Year: 1876

middle OF Broadway opposite No. AL, manipulating


we'll directed stream upon the burning ruins OF that
building. Among the debris a large safe, anu u
was while endeavoring to preserve It's contents oy
oxtingushng the licking flames surrounding II 'nA'
two brave nremen met their death and three were
seriously injured Standing near the men at the time
we're Fire Commissioner King and Chief GiqueL
They were consulting TO the probable extent OF the
flames before their final extingulshment when man
approached and tapping Commissioners King on the
shoulder, asked him if be would not direct the
nremen 70 play upon the sale Instead of upon tho
debris. Commissioner King accordingly turned to his
companion and suggested that such order be given
Chief Giquel Immediately gave the order and hur-
red away. Hardly had the word gone forth than the
fearless emen moved forward and entered the vacant
space between Nos 4l2 and 452 Broadway, rendered
vacant by the entire destruction of the buildings lately
upon H. They entered at point about twenty y-nVe
feot north OF No. 442 Broadway he Continental hote
and proceeded inward distance of ten feet from the
sidewalk. This not necessary, as the stream
was sufficiently powerful reach the safe with
the the middle OF Broadway, but anticipating
no danger they went forward Adjoining the north
side wall of the Continental Hotel was thick brick
WALL the onlv remaining remnant of No 444. when
the walls OF the latter building fell in II was generally
supposed by the lremen that the southern side wall
had also fallen, and even the blazing light OF
tho flames did not reveal the mistake to the
average observer. The wall standing on
the south was that OF the Continental Hotel,
which was yet comparatively safe from destruction
The remen had not been in their dangerous position
than two minutes when horrid cracking was
heard and almost instantly the treacherous wall fell
with terrible crash burying in its ruins the poor un-
suspccting nrsmen. cry Of horror arose from
hundred throats tho dull thud of the heavy mass
resounded amid the general din Of destruction. But
few knew how many victims lay crushed beneath tho
mass of brick. Several had beheld the fremen
entering the fatal place, but IN the excite
mcnt Of the moment none had remembered what the
number Was Almost tho first to rush forward to
the relief OF the burned hremen Captain Aaire, OF
the Fourteenth precinct, who at the time OF the fall,
was directing his men In the immediate neighborhood.
He quickly followed by platoon Of officers and q
crowd OF fremen and officials, prominent among the
latter being Chief Giquel anu Commissioner King.
The thousands Of spectators, pressed backSby the
string OF police Broadway struggled to get inside
10 render assistance, and like flash, the news spread
from lip to lip, exaggerated in many instances TO several
times its enormity and eagerly believed by all hearers
Ten minutes tuggng at the burning pile soon
brought forth dying man, David Cute, driver of en-
CINE No 80 one of tho bravest in the departments





the masses of brick and mortar. He quickly
carried across to the west side Broadway between
four brother nvemen apd tho police at despatched
message for ambuances and surgeons. The neigh
boring saloon of John J. Dowd, No 4S9 Broad
way, offered O safe and accessible shelter.
and thither he was shortly afterward
brought In a few moments another victim, Thomas
J. Corteses, foreman OF the same company, was dug
out amid the excited cries of his In his
the signs werc more encouraging Corteses although
unconscious when found, soon revived sufficiently to
open his eyes and move his head. He, also,
red to Dowds place laid the floor by the side Of
his fellow sufferer. The next unfortunate taken from
the ruins was dead His head was still bleeding from
frightful the sde and he lay hemmed in among
the bricks in way suggestive OF instant death. He
was reyereny conveyed the extemporized hos
ptal John H. Bush assistant foreman next brought
FORTH Fortunately he living but the verge OF
unconsciousness. Another victim, Richard Burke,
of the insurance patrol subsequently, found but
instead of being removed to the place where his CON-
panions lay he preferred being carried his homo at
No 81 willott street. aud his wishes were complied
With His fuurics were of very serious character.
consisting mainly OF and bruises the and
body At the time OF the accident he the
sidewalk near the fatal WALL and about TO 60
into the middle of the street, when he knocked
down by the tumbling bricks Adam Messer, foreman
OF engine No IL also injured about tho body but
not seriously He was removed to his residence
When wall fell no at the northern end OF the
space and while trying 70 escape from the falling
mass was felled to the ground Tho last Of tho in
jured was Henry Mackay, OF the same company, who
was severely burned on both hands whilo descending
from his ladder.


A PAINFUL SCENE.


The scene at Dowd's saloon heartrehdlng. Tho
victims Of the sad accident lay the noor-one cold
In Death, and three. with rigid forms and bloody
faces almost unconscious OF the terrible event. At
the outside door hundreds OF citizens who had
managed to get inside the nes anxious tho
Tins nremen relieved from duty by the fire being under
control and eager 10 learn which of their companions
had fallen n sacrifice TO duty, camored for admission
but the place was already nlled with physicians police
men and fire officials.


Ambulance Surgeons Cochran, Pennington and Allen
were on the scenc and outside the line
were six ambulances Warden O'Rourke, Of
Bellevue Hospital also present. arriving with
the nrst OF the ambuances. Commissioner OF
Charities and Correction Brennan arrived and
united in rendering oil possible aid TO the wounded
men IL was soon evident TO the surgeons that the
most dangerously injured Clute, who lay per-
fectIy motioness, giving sign Of nfc
save q faint breathing Brandy and other
stimulants given, but nothing seemed
TO revive him As the hands Of tho clock pointed
exactly at nine he drew deep breath and died with
out having uttered a word.


The two men David Muldrew and David Clutc wcro
then removed to the Eighth precinct station house.
whence they were taken to their late homes. The
wounded men were conveyed in ambulances to Belle
yuc Hospital Tue injuries of Bush considered as
likely TO provo fatal.


THH RESERVOIR


the picture was magnilcent ono from the
vor This elevation makes for the eye vast plain
OF the house roofs Of tho city. Lines of them
stretched with here AMI thcro dark ribbons Of
streets and above all played the great and
vastly gigantic light or the frey furnace
which, cracking and simmering at Grand
street and Broadway irradiated the whole surface Of
the island far as spuyten DuyvL From the reser-
vor many hundreds OF people might be observed their
figures indsuncy revealed the housetops, fitting