It was the worst fire in New York City's history. But that didn't stop the poor Irish from the slums of the Five Points area, from going on a dazzling display of looting, which led to one of the biggest free champagne parties ever witnessed.The city was in the throes of one of the coldest winters on record. On the days preceding "The Great Fire," the temperature had dropped as low as seventeen degrees below zero. By the night of December 16, 1835, there was 2 feet of frozen snow on the ground, and the temperature was exactly zero frigid degrees. It was so cold, both the Hudson River and East Rivers were completely frozen.Around 9 pm, a watchman (the precursor to a New York City policeman) named Warren Hayes was crossing the corner of Merchant (now Beaver Street) and Pearl Street, and he thought he smelled smoke. He looked up at the last floor of a five-story building at 25 Merchant Street, rented by Comstock and Andrews, a famous dry goods store, and spotted smoke coming out of a window. Unbeknownst to Hayes, a gas pipe had ruptured, and had ignited some coals that were left on a stove.
.. more »
]]>
MOBSTERS IN AMERICA – THE GREAT NEW YORK CITY FIRE OF 1835