New-York tribune., 1912-02-12
BIG vESEY STREET FIRE.
One Building Destroyed and
Three Others Damaged.
SEVERAL FIREMEN HURT
Flames Start in Newspaper
Plant-Loss Estimated
at $250,000.

Three alarms brought fire company after
fire company Gathering and changing into
Vesey street, between West Broadway ano
Church street, about IL o'clock last night
ard the fremen faced a blaze that was
stubborn and treacherous. and for a time
threatened to wipe out half OF the block
As II was, the four story building at No
"a was destroyed and three floors OF a
wholesale drug house next door. at No. 66
were burned out Besides, two floors OF
No 80 were burned and No IS was badly
damaged.
The fire originated on the third floor OF
No 81. in the offices Of THE Pan-Hellenic.' 8
Greek newspaper Patrolman Vincent
Clohassey. OF the Greenwich street station,
saw flames shooting up from the roof and
turned in the first alarm, which brought
Deputy Chief Binns. The deputy saw at
once that more apparatus was needed, ard
rang the call twice more.
Even by that time the fire had done a
great deal Of damage to No. "a, and Blnns
foresaw the terrors OF a fre in the whole
sale drug house which was a five story
building, occupied by the Whitall-Tatum
Company His call brought the f1reboats
Thomas II. Wilett and New Yorker TO the
Barclay street ferry slip, while high
PRESSURE water towers were lining up in
front Of the fire. ready to dump their tons
OF water on 1t.
A group Of fremen started up the steps
Of No. 50, but they had Just reached the top
Of the first flight when a terrific back
draft blew them headlong down the
stairs All were bruised and cut. and Fire
man Patrick Sulliy of Hook and Ladder
10, had 70 be sent home, after being
patched UP by an ambulance surgeon. The
other men were able to go back to duty.
g'he fight with the fire became desperate.
Hose lines fought IT from the elevated
structure, train traffic being stopped alto
gother. A squad went up on a fire escape,
bit a sudden squirt Of flame drove them
racing down the iron ladders. Dense. chok-
ing smoke filled the streets, and the gleain-
ing searchlights could not stab through H.
which added TO the fremen's difficulties
Ice began to form on the front OF the build
inrs. where the heavy streams Of water
dashed against the brick walls.
The fire entirely destroyed the interior Of
the building where Il began. The top moor
was vacant. the newspaper occupied the
third. the Washburn Machine Company the
second and the Lowell Electric Company
the ground floor. Morris Workman.
dealer in bicycle supplies, had space in the
basement
Frantic efforts we're made by the irem"n
10 keep the flames from going into the
WhitaII-Tatum company building, as mem
ories OF the Tarrant and other biz drug
fires are ever fresh In their minds De-
tt,a nd
fercely Several iremen were partially
overcome by the fumes from the chemicals.
The danger OF an explosion was always
imminent The three top floors Of the fve
story building were consumed. IL was all
the department could do TO keep the IRE
from spreading TO the abutting building
occupied by the Catholic Directory Com
pany. at No. ~ Barclay street However
this is separated from the wholesale drug
house by a few feet OF space. and into this
openinR a wall of water was poured.
The fire once in No. IS. efforts were
turned TO saving No. ~. and were success
full though smoke and water did their
worst In the building which IS occupied by
the Fountain Grove Vineyard Company.
In the meantime the flames had spread 10
the top floor OF No 80, on the west sid"
of the fires start. These floors occupied
bv Budde g Westermsn. bottlers' supplies,
we're destroyed. II was about two hours
before the 1re was under control. Chief
Kenlon, who had como racing down in his
red automobile, said the loss was about
$4,000.
Police reserves from Ave precincts under
Inspector DAILY Captain Tierney, Of the
Elizabeth street station. and Captain Tap
pin. Of the Greenwich street station. kept
back a big crowd. which constantly ac-
cumulated, as not only the elevated but
the surface systems and Barclay street
ferry were held up.