New-York tribune., 1911-02-04
ST. CRECORY'S PATIENTS
HAVE A FIRE SCARE
BROOKLYN Bridge Crowds Watch
Gold Street Blaze Until
"Moved" by Reserves.
SMOKE PAIL COVERS SWAMP
searchlight Wouldn't Work. out
Fire Tower Pours Tons OF
Water Into Leather
District Blaze.

C1o,,ds ~ smoke from stubborn IRE
st Frankfort and Gold streets last nlEh'
swept into the ST. Gregory Volunteer
HOSPITAL. at No 93 Gold street -FOUR
doors away. and alarmed the patients
Mrs. Monica Moore. superintendent ol
The nurses. went through the wards ana
reassured them. thus preventing a panic
Eleven policemen were stationed on the
root and about the building 10 guard
against flying sparks. Or. Wesson, OF
the Hudson Street Hospital, went i'm
mediately to -. Gregory's with an am
bulance and told Superintendent f. ;.
Allen that all Of the Hudson Street Hos
pital ambulances were ready TO hasten
TO his assistance in removing the pa
tients if necessary.
The coolness of the hospital staff hav-
ing quieted tho patients. however, it was
not considered necessary TO take them
out There were twenty patients in the
wards, half of them serious surgical
cases.
The fire broke out at Is o'clock on the
second floor in the rear Of No. 1Ol Gold
street, a FIVE story building occupied by
dealers in leather and hides. The fire
was an obscure one until the three up
per floors burst into blaze. Even then
dense clouds of smoke veled the flames,
which showed onl: a sullen glare over
the back part Of the tc,ilding.
The smoke poured in over all the
Swamp district The Brooklyn Bridge
crowds were stayed in their rush for
home and surged down narrow Frank
fort. Spruce and Gold streets. but were
stopped by the binding smoke. Reserves
from all the police stations below 14th
street hurried TO the scene. They forced
the people out Of the narrow streets
back to Park Row and up toward the
Brooklyn Bridge.
Third Alarm Sent In.
The fire had gained such headway
when Battalion Chief Hayes arrived that
Re ordered a second alarm sent in Chief
Croker was ON the scene few moments
later. and third alarm was sent in.
Commissioner Waldo also arrived about
this time.
Thousands Of Brooldynites stopped on
the bridge promenade to watch the fire.
IS from that elevation they could get
better view Of the spectacle than from
the smoky streets Acting Captain
Burke, Of the Bridge Squad got a num-
her ~ his mon together and finally
started the Brooklynites on move tow
ard home and dinnoc.
The fremen were Handicapped by an
injury 10 their searChlight apparatus. II
was Just the sort 81 q fire for which this
apparatus vas needed tho flames being
en1othcrcd IN the rear of the building,
but in rounding into frankfort street
from Nande1ater -ho searchlght truck
struck the cu1b. damaging the valve con-
iectiore.
Adjoining Houses Damaged.
The water tower was stationed before
Tho building ana poured tons Of water
through the front windows. but the four
UPPER foors of so 1Ol Gold street were
practically destroHcd before the flames
we're drowned out. Nos % and 1o3, ad-
joining were damaged.
Tn" three buildings were occupied by
leather concerns ~ which the heaviest
sufferers vcro b. Werthem & Son and
Adolrh Roth Chief Croker estimated
're Joss 10 stock and buildings at
:si0Opo
shortly after the Grc'startcd the rumor
,IrcGd that tho stock of II. c. Dusen-
berry. dealer in drugs and disnfectants,
8, SO - Gold stroat contained quanti-
nes of infammahlc liquids The report
vas said 10y momhc.s OF the firm TO be
without foundation.
During the crush about the bridge
trains Miss ". Pollard. OF No Of First
Place. Brookl.n. was severely bruised as
she was attempting 10 board Fifth
avenue train. being forced against
gate. Dr. Brown. Of the Hudson Street
Hospital, treated her and she resumed
the trip 10 Brooklyn.
q was after O'Clock before the blaze
was out