The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-01-10
THE EQUITABLE
BUILDING IS
NOW IN RUINS
FIRE DESTROYED LANDMARK
IN THE1FINANcIAL DISTRICT OF
NEW YORK, ENTAILING A LOSS
OF 100000 AND COSTING SIX
LIvEs-MANY HAD NARROW
ESCAPES.
BY Associated Press.

New York, Jan. s.-The immense
marble and granite home of the
Equitable Life Assurance Society, COW
ering a whole block on lower Broad
way, the historic landmark Of New
Yorks early period of sky -scraper
buildings, and in one of the city's inn
portant financial centers. was today
destroyed by fire with loss of six
lives and probably six million dollars
in property. A dozen persons were
injured. Valuable records, including
the autobiography of E. Fl. Hartman,
and two priceless Libraries which can
not be replaced, were destroyed. The
fate of hundreds Of millions of dollars
worth of securities stored in safety
deposit vaults are tonight in question
although it is believed that fireproof
construction has saved them.
Fought in the heart Of the financial
district, the fire upset the financial
machinery of Wall street and bust
ness was practically suspended during
the day. The great structure which.
besides containing the main offices Of
the Equitable Life Assurance Society.
was the home of the Mercantile Trust
CO., and banking houses of Kountze
Bros. August Belmont & Co. the Har-
riman Railroad lines. Mercantile Safe
Deposit Co., Lawyers Club and many
of the city's most prominent law
firms. stands tonight shell of ice-
coated granite.
COLD WAS INTENSE.
The intense cold acted almost in
simultaneously upon the wafer poured
on the flames and thick ice coating
speedily formed on the facades of the
towering skyscrapers adjacent ard
pavements for blocks around. Tho
bulwark of fireproof structures nearby.
according to Fire Commissioner John
son tonight, was an invaluable protec-
ton to the entire financial district.
AS it was. the damage. except by
water, was confined entirely to the
Equitable structure.
Three men were killed by jumping
from the coping roof Of the structure,
where they were driven by the flames.
They were employed in the building.
Battalion Chief VIM. j. Walsh di s.
appeared when the cave-in occurred
on the third floor AM 40 trace OF his
body was found tonight. VIM. Cam
pion, captain OF the watchn eI OF the
Mercantile safe deposit vaults, an,7
Frank J. Neider, a special officer, are
dead, but the bodies Eere not foun.l.
Among the injured is President Wn,
J. Giblin, of the Mercantile Safe De-
posit Company. who was rescued from
the basement vaults wheee he was
imprisoned, after two hours of hard
work by the firemen. Giblin had gone
to the vault to save the securities and
accidentally locked himself in with an
employee. Their cries were heard b.
the firemen. who had to saw through
steel bars of the street door to rescue
the prisoners.
ONE MAN ROASTED.
One man is another vault was seen
from the street with his legs pinned
down by mass of debris. He could
not be rescued because heavy steel
doors barred the bay. Through the
smashed windows of the door he was
given the last rites by a chaplain of
the fire department just as he was
swallowed from view by the smoke.
Some estimates of the loss are Is
high as fifteen million dollars. but
the more conservative authorities say
it will not exceed six millions. The
was assessed by the city at
twelve millions, the largest sum, with
but one exception, of any building IN
the financial district. BY far the
of the ground
An officer of the Equitable Society
said the society's own loss will not
exceed 100000, as it is covered by IN
surance and that duplicates Of every