New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-03-08
MAYOR SEES F|REMEN
QUELL A BIG BLAZE
Spectacular Fire at 59th Street
and Third Ave. Stops 81"
and Surface Cars.
LIGHTS UP HALF THE CITY
Starts in Old Furniture Shop and
Spreads Like Lightning
Policeman Saves Woman
as Firemen Arrive.

fire which started last night in an
old furniture shop at the northeast cor
ner of S9th street and Third avenue
| threatened to sweep over the whole
block before it was brought under con-
troll. The elevated station at 39th street
was on fire two or three times. and all
trains were tied up for two hours. ur-
/ face car traffic was also suspended. both
on Third avenue and the 59th street
| crosstown line.
1t was a woman who first discovered
the fire and turned in an alarm. and
who then went calmly on about her pusi-
ness so that her identity was not learned
She was standing on the platform of the
elevated station at 59th street. and saw
flames in the old Monahan Building.
"Just watch this satchel for a moment
she said 10 the ticket chopper. dropping
a suitcase at his feet. She then went to
the street. found fire alarm box at 6oth
street and Third avenue and turned IN
an alarm. In five minutes she was back
again for her suitcase and boarded the
next northbound train. She Wouldh
have got a train had she waited much
| longer.
The fire began on the third floor OF
building which until recently had
been occupied by the Monahan Furnl-
ture Company. Patrolman Morrell OF
the East 9th street station, and Patrol-
man Mushmaker ran into big tenement
house behind the blazing building 10
warn the tenants that their lives were
in danger.
Bv the time Mushmaker reached the
stairway the halls were filled with smoke
He shouted Fire at the top or MS
voice and most of the tenants rusheu'
Gown. Some one told him woman with
baby was on the fifth floor and he ran up
To look for her He found Mrs. Margaret
Ruthuff in bed her baby in her arms
Both we're unconscious from the smoke
He threw a sheet around them and got
them to the street through the SMOKE
which was getting thicker every minute.
Mayor Gaynor was probably the most
! interested spectator Of all the big crowd
that was attracted by the hre. Inc
/ Mayor had been out to review the lst
Battery in the 22d Regiment Armory'
and when he and Lieutenant kenneli
| left the armory the glare of the flames
was lighting up the sky. Mr. Gaynor
wanted to see the blaze. and drove down
| in his automobile. A policeman trled 10
hold him up. but not for long
! Chief Croker was dripping water and
SCOT when Mr.. GaynOr arrived. The hre
was under control. but not out
Was any one hurt?" was the Mayors
! first question.
No" said Croker. Come to see how
, we work."
Yes" said the Mayor.
| II was Mr.. Gaynor's first visit TO
night fire. and he took great interest IN
the workings of the powerful searchlight
and other apparatus. He stepped nimbly
over the network of hose stretched across
the street. and seemed greatly pleased
with his visit which lasted about twenty
minutes.
When the firemen arrived the whole
building was in flames and the adjoin-
ing tenement house was being showered
with sparks. which were also threaten
ing To cause trouble to many other build
ings in the vicinity. 1t was said that
| burning embers were waited by the
strong wind from the East River as far
west as the Hotel Plaza at Fifth ave-
nue..
An explosion Of paint or varnish had
scattered flames through the third floor
Of the furniture shop. That building,
six story brick structure was wholly de-
stroyed. and the fire also wiped out an
IL" of the building eXtendn- into ootn
street Besides this structure. flames
damaged No. 99l Third avenue. five
story tenement house. and restaurant
at No 991 and a chop suey place at No
ooo Although the old furniture louse
was destroyed the damage to the other
buildings was not great and the fire.
mon estimated the total damage at be-
tween So. 600 and $4,000.
Flames from the burning building bill
lowed up through the roof i'm great
pillar and lit up the sky 50 that the
blaze could be seen for miles. So spec
tacular was the blaze that help was hur-
ried from Flower and Presbyterian hos
uitals. and even from BlackwelPs Island,
whence six doctors rushed over 10 Man
| haitian i'm a launch. From a distance it
| looked as if a terribly destructive blaze
WAS going on, and the physicians hur-
/ ried to the fire only Ia find that no one
| b.d haap injured