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Show Aiioilicr Big " New Vorlt, H hicU is liejouil tlie Control oi' Fireiueu. New York, 17. A fire broke out at 8 p.m., in the wholesale cljthing house of Van Valkenburg & Leavitt, 02 North street, and rapidly enveloped tho entire building. Tho Iwo adjoining adjoin-ing buildings are also on tire. The fliimi-s have crossed the street to No. 05. occupied by Joseph Loos, and are spreading rapidly. Before the fire men could got fairly to work tho Hums had spread tooS Worth Btrett, and in a short time the buildings right through to Thomas street wore iu a bh.7,'3. There waa some difficulty diffi-culty at first in getting water, but in a short lime a larye number of streams were poured on tho flames. Second and third alarms were sent out and ten engines were at work in Worth Btreet and five on Thomas Btreet. The fire ia said lo have originated on the third floor, No. 62 W orth street, occupied by Walking-shufs Walking-shufs & Voight dealers in woolen gtoda. While Fire Commissioner Bonner I unu a number ot uremen were on me floor where the fire originated, tho floor began to give way and they wcro compelled to heat a haBty retreat re-treat to the Thomas Btreet Bide. They were not a moment too soon, for just aa the last mau escaped the floor gave way with a crash and the flameB burst out on both sides. Police re nerves were called out to keep hack tlie great crowds that were attracted lo ihe Bpot. While President King oi the firo department, was standing at 02 orth street, a cry was raised that the wall was falling and a number num-ber of firemen rushed lo his rescue. Tht y had Bcarcely got acrOBS the i street when the second floor fell in with a loud crash. Despite the efforts of the firemen the "flames epraad with terrible rapidity and soon communicated communi-cated to No. 64, Here everything eeenied to burn like tinder. Stream ultt-r stream of water was directed ou the buildings, but to no purpose, aud floor after floor fell in with a tremendous tre-mendous crash, spreading consternation consterna-tion among tho crowds that extended two and three blocks away. Tho firemen worked hard and willingly, but they began to get tired out. An additional lorce waa then sent for, and soon a large number of fresh men were drafted from up-towa districts and put to work. It was too late, however, to save No. G2, and the wLole building was com-phtely com-phtely gutted. The flames then took hold of 66 anil G8 Wortn street, and lioui that time the firemen seemed lo give up all hope of saving aoy of the adjoining buildings. The flameB suddenly burst through in a nomad eireei auu tuu yvuuib Ticinity was made as bright ae day. Tne flimes stil! gained headway in rpite of the tll.rts ot the firemen. All the buildings were occupied by dry KOuds merchants and importers. Tho fl imes shot up Irom the cellars to a great distance above the roofs of the building. The wall of No. 62 began to Bag aud the firemen abandoned that side. |