Genesee Flats/Olbiston History

[Dave]

Just some background for our readers.

On the morning of March 3, 1896 the seven story Genesee Flats apartment building in Utica, N.Y. burned to the ground. The neighborhood was once the beautiful Genesee Hill area and today you can drive or walk by a similar structure built immediately afterward, the Olbiston Apartments on the corner of Genesee St. and Clinton Place.

Although immediate accounts of the fire worried that many had been killed, just four persons lost their lives. "On Genesee Hill" is the story of two of them, Sara Miller Wood and her sixteen year old daughter Mary Brandegee Wood. Mary's father, John B. Wood, escaped the fire when the family was separated and he believed his wife and daughter had gotten out by another route.



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[Dave]

William Foley was the boy mentioned in the newspaper accounts who was directed by firemen on the scene to walk up to the corner of Clinton Place and Genesee Street and twist the outside alarm for more fire equipment and men. Other than that fact and descriptions from the newspaper articles, the following is largely fictional.


Billy Foley's Morning

It’s just so peaceful in the morning. No one is out and about, and all I ever hear are the trains and factories running all night over on the west side, out Whitesboro Street. And in the winter, the swish of tire rims when a hack is pulled past by a weary horse. And, you know, me and Da need the money, so before school I run down to the Herald and get me a bag of papers and sign the slip to pay tomorrow and take the whole shebang up Genesee Street, selling the news to whoever will give me a couple of pennies for the paper. I bring home the coins to Da and he counts them out and gives me the money that’ll go to the Herald next day. He always has me put it in the old teapot on the window sill for tomorrow.

It’s been a cold winter and if Da didn’t drag me out of bed in the morning, I wouldn’t be out there slogging through the slush and snow, I can tell you. And, Jesus, I got a welt on the back of my shoulders from Brother Barnabas at the ‘cademy, and he keeps hitting me there every time I fall asleep reading the catty-kism.

I most often sell all the papers by the time I get to the court house, so I don’t always get up to Genesee Hill. But that morning it was freezing and not many people were on the streets. So I walked all the way to the fountain at Oneida Square, and by that time I could smell the smoke. Then all hell broke loose as the team of horses and men from the No. 1 fire company came pounding by me and headed up Genesee Street. Holy Cripes, a real fire engine! I threw down the rest of the papers and I ran like the dickens to catch up. By the time I got to the Genesee Flats, the people were trying to get off the front of the place from the balconies. Seven stories of apartments makes for a lot of people.

I’m thinkin’ I wish I’d gone home instead. Nobody should ever have to see people dying like that. I still have dreams about it. Yeah, I know … but that poor lady. I heard her head crack open. Sometimes when I’m dozing off in school, I’ll hear that crack and my stomach will get queasy if it’s just before lunch.

I’m a good reader, and I’ve read everything in the papers about the fire, at least in the Herald, because that’s the paper I sell. From what’s in print, you’d think everyone in The Flats got called on by the management and politely told about the fire, and pretty please just get dressed and meet across the street for tea. But that’s not what happened. Or if it did, it’s only because nobody seemed to know whether they were dealing with a big fire or a small one. Not even the firemen.

When I came up to the building, all I saw were firemen in the lantern lights. They were scurrying around and they didn’t look like nobody had told them the fire was right in front of them and they should be doing something about it. I didn’t see any flames, not at first. But what I heard was awful, people screaming and crying and yelling for help. I think I got a little rattled, and wondered where the hell the voices were coming from. It was dark and there was smoke everywhere. For a second, I wondered if all the voices were up in the trees. Then a trunk of clothes crashed down and split open about ten feet from where I was standing. Just dropped right out of the sky! I looked up and saw coats and shoes and a lady’s dress floating down at me. They must’ve been trying to save their belongings. And then, over at the far end, I saw a man dangling on what looked like a string of sheets or clothing. I had to laugh, thinking it was funny. I wanted to shout at the folks to go back inside. There weren’t any flames. I thought this would be just a smoker … like maybe someone’s couch was burning and they’d haul it out in the snow in a few minutes, and everyone could have a good laugh and go back to bed.

