.
The fire had by this time spread to the
naper stock room and was purnihs
6ercelv. Some one raised an ash lift III
tho sidewalk. and the flames shot out
into the street until a line Of high press
ure hose was directed at that particular
point.
The fremen were able TO conflne the
fire IN the basement, and the flames shot
nm through the floors of stores occupied
nv the Truly Warner Hat Company, the
Rist Shoe Company and the seidenbers
Cigar Store.
Occurring at time when thousands
Of people were returning from Manhat-
tan. the fire attracted great crowd
which was added to by thousands VINO
came rouring out Of the subway, the eie-
waited stations and the surface cars
The police of the Adams street station
and several traffic men had all they
could do to keep the crowd moving.
Traffic was not even blocked in Fulton
street. in spite Of the large throngs. and
a tie-up which took place in Adams
street was only of few moments dura-
ton
once at work on the flames the fire
mon made short work Of them and pre-
vented them from spreading to the upper
stories of the building. The Brooklyn
Citizen suffered loss OF elo'Vp III
damage TO machinery and paper. The
damage to the hat store was $1,000 and
IN the Rigi Shoe Company $500.
Several persons in the crowd were
thoroughly drenched by the bursting of a
high pressure hose. and their antics as
they endeavored to escape the icy water
afforded much amusement for their
uckier neighbors
on learning of the damage to the
pressroom of The Citizen" William
Berri. proprietor Of The Standard
Union" last night offered the use Of his
plant 10 The Citizen" until its own ma
chinery could be repaired. Andrew Nc
Lean. editor Of The Citizen" accepted
Mr.. Berris offer.