Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1912-01-10
New York Skyscraper Falls
Prey, Yesterday Morn
ing, to the Fire
Fiend.
FLAMES CREATE
GREAT HAVOC
Six Lives Lost and Prop
erty Worth Many Mill
ions of Dollars
Destroyed.
ASSOcidtcd Press DiStdfchl

| marble granite home of the Equitable
Life Assurance society. covering a
block on lower Broadway. and a his
| toric landmark in New York's early
period of skyscraper buildings, in one
of the city's most important financial
centers, was destroyed by fire today.
with a loss Of six lives and probably
six millions of property dozen per-
sons were injured. Valuable records.
including the biography of f. II. Har-
riman and two priceless libraries
which cannot be replaced. went up
in the flames.
The fate of hundreds Of millions of
dollars in securities, stored in the
safety deposit vaults, is in question
tonight. although it is believed the
fireproof construction will save them
from damage.
The great structure which. beside
containing the main office Of the
Equitable. was the home of the Mer-
camille Trust. Equitable Trust, the
banking house Of Kountze Bros. Au-
gust Belmont & CO.. the Hartman
Lines, the Mercantile Safe Deposit
company. the Lawyers club and many
Of the city's most prominent law
firms. stands tonight shell Of ice
coated granite The intense cold
caused thick ice coating from the
facades of the skyscrapers adjacent
to the pavements for blocks around
the bulwark of modern fireproof struc-
lures near by. which, according to
Fire Commissioner Johnson. protected
The enfire financial district
The damage, except from water. is |
confined to the Equitable structure |
OF those who lost their lives. three |
were employees Of the building, who |
were killed by jumping off the roof. |
To which they were driven by the |
flames. Battalion Chief William J.
Walsh disappeared in whirl OF |
smoke and flames when a cave-in
occurred on the third floor Two 9TH
-rs, William Champion, captain Of
the watchmen of the Mercantile Safe
Deposit vaults. and Frank J. Neidcr,
special officer whose bodies are
complete the list of the
lead, 50 far as known. Several watch
nen and others who were in the
structure when the fire started are
for. but are believed to
lave escaped.
The death total however, may re-
main unfixed until the fire. which is
till burning tonight, can be eXtin
-uished and the ruins cool.
Among the injured is President J.
;iblin Of the Mercantile Safe Deposit
o., whose rescue from the basement
aults, where he was imprisoned. after
wo hours work by firemen. was one
{ the most sensational episodes of
he fire. He had gone into the vault
} save some securities, and acci- s
locked himself in with an t
nploye who accompanied him. His il
ries were heard. and the firemen had I
} saw through the steel bars of the I
Oor leading to the street before they {
)uld rescue the imprisoned men. Glib d
n WAS taken to a hospital suffering
'om the effects of smoke. one man
another vault, believed TO be Cam
ion, could be seen from the street,
is legs pinned down by a mass of
chris He could not be rescued be-
luse steel doors barred the way. T
through the smashed windows Of the
,ors he was given the last rites by
haplain Mclean of the fire depart
ent just as he was swallowed from :.
ew by the dense smoke. Spectators "
windows in nearby skyscrapers :,
Id of seeing others disappear in the -
ames when the roof caved, but the =
lthorities believe the casualty list
unlikely TO be increased. IS
Some estimates of the loss run as
gh as fifteen millions. but more
authorities tonight were
the opinion that il would not run }
er six millions. The property was Is
sessed by the city at twelve mill s
ms. a larger valuation. with one eX-
ption. than any other building in :
e financial district. The greatest
TT is based on the value of the II
ound An Equitable officer said the !
ciety's own loss will probably s
lount to no more than 100000 5
vered by its own contingent insur-
ce fund, and that duplicates of IS
cry record destroyed are stored in IS
office. The company had
,nned Il new building on the site.
There were stored in a fireproofI Il
ult over the main entrance on
oadway between two hundred and !
ty and three hundred. millions in
.urties of the company. Gage T.. IS
rbell. trustee. said tonight that he
ieVed the contents of the vault is
II be found safe. Although the loss
the biography of Hartman. which
s about To be printed. seems ire
evable, the records of the Harrimani}