New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-21
PLANT BURNS
Fumes from Pearl Street Blaze
Fill Wall Street.
POLICEMAN RESCUES FOUR
Eighteen Companies and Two
Fireboats Called to Check
Progress of Flames.

The lower part of Manhattan. up as far
as Wall street. was saturated Yesterday
I morning with what IL known In the trade
| as the odor of violets. Almost every one
in the downtown skyscrdoers got Whit
of IT. together with few other smells
that We're not so sweet.
| All of them came mixed with a goodly
allowance of smoke belchirg from the ire
that practically destroyed the SIX story
| building at No. 10 Pearl street. occupied
! by a number of perfumcry. toilet soap
and cosmetic factories. The breath Of
violets was contributed to the atmosphere
chiefly by the plant of Charles l.. iiirsh.
| which occupied two tioors Of the building
~ violet ammonia factory.
When the fire was discovered 10y the
smoke il made. shortly sitter 10 O'Clock.
there were a hundred girls in the build
| ing. VINO became panlcstricken as the
| smoke suddenly gave way I" burst OF
flames. They ran in frightened droves 10
the windows and stairways. lighting and
/ trampllng each other N their peil-mell
rush for safety.
| BY this lime PatrOlman Scldhde on a
| nearby post. had discovered the IRE aud
sent in an alarm. Then he rushed into
| the building and did his best 4" calm the
1 frightened women. When Le got most Of
! them To tn. street il EIs discovered that
/ some were missing aad S"haudcl rushed
! back To find Florence O'CJnnor. OF No. "
| State street. Brooklyn; Alice Hagen, Of
! No. Il West street and alice Duffy lying
| unconscious on the fourth H'oi' overcome
| 10y fumes and fright.
a 70 "a.
escape and down To the street where She
soon recovered in the fresh air Then he
made two more trips ana brought the
other two girls 10 safety. All oi the girls
revived quickly and Were sent home
I Ry this time the hremeu had their
streams on the building, hut II was found
that those called out by tn" FIRST alarm
were not enough To- handle the job. aud
two more alarms were soludod. bringing
eighteen compa nies i'm ~ 80 the scene.
! Even with this force Ia" IT." made rapid
! h,aduay. and the iirrbndtS VIE called
Into service. being station"" 80 south
! Ferry.
owing 10 the volumes If ammonia and
other sitting fumes coming from the
Naming chemicals in the building. and the
/ tremendous heat generated by IN" burn
ing oils and Fat used In the soaps made
there. tn. fir.fighters were forced lack to
! surrounding high BUILDINGS. from winch
they Iot red their streams iato the build
/ ing. several dremcn were overcome tenn
porariy by the fumes and were treated
b. the waiting ambulance doctors.
Directly behind the burning building
were a number of missions in STATE street
In one Of these. the Mission OF our Lady
Of the Rosary FOR the Protection OF IRISH
Immigrant Girls. mass was being ccle-
brated when the fircmcn rushed through
with their lines 10 attack the fire from
the rear. The panic hat h,Eau {" spread
among the wosshippers Was quieted by
Father Henry. and the service was com
pleted n was said by Father Henry
that he had smelled the fumes from the
fire for several hours before II was dis
/ covered. After the mass "a spcCia' pray"r
was said for ans one VINO inisht D." IA the
burning building.
OWing 10 the rapid progress of the o."
ths cause or source Was ROT dc'e mine.
The damage was placed at about ti"."''
Both walls Of the building. which Is of
brick were badly cracked and the wood
On floors were completely destroyed.
Next door was "A small stable in which
twenty horses were quartered. They
were turned oui and Tor time blocked
the street I'm "A frightened herd.