It was getting lighter now, and people were still crawling down from the balconies like they were a circus troop. Some were wailing and shouting and trying to find each other. One lady kept grabbing me and asking if I’d seen her brother. She must’ve asked me ten times. It shook me, and made me afraid again. Oh, those poor people hanging from the windows and balconies.

The smoke was awful smelling, not like a campfire. And the crackling and popping seemed to come from a long way off, from the same direction as a lady’s voice screaming for someone named Harry, I remember. And the moaning. I thought it came from a woman with no shoes standing near me, but it was the wind being sucked through the trees into the fire.

Two firemen ran up to me and started yelling about fire engines. I thought they wanted to tell me something, but they just happened to stop in front of me. They were arguing about whether to call in more engines. One fellow said there was no need, and that he was going to the basement to make sure the fire was out. When he ran off, the other man asked me if I knew how to use the alarm box up the street on the corner. I said I guess you just pull it, and he told me how to break the glass and turn the crank. I must have looked like I wasn’t sure I wanted to, because the man put his hand on my shoulder and said “you’ll be saving lives, son.”

When I got to the box, I was so worked up I couldn’t break the glass with my mitten still on my hand. I found a stone and broke the little window. My finger still hurts from the cut I gave myself.

I turned back toward the building, and if I live to be 90 years old I will never forget what happened next. I was running and could see the firemen and people around the bottom of the building, neighbors coming out on their porches in their nightdress, folks still clinging to the balcony railings … and I was beginning to hope no one would get hurt playing acrobat on the balconies, because this might not be a real bad fire …. when the whole place just went wooooosh! It broke out in flames. Brother Barnabas says the word is erupted. Well, that’s what it did … it erupted in flames. One huge sheet of flame shot up from the roof of the building and at the same time showers of sparks blew out the windows. Holy Mother Mary, I’ve never heard or seen anything like it!

All the voices hushed for a moment, and then a loud moan went up from the crowd, the firemen included. I stopped running and plopped down in the snow. But after a few seconds, I got up and kept going back toward the Flats. Oh, why didn’t I go home?

That poor lady. She was coming down a string of sheets and towels like some others, and she was crying all the way. She wore a hat kinda like the one I used to see on my old mother … God rest her soul as she walks with all the saints in Paradise … and she was old. A man in his shirtsleeves up on the fifth floor had gotten her on the rope. He probably thought he was saving her life. I yelled up at her to hold on. I ran up to where she would land and I held out my arms. I’m a strong kid. I shouted up to her, “Just a little farther!” She was down to the third floor now, but then she just stopped and hung there. I knew she couldn’t last long.
“C’mon! Slide! I’ll catch ya!” I shouted.
A fireman came out on a nearby third floor balcony and called to her to swing over to him, Maybe he had a plan to get her down the staircase, I don’t know. But I can’t see how she would’ve had the strength for it. All she had to do was slide down to me and she’d be safe.

She looked over at the fireman, and then looked down at me. She looked sick and tired. Brother Barnabas says the word is miserable. Well, miserable is how she looked.

“Over here!” the fireman shouted.

“Down here, lady!” I cried
It was like an auction. We both wanted her, but she was too scared to pick a winner, and she didn’t have very good choices, anyway, now that I consider it. But, oh, how I wish I could forget what I said next.

“Let go and slide,” I yelled. But she just let go altogether and she fell.

Right next to me. On the pavement. On her head.

She hit a railing on the second floor, bounced off and then banged down at my side. She came so fast! Honest! I tried, I had my hands up. She was past my arms and on the ground before I could catch her.

Now, I wish I’d just gone home when I got to Oneida Square that morning, taken my leftover papers and my coins and headed back down the hill to the ‘cademy. Wish I’d only read about the fire in the paper.

