New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-04
$4,000 Beekman Street
Blaze Destroys 2 Lofts,
MenaCes Skyscrapers.
FIREMEN SCORCHED,
ONE GIRL OVERCOME
Big Blaze Threatens Lives OF
Thousands in Office Buildings
at Lunch Time.

"Goodby three-alarm fires said Fire
Chief Croker, back in 1908. when tie
high pressure system was installed IN
downtown New York. But yesterday
afternoon four alarms were necessary
TO combat a fire that roasted Beekman
Street, between William and Nassau
streets. The biggest blaze in the busi-
ness district since the disastrous Equi-
table ire in 1912, it destroyed two brick
warehouses, stored with paper, at 16
and rs Beekman Street, and provided
two hours Of excitement for Office en-
ployes caught at lunch. AS flaming
spectacle full of thrills, it was Filmed
BY scores of motion picture men, one
of whom beat the fire apparatus to the
scene.
Thousands Of persons, including
Mayor Mitchell, Public Service Commis-
sioncrs Hayward and Whitney, and for
mer District Attorney Jerome, wit
messed the fire.
Flames leaping across Beekman Street
licked buildings in their path, while
huge volumes of smoke turned day into
night. Tons of water flowed from the
burning structures and threatened for
= time to cave in tbs new subway eX-
cavation. on the plank roof, Of when
scores OF firemen fought the flames The
heat splintered windows of Office build
ings and sent showers Of glass into the
street.
Five Firemen Scorched.
Five fremen we're scorchcd and one
girl was overcome By smoke, but no
BODY was seriously hurt. Anna Gold
stein, eighteen, of $40 Madison Street,
was carried half conscious from the
Offices of Henry Lindenmeyer & Sons,
on the ground floor of 20 Beekman
Street. Revived by an ambulance sur
geon from the Volunteer Hospital, she
was sent home.
William Plender. chauffeur of the
hose car of Engine Company 81, was
badly burned about the left arm. lie
received medical treatment, but refused
TO stop work Plender was among the
first on the scene. Driving the hose
car west through Beekman Street,
Plender ran into a wall OF flame. lie
was strapped TO the seat and unable to
move Speeding up the car, he drove
through the flames and brought his ma
chine to hydrant at the corner OF
Nassau Street. All the firemen on the
car were scorched.
Inspector Dillon, in charge of 200
police reserves. threw up FIRE lines At
Broadway. Spruce. Ann and William
Streets, block each side Of the threat
ened district. At Q o'clock last night
this section was still under patrol and
the daily file of thousands through
Nassau Street bound for the Brooklyn
Bridge and the subway was forced TO
make detour into Broadway. The
smouldering remains OF two tottering
brick buildings kissing under the
streams. from several lines Of hose
was what was left of the fire. Il had
been eXtingulshed at loss of S'5,OOO.
Policeman Warns Tenants.
Patrolman Frank Bye. of Traffic A,
was walking west through Beekman
Beekman Street at 80 o'clock when
he saw tongue of flame dart from the
windows of the third floor Of Is Beck
man Street, occupied by Lasher
Lathrop II was here that two weeks
ago a $4,000 blaze Quilted the building.
Bye shouted TO Patrolman Huntington,
OF the 5th Precinct. 10 turn IN an
alarm. ran into the building and, work
ing from floor TO floor, emptied the
Offices in five minutes. Then he turned
the same trick in the Bishop building,
at No. T.
When the first hremen arrived the
buildings were roaring furnaces. Three
more alarms were Immediately turned
in, bringing apparatus, police reserves
and ambulances. Fire Commissioner
Adamson and Chief Kenlon took charge
and ordered the tenants out OF nearby
buildings. At 1879 Nassau Street. which
was being scorched by flames from the
burning structures across the street,
the police averted a panic by ordering
everybody out. From the roof of this
building four streams were played on
the flames. The water tower was run
up and high pressure stream poured
into the fourth and fifth floors
Through the editorial rooms of THE
Sun" four lines of hose were run and
streams were turned on the fire from
the rear OF the burning structures.
High Pressure Falls Down.
The high pressure was unable 20 feed
all the streams with any degree OF
efficiency, and when Il was seen that
the four from the roof opposite were
drenching unprotected police officers
in the street below rather than the
blaze they were shut off and some
Roadway was made against the fire.
Commissioners Hayward and Whit
IL Il
works Of bags of sand to defect the
streams Of water away from the sub
way excavation.
In the editorial department OF "Thc
SUM-" the rear Of which adjoins the
rear OF the burned buildings, reporters
covered" first page story without
leaving the building
WOMAN DECEIVEp Ell &c