Large Fire in New York
--Loss, $500,000.
A fire, involving the destruction of property valued in the aggregate at over half a million of dollars, broke out in New York soon after midnight of Saturday, in the large brown-stone warehouse at the corner of Church street, occupied by
E. Stone & Co.,
dry goods dealers and importers.
A number of fire companies were at the moment passing through
Broadway, on their return from a fire in Front street, and as quickly as possible they got to work.
The intense cold, however, made their operations exceedingly difficult, as the hydrants had frozen, and considerable time elapsed before water could be obtained.--The Times says:
‘
Meantime the flames had burst out of every window in the upper story of the building on Church street side, and had thence communicated to the adjoining premises on Warren street, from which it extended to the building in the rear, fronting on Murray street, making an area of fire two hundred feet in length by fifty in width, upon which the firemen had to work.
In addition to the labor of working to subdue the flames at these buildings, the high winds threw masses of burning cinders and pieces of burning timbers upon the roofs of stores in the vicinity, making it necessary for the exercise of great precaution to prevent the destruction of the buildings which were thus endangered.
After ten hours hard labor, however, the fire was extinguished, it having been confined to the two large warehouses already mentioned, of which the walls alone remain standing.
The first floor and basement of the building No. 33 Warren street and No. 29
Murray, with the side on Church street, was occupied by
James F. White & Co., importers of Irish and Scotch linens, whose loss on stock is estimated at $150,000. The firm was insured for $35,000 only, in various city and country companies.
Considerable quantities of their stock was saved, though in a greatly damaged condition.
The second, third, fourth and fifth stories of the same building were occupied by
E. Stone & Co., whose loss amounts to about $50,000; fully insured.
Johnston,
Shepherd &
Saunders, importers of
dry goods, conducted their business on the first floor of No. 27 Murray street and No. 31 Warren street. Their loss on stock is probably to the extent of $125,000, upon which there is an insurance of $50,000 in city and out-of-town companies.
The second, third, fourth and fifth floors of the same building, fronting on Murray street, were occupied by
Warren &
Wilson, manufacturers of boots and shoes.
The estimated loss on their stock is $50,000; insured for $55,000.
Hook,
Skinner & Co., importers of cloths, occupied the second, third, fourth and fifth floors of No. 33 Warren street. Damage of their stock to the extent of about $130,000 was done; insured for $150,000.
The upper stories of No. 31 Warren street were jointly tenanted by
George A. Clark, dealer in
spool cotton,
Alexander Clark, importer of shawls, and
J. F. Milwood, importer of needles.
Their aggregate loss reaches the sum of about $70,000, insured fully to the extent of $150,000.
The stock of
W. E. Dibblee & Co., importers of silks, at No. 29 Warren street and No. 25 Murray street, was damaged by water to the extent of about $10,000. Fully insured.
The large building siding on Church street was owned by
R. H. McCurdy.
It is damaged to the extent of $10,000; insured.
The injury to the other buildings, owned by
Wm. Spencer, is estimated at $20,000; fully insured.
There is no doubt whatever that the fire originated from a defect in the heaters connected with the hot-air furnace used for warming the building.
The
steam fire engines at this fire did very effective service.
’
