Message-ID: <Pine.NEB.4.64.0810271713160.5179@panix3.panix.com>
From: Alan Sondheim <sondheim@panix.com>
To: Cyb <cybermind@listserv.aol.com>, Wryting-L <WRYTING-L@listserv.wvu.edu>
Subject: Some Events in New York City in 1902
Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:13:32 -0400 (EDT)
Some Events in New York City in 1902 January 1 Sister Belerica of St. Joseph's Home (Dominion) in Astoria, charged with cruelly beating 7-year-old Frances Gahl. January 8 Collision in the tunnel of the Grand Central, in Manhattan, in the morning, results in death of 40 persons, and injuries to 40. January 27 Dynamite in the Rapid Transit tunnel at Park av. and 41st st. Manhattan, exploded, killing five men and damaging houses for blocks around. January 29 Heaviest snow fall of 1902 commenced. February 8 The Shadbolt wagon factory at Flushing av. and Cumberland st. destroyed by fire. - An unknown man buried in the ruins; many badly injured; loss $300,000. February 15 An early morning fire destroyed wood yard of Henry Hanson at foot of 25th st. Brooklyn, causing $16,000 damage. February 19 Greenpoint trolley car set on fire by explosion of controller. February 20. Fire broke out in the workshops, etc., of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Co. and damage $100,000. February 21 A tank exploded in Emil Calman & Co's varnish works at West av. and Fourth st., causing a fire and damage of $50,000. February 22 At daybreak the city is found covered with masses of ice; wires down; trees damaged. - Early morning fires destroy the Seventy-first Regiment Armory and the Park Av. Hotel, Manhattan. February 27 Prospect Park paths and driveways flooded by overflowing of the lake caused by thaw. March 6 All trolley lines tied up at the foot of Broadway, Brooklyn, in consequence of the grounding of wires which burned till 10 P. M. March 16 American Manufacturing Co.'s plant, Greenpoint, damaged by fire. $50,000. March 17 Eagle Box Company's plant, occupying one block on Eagle st., Greenpoint, partially destroyed. Loss, $15000. - Hudson River Navigation reopens. - About 8 P. M. fire broke out on board steamer British Queen at the Phoenix line pier Hoboken, and spread too the pier; loss, $1,000,000. March 22 Early morning fire on Norton line steamship Bucrania, Atlantic Dock, causes damage of $50,000. March 30 The Quebec Co.'s steamship Pretoria, fire having broken out in forward hold, returns to port. April 15 Explosion in the subway of the Telephone Co. at DeKalb and Grand avs., tore up subway for a distance of 20 feet. April 18 Early morning fire destroys the Bradley plant of the National Lead Works co., 160-174 Front st., Brooklyn; loss, $200,000. April 26 Fire destroys the buildings of the Union Course Chemical Works on Atlantic and Spediker avs.; loss $25,000. May 2 Arbor day duty observed - Fire destroys factory and building of the Wm. H Post sash and blind factory on Norman av.; loss $50,000. - The submarine torpedo boat Fulton, in tow of the Storm King, returns from her luckless trial trip to Delaware breakwater. May 5 Buffalo Bill in town with his Wild West Show. May 15 Whole block on Coney Island av., between Vanderbilt and Seeley sts., Windsor Terrace, wiped out by fire; damage $30,000. May 15 Fire destroys Philip Ruxton's Ink factory, 21 and 33 South Fifth st.; damage, $100,000.- Yacht Aileen crashes into Staten Island ferryboat Middletown, killing J. C. Atterbury. May 21 Ferryboat Jersey City smashes ferry bridge at Desbrosses st.; several persons injured. - Freeborn G. Smith's piano factory at Raymond and Willoughby sts., Bklyn, burned down: loss $100,000. May 24 Another Kosher meat riot in Brownsville. 1,500 men, women and children defy the police, capture a meat dealer and mob the police after he is rescued. May 26 The Iron Pier fell at Rockaway Beach, under weight of 800 excursionists, but no one severely injured. May 28. Early morning fire destroys the big candy factory of James J. Matchett. & Co., in Brooklyn; loss $200,000. June 1 An early morning fire starts in Kosten's hotel, Rockaway Beach, and spreading rapidly, destroys twenty buildings; four persons burned to death; damage about $100,000. June 17 Nechet's dye works, Long Island City, destroyed by fire. June 23 American Tartar Co.,s factory, 567-569 Smith st., Brooklyn, destroyed by a early morning fire; loss $100,000. July 2 A. I. Latimer fatally shot in his home, 318 Hancock st., by a person unknown, about 2 A. M. July 18 Fire destroyed the Sonoma Wine and Brandy Co.'s 7 story building on Hamilton av., Bklyn; loss $40,000. June 23 Mutilated body of Guiseppe Catania found at Bay