Next day the Herald said that poor lady landed on her shoulder and broke it, not her head. Well, I’ve never before heard either a head or a shoulder break. But I have to tell ya. If you ever hear a head bust open, you’ll be sure to know it. It sounds like nothing else in the whole world.

I don’t feel so good.

David Griffin copyright 2009

[Dave]

Here's one of the first stories that ran in a local Utica newspaper regarding the fire. (Thanks to Jon for the transcription.)


The Daily Union - Thursday March 3, 1896

Fire! Fire! Fire!

_________________________________________

The Genesee Flats, the Largest Structure

in the City, Goes Up in Smoke

at 5:00 A. M. To-day

_________________________________________

THE BUILDING PROVED TO BE VERITA-
BLE DEATH TRAP!

_________________________________________


The Fire Started in the Second Floor of the South Flat, and

in a Very Short Time the flames Enveloped the

Entire Mammoth Building, Despite the

Efforts of the Firemen to

Prevent It's Spread.

THE BUILDING CONTAINED NEARLY TWO HUNDRED PER-

SONS, SEVERAL OF WHOM ARE STILL MISSING!

_________________________________________

Woman Loses Her Life by Jumping from the Fourth

Story, Sustaining Injuries Which Resulted in Her

Death --- All the Walls Down Except the

Front and Part of the Parti-

tion Walls.

_________________________________________

MANY NARROW ESCAPES FROM DEATH RECORDED!

_________________________________________

The Barn Scorched, but the Engine House Entirely Destroyed

--- The Dwelling Next Door Caught Fire from the Heat

when the Side Wall Fell, but Was Saved by the

Use of Hand Grenades --- The inmates of

the Structure Escape in a State

of Dishabille --- Sparks

from the Fire.


The Genesee Flats were burned out before daybreak this morning. The west wall of the building stands at this writing, but any strong wind from the east will throw it into the street. A few minutes after 5 o'clock this morning an alarm was rung in from box 31, Genesee and Clinton Place, and the department responded quickly. The fire had then a good headway, and a general alarm woke up the town. The building was one that gave the fire every advantage, once it had started. It had fire escapes front and rear, and by them the 250 or more people in the building saved their lives. It was a bitter cold morning, and most of the residents in the building suffered much.

Rumor was rampant in the city that a number of people had lost their lives in the building. It was untrue. Mrs Hughes died after leaving the building and hers was the only death definitely authenticated. Mrs Lowery, wife of ex-Senator Lowery, is all right. So is Nobel Hopkins, reported burned. Mrs. John B. Wood and daughter could not be found by the Union reporter. The firemen did heroic work, and Chief Dimbleby and his men earned all praise.

The building was a shell. Had Utica a building inspector, and an ordinance behind him, such a building as the Genesee Flats could never have been built. At this moment criticism may be personal in view of the disaster. Gratification is felt over the city that so few lives were lost.

This is the list of people who live in the flats: Mrs. Butcher and daughter; J.B.Knight, wife and daughter; H.K. Van Rize, wife child and Mrs. Van Rize's sister, Mrs. Chadwick, of Chadwicks Mills; Samnel N, Ruggles, wife and son; J. B. Cushman; Mr. Sheldon, wife and child; Mrs. Retter; A. L. Alsred, wife and mother-in-law; Mrs. Hughes; Mrs DeLong; Miss Bailey; Mrs. Thomas John Luther, wife and two children; James W. Potter, wife and nephew; Mrs. Easies and daughter, Minnie; Mr. Hughes; Mrs Clark and daughter; J. Crandal, wife and daughter; Mrs Darling; J. K. Doan, wife, two children and servant, T. H. Brandish, wife and son; Nora Pugh, aiater and son; Mr. Buck and wife; Miss Cleveland, school teacher; Arthur Clark, wife, mother and maid; Mrs. McQuade and two sons; Mrs. Walker and daughter; Mrs. Haeter and son; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Norton and daughter; Mr. Ableman, wife, and two children and maid; D. E. Darrow and wife; Miss Harris and maid; Mr. Arnold and daughter; Mr. Algave, wife and son; E. R. Roberts, wife and two daughters; Mr. Hongland and wife; Mr. Henery, wife and child, ex-Senator S.S. Lowery and wife; Frank Wood, wife and two sons, and maid; Charles Thorn, wife, daughter and mother, Mrs. Mason; D. W. Northrup; Dr. F. H. Brewer, wife and three children, George Mason, Thorne, Clinton Bradley; Mr. Cummings, wife and daughter; Rev. F. H. Leland, wife two children, the Minors Weaver, three; Mr Sheffield and wife; John A. Goodale, wife and son; S. D. Larcher, wife, infant and maid; Lee Fairbanks and wife.

Origin of the Fire

The fire broke out in the rooms of John F. Luther, on the first floor of the third section. The night watchman saw the flames bursting through the corridor. He gave the alarm and aroused the sleepers. The firemen tore through the flooring into the basement and through the partitions and in a few minutes the whole of the section was on fire.

Then caused a scene of terrific excitement. People rushed out of their rooms and ran hither and thither, hardly knowing what they did. Many ran down the fire-escapes at the rear of each flat, and took refuge in neighbor's houses. Mrs. Albright's house contained at least a hundred, who were taken care of in the best possible manner. C. W. Mather's, Fred Gilbert's homes also harbored a number of others. Some were taken in hacks to hotels and places downtown.

When the fire companies arrived every window and balcony in the front of the building was crowded by frenzied people scantily clad. The fire department placed their long aerial ladder between the southern end and the center of the burning building, and did a magnificent piece of work in getting down the half-terrified swarms of tenants. Babies and children were taken down and clad in overcoats and carried to the nearest houses. Ropes were also attached to several of the balconies, and numbers were rescued from the fiery tongues of flame that pursued them. This mode of exit was unfortunately the only definite fatality of the fire. Mrs. David Hughes, of the fifth floor of section 2 was coming down a rope attached to the fourth floor. Between this and the third floor Mrs. Hughes lost her hold on the rope from nervousness or fright and fell, striking the snowy ground with great force. She was carried into Mrs. Albright's house, where Dr. Powell attended her. She was badly hurt, internally and died in great pain at 7 o'clock.

Between 5:30 and 6 A. M. everybody was safely out, excepting possibly one or two who are still missing.
By 5:30 the entire structure was burnt out, excepting the front and portions of the side and rear walls.


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[Dave]

Nice find on Noble Hopkins over in Clipper's, Jon.

From: THE MAD REVEL
OF FIRE AND DEATH

The Saturday Globe, March 7, 1896

The manner of Mr. Hopkins death is a mystery, He occupied apartments on the seventh floor. Whether he failed to awake, whether he was lost in trying to find the fire escapes or whether, in trying find the fire escapes or whether, in trying to make his way through the blinding smoke to his daughter's apartment on the second floor he was overcome and perished, will never be known. The last theory seems the most plausible. Mr. Hopkins was a well-known and esteemed business man in Utica for many years. He was born in Wailingford, Vt., in 1826 and was a grand-nephew of Stephen Hopkins, a signer of the declaration of independence. In 1855 he came to Utica, and engaged in business. In 1857 he married Jennie, daughter of the late Richard Reynolds. For more than 20 years he was engaged in the shoe business. The last three years he had lived at Lake Pleasant, Mass., but came to Utica last fall to reside with his daughter, Mrs. W. P. Rutter, who occupied apartments in the flats. Mr. Hopkins was a member of Utica Lodge, F. & A. M., and of the Commercial Travelers' Association. His only surviving child is Mrs. Rutler. Mrs. Hopkins died in 1893.