New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-24
HOusesW Wrecked
AS Fire-Ruined
Building Falls
Police Keep Crowds Back
as Three Top Stories of
Warehouse, Afre Since
Tuesday, Crash to Street
Even Firemen Are Barred
Big Store of Bonded Liquor
Is Revealed OH Sixth
Floor After Collapse

The three top floors az the east wall
Of the Manhattan Transit Company
warehouse. which has been burning in
termittently since last Tuesday fell
upon the adjoining houses and the
street at I o'clock yesterday afternoon.
Hundreds Of persons had gathered 20
wait for the collapse. and IL was only
because Of the impregnabie IRE lines
which had been drawn by tho police
that no one was hurt. Two three-story
dwelling houses next 20 the orumbling
building were wrecked
What is left Of the warehouse is ex-
pected 20 fall now at any time No
one is allowed on the block where the
warehouse is located. Of 10 % IL Jane
Street and extending through TO
Twelfth.
Crash Was Expected
Acting Fire Chief smoky" Joe
Martin had seen in the morning that
the walls were certain 20 fall. Hours
before the crash came he had ordered
Ell fremen out of the building. Only
the fire apparatus in Jane and Twelfth
streets was left in position. and ten
streams Of wafer were kept playing
upon the ruins.
Hundreds Of siRhtsccrs had come
and extra police had 70 be stationed TO
keep them from vcnturing too near
tho warehouse. By noon the rccurrent
blazes which have been breaking out
in variof parts Of the building we're
4 q ?. 49,. aNal..
At $3.50 o'clock tho Twelfth Street
side Of the wall was eighteen inches
out Of plumb apd was steadily bulging
outward. Residents Of all dwellings
In the immediate vicinity who had been
driven out by the Ere were warned
against entering their homes. Those
families who had occupied the houses
az Nos. 239, 24l. 2f3. 253 and 255
Twelfth Street and 40 Nos. 6, 8, 10, p
and % Jane Street and who had been
permitted during the last two days 70
enter their apartments were ordered
10 stay away until further notice.
Bis Lights Removed
Emergency crews removed tho big
lights and street lamps which had 81
Illuminated the scene 40 night. The
FIRE apparatus was taken out Of the
danger zone. and only three hoses.
fixed on tho roofs Of houses across the
street from the warehouse, were kept
Ia use.
As the word spread that the walls
we're expected 10 fall, the crowds grew.
Even fremen were forbidden 20 20 on
the two streets.
As a result Of these precautions.
Jane Street and Twelfth Street were
deserted when the enst wall fell with
rumbling roar thai could be heard
for blocks, Tons Of brick landed on
the tops Of the adjoining houses. No.
s Jane Street and 2l9 Twelfth Street
took the brunt q the avalanche,
The falling bricks went through the
roofs as II they were 90 mucn paper.
They bore down through the floors,
wrccking the interiors Of inc two
houses They bounced upon the street,
and flew 20 the roofs Of other nearby
buildings The conclusion caused by
the pressure OF the bricks in 30.
and No 249 forced out an the windows.
and tore the shutters from their
hinges.
Liquor Amid Ruins
When II was all over and 10 was dis
covered that no one had been hurt.
there developed n comic relief on the
sixth floor Of the warehouse. The in
terror Of tho warehouse was exposed
from the top floor and on the sixth
floor oask upon cask Of bonded liauors
stood mp amid the ruins The crowds
saw this and the tenseness Of IFS de-
meanor relapsed.
Shortly after the collapse Deputv
Chief Henry Helm went 10 the roof OF
building about 100 feet away. From
there he was able 70 look in upon the
wreckage. lie saw that an the floors
were sagging and that all the steel
beams and trusses were badly warped.
He eaid then that the entire structure
might fall al any moment
Water was still being pumped into
the wrecksge, adding 20 the weight on
the weakening floor beams.
Every one living within a distance
Of two hundred yards from the doomed
building was ordered 10 get out OF
their homes These added % the al
ready large number who have been
made homeless By the fire.
The electric wiring which feeds the
searchlights was taken down and set On
farther away from the ruins, SO that IN
the event Of further collapse there
would be a minimum OF danger in their
being broken.