Ridge tied up in a potato sack; arrest of Vincenza Trico on suspicion. June 25 Fire destroys electrical machinery factory at 24 to 27 West st.; loss $1,000,000. June 28 A Bath Beach and 5th Av. train collide on Adams st. elevated structure and two score people injured. - Astoria Dye Works fired by lightning and totally destroyed. June 30 Riot at funeral of Rabbi Jacob Joseph in Manhattan. August 11 Fire broke out early in the morning in the New York Bank Building, and damaged it $50,000. August 13 Tug Jacob Kuper blew up in the bay, near St. George, Staten Island, killing Acting Capt. Harry Johnson and three of crew, injuring four others. August 19 Fire broke out about 8:30 A. M. in the lower part 35 Essex st., Manhattan, resulting in the death of two women and three children; injuries to several others and the destruction of the building. August 27 Steamships Peconic and Liguria collide outside the Narrows. August 30 Lighter Bessie ad side-wheel steamer Saugerties collide in North River off Seventieth st. Man., the latter having her port bow stove in. August 31 A four-story coffee storage building, 44 Fulton st., Brooklyn, collapses; loss $90,000. September 7 The water main at High Bridge broke and deluged the roadway. September 21 Burning fuse set fire to an open trolley car near bridge entrance, Four persons injured and others had their clothes burned. September 27 Murder of James B. Craft of Glen Cove in a Tenderloin restaurant at 38 West Twenty-ninth st., Manhattan, discovered through the odor of burning flesh, the head of the mutilated body having been put in the furnace. Thomas Tobin arrested. September 30 About 4 P. M. the big steel draw bridge recently built by the Brooklyn Heights Railroad Co. over Coney Island Creek suddenly sank to bottom of the creek. October 3 A three-alarm fire at Pratt Oil Works, North 13th st., at 12:53 A. M. October 12 The old ship Jersey, in which several hundred American prisoners were murdered by the British over a century ago, discovered under 12 feet of rubbish and mud at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. October 18 An early morning fire destroys the chocolate and cocoa mills of Atkin & Co., 44 to 48 Spencer st.; damage $75,000. October 21 Franklin Chemical Works, Franklin st., Brooklyn, destroyed by fire at midnight. October 22 The Singer Building, 8 Prince st., Manhattan, collapses, carrying down and injuring 15 workmen. October 25 An explosion of dynamite in the subway excavation at Park av. and 41st st., Manhattan, in the forenoon, throws vast fragments of rock into the air and severely injures several persons. November 8 Fire in the cellar of the New York Times Building, during which John Daly and Wm. McCormack, in trying to save the mailing lists, were overcome and suffocated to death. November 9 Repair shops of the lighterage department of the Standard Oil Co., in Long Island City, totally destroyed by fire; damage $75,000. November 10 Fire on new Manhattan bridge (No. 2) damaged structure $50,000. November 11 Explosion of gas in the cellar of 121 Avenue C, Manhattan, injures forty persons. November 12 Blind Negro preacher, W. F. Johnson, former manager of the Howard Colored Orphan Asylum, offers to the city his $6,000 house to save his family name; offer accepted. November 15 Cedarmere, the former residence of Wm. Cullen Bryant, at Roslyn, partially destroyed by fire. November 24 Residence of Paul E. DeFere, 686 St. Marks pl., entered while the family were downstairs, and robbed of $1,500 worth. November 25 Coney Island Beach badly damaged by storm. November 29 Supt. Wm. F. Johnson, blind supt. of the Howard Colored Orphan Asylum, and two of the Board of Managers facing charges of grant and petty larceny. - Police raid Forresters Hall at 19th st. and 4th av., Brooklyn, on information that it was a pool room; patrons go free, but telegraph operator is captured. November 30 The old Newtown Creek drawbridge at Vernon av., about 8 A. M., was struck by British ship Boledieu. December 1 Pro-Cathedral fair opened by Bishop McDonnell, in the new church building, on Jay st. - Big storm hits New York while crowds are without winter fuel; all work along the water front abandoned. December 9 Coldest Dec. 9 in 25 years; 8 deg. above zero; fuel famine desperate; piteous appeals to charitable societies that cannot be answered; many car lines tied up. December 12 John N. Partridge, Police Commissioner, resigns his office to take effect Jan. 1 1903 - All elevated trains blocked by ice on the third rail. (Account ends here. From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Almanac for 1903.)