New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-08-13
BLAZE ON RIVER FRONT
Stone Works Buildings Burn and
Threaten Tenement Houses.
TAXICAB STOREHOUSE SAVED
Ten Thousand Gallons of Gas
olene in Danger of Explosion,
with Crowd Near.

More than ten thousand persons lined
the river front between 18th aad 57th
streets last night. when a fire demolished
the plant OF the Cosgrove Brothers steam
stone works, at No. $40 TO 6l4 West 9ftn
street 1t was said that 1000 gallons Oh
gasolene was stored In ground tanks under
the garage of the New York Taxicab COM
pany. directly adjoining the burning buiid-
ing. and Il took the combined enorts OF
reserves from three stations TO keep the
crowd back from the danger line
After the third alarm had been turned IN
the fremen formed water walls between
the fire and adjoining buildings. The tene-
rnent houses on Eleventh avenue were
emitted OF their occupants when IT looked
as though they might become ignited by the
nving sparks. The damage was placed at
about $1,000.
The flames were first discovered by boys
MIA wing I'm the street near Eleventh avenue.
They ran to the next corner, where they
found patrolman and told him Of the
fire in the stone yard. TIE patrolman sent
in the alarm and then ran 10 the building.
He tried 10 break down the street doors
but was met by a burst Of fame which
drove him back.
Battalion Chief Turpenny, who responded
on the first alarm, saw the danger 10 whlch
adjoining buildings were exposed and sent
in a second alarm. BY this time the fre
had spread 10 the lumber yards OF James
Bayer in the rear, and a dozen streams OF
water We're turned on the flames, without
much apparent effect. James DAILY.
Waterman employed in the lumber yards,
succeeded in rescuins four horses which
were tied In the stalls. but as he led the
last animal out ne was overcome by the
smoke and had to be carried to the street
by hremen
on account Or the stiff wind which was
scattering sparks to adjoining buildings
Turpenny sent in a third alarm, and this
brought Acting Chief Martin 10 the scene.
Martin took command and AT once ordered
that all the families living in the tenement
houses on the east side of Eleventh ave-
nue. between Goth and 9th streets he sent
10 the street These persons joined the
thousands OF others. who banked them
selves OF the fringe OF the police lines and
watched the ffremen's struggle with the
flames.
With a sudden shift OF the wind. the
taxlcab garage next door TO the stone
yard was threatened, and the fire fighting
forces directed their attention toward saw
ing this property. While water walls were
esta blished between the blazing ruins OF
the stone yard and the abutting wall OF
the garage, several chauTeurs employed
by the taxicab company rushed into the
building and took out the fifty or more
machines. They were driven to a space
west OF Eleventh avenue, where they were
parked After a battle ot half an hour
the firemen were able to save the taxicab
building
One OF the features OF the fire was the
rescue OF a large St. Bernard dog from
the flames. The dog was locked in one OF
the stone yard buildings for more than
half an hour. and when the firemen finally
broke through the wall Of flame the ant
NAL lesped forward and licked the hands
of the firemen.
After An hours fight the fire was placed
under control. II is not yet known what
caused the blaze.
Three fremen we're overcome by the
smoke and were forced 70 suspend work
for several minutes. Thomas Lynder. Of
No IFS West 3sth street + chauffeur EN-
ployed by the Taxicab Company, was an
other 70 be overcome by tho smoke. He
was sent TO Flower Hospital