The New York herald., 1872-11-22
THE JERSEY CITY FIRE.

| Viewed by Jarvis Il Co.-Hlr. Henw0Od
and Chief Engineer Farrier-Why tho
Flames Gained Hcadway-SOmething g
tor the Board OF Public Works to DO.
From oil the particulars that could be gathered
yesterday outside Of conjectures ana specHations,
regarding the losses by the fire in Jersey City, the
estimate given In the HERALD Is substantiated In
the two buildings there were on storage the first
OF the present month, according to the books in
the ONCE OF Jarvis h Co., 1900 hogsheads
OF tobacco, Of which 1900 hogsheads were
insured at that time. Since then the stock,
and OF course the amount OF stock on which there
was insurance, has, somewhat decreased SO that 1t
was net up to the average. or the amount on
hand, the owners state about two-flfths or 1000
hOgsheads, were In the burned building, and, OF
course, were entirely consumed. Tho owners
state that the stock would run In value from $125
to $l75 per hogshead, thus making the loss on the
stock 100000. This estimate OF loss is, however,
said by many tobacco dealers to be much too low,
and men who have largely dealt with the firm state
that no tobacco OF any kind could be bought there
FOR less than thirty to forty cents pound by the hun
dred hogsheads. As the latter weigh from one thou
sand to two thousand pounds each. this will make
the value not less than five hundred dollars per
hOgshead, or total OF s. 100000. Men who are
very reliable state that the loss cannot fall below
tns though the does not accord with that
made by those IN charge. This, they say, has been
done because Mcssrs. JARVIS Il Go. are only con-
signees not owners, and are interested in placing
the loss at the lowest possible figure. The loss Is
from half million to two millions and halr 10.
Dacco It is gaid s so easily damaged by water and
SMOKE tnat u Is readily rendered valueless, and the
percentage OF loss by the underwriters will be
very heavy.
Mr. Henwood, on the part Of the firm, states that
dollars, and may even exceed that sum, SO that
accordlng 10 THIS statement, the loss TO the firm
@ wlli &c fully covered The burned building was in
sured for $685. 80 that the firm VIII lose nothing
on it. The Jersey City companies escaped All
risks-very lrckily-on this building. The leading
%Ss f. larger Of the
MT. Henwood, the business manager o. the firm.
appled yesterday to Chief Engineer Farrer for two
woods direction at the ruins. This was declined
by the Chief The latter, after some conversation,
previous night, to which Mr. Henwood responded.
u don't know about that However, we will talk
about It another time" That the .weapng destrnc-
lion Dy the names was due to the delay in giving
the alarm there Is not a second opinion. THAT
II was also due In some measure to the TACT that
stream was not turned on the blazing moulding
mill and another on that part or the warehouse
contiguous to 1t when the fire companies arrived,
n is positively @ asserted by an ex-Alderman who re.
sides IN that section. 1t must be admitted, how
ever, that 1t is light matter with spectators TO
hnd ianlt with lrcmen when they arc vanquished
terprlses is everything. All things considered, the
acton OF the Fire Department was laudabic. =
why Ae BOARD OF Pubic Works do not placn,th
engines purchased by them in position at the cle-
vie Reservoir would not have been important qucs-
tlon two months ago. TO day tis very serious one
INC water supply at the fire fell short OF the de-
mand, or, as one OF the 1remcn expressed it, ave
pumped the main dry" II will be fortunate
l0r Jersey City when the new thirty.six inch pipe
now being laid by Mr. John II. Halliday q 10
across the meadows from the Bcileyille Reservoir
pared to meet great confagratfon. ~
The danger which awaited the property in the |
nelghb0rