New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
SIDE FIRE DRIVES
| HUNDREDS TO STREET
Frenzied Persons Rush from
Lodging Houses, Tenements
and Missions.
CEILING FALLS ON DANCERS
Blaze, Which Started in Loft
Building, Threatened to Sweep
Large Area-Five Alarms
Turned In.

| HuudredS OF tenement mouse uNche' -
theatregocrs and guests In lodging
houses and missions were turned out
| into the streets shortly after 10 O'Clock
| last night. when fire that started on
! the second floor of the five story loft
building at Nos. 191 and 1913 Chrystie
street leaped up through the building
spread through TO the structures at NOS
| lS9 and 195 on each side and threatened
| to sweep the entire district bounded by
4 Stanton and Rivington streets. Five
alarms were sent i'm i'm rapid succession
| by Chief Kenlon and reserves from six
precincts were hurried out to Keep III
check the great mobs Of excited people
! that thronged the streets and 1ammeo
| their way into drug stores ana saloons
! to get out Of the bitter cold.
An automatic alarm in the burning
| building gave the first alarm. a Few
seconds after Headquarters had been
notified, Charles Waterman, patrol
man connected with the East 9th street
station, saw flames bursting from one OF
| the windows. Chief Kenlon arrived on
the second alarm. He took one look at
the blazing floors above the street and
sent in, third. fourth and NTH alarms
I'm quick succession. At once reserves
began TO be rushed to the scene, and the
work of getting tenants out of the near
by buildings began.
Dancers Flee Madly to Street.
| IN the building next door. at Nos. 1875
Ian6 1877. the Zhitonirer Ladies' United
| Union vas holding a ball About three
| hundred lightly clad dancers were whirl-
| ing about the floor when policemen en-
tered and gave notice Of the fire. The
dancers were assured by somebody. how
! ever that the danger was not serious
| and they went on with the dance. A
! few minutes later burning timbers
crashed through a skylight and descend
ed with q shower of splintered glass onto
the heads OF the dancers. and there was
| instantly concerted rush for the street.
Women in low cut gowns and men In
their evening clothes scrambled out into
the biting cold A few minutes later
some Of those who left precipitateE de-
cided that they had time 10 rescue their
wraps and ran back into the hall. where
they were imprisoned for several min
utes by falling glass, which descended in
showers from broken windows above the
entrance. Police reserves ran in and
watching their opportunity got the re-
manning guests out on the street again.
Meanwhile the flames. in spite Of all
/ 81 do had cnrpaH infO
/ the building at No. $50. The men in
| the Bowery Mission, in the rear of the
burning structure, were routed out the
dread line was broken up and lines Of
hose we're run through the mission and
out on 10 roofs in the rear from which
fremen began to pour streams into the
sea Of fame that roared UP through the
loft building and waved twenty feet in
the air above the roof.
Reserves scattered up and down the
| block and drove every tenant out OF the
buildings i'm Chrystie between Rivington
and Stanton streets Those who refused
TO go or fingered to pick up few of
their belongings were thrown out bodily.
These evlcted crowds of men and women,
carrying babies and small children
wrapped in blankets and bedclothes,
made for the saloons and drug stores, a.
whose doors people were fighting for en-
trance.
Reserves Have Hard Fight.
At II o'clock the blaze i'm the loft
| building, instead Of giving way to the
efforts OF the firemcn. continued 10
spread. The flames, which lighted the
entire district, had attracted such crowds
cf people that Inspector Cohslane. in
charge of tho reserves. had hard work
keeping the fire lines intact The blaze
had become so threatening that he or
dered squad Of men 10 GO around into
Stanton street and drive out all tenants
in buildings between Chrystie street and
the Bovery.
Three hundred women who had taken
shelter for the night in the Salvation
Army Hotel for Women. at No. 2i5
Bowery. we're marshaled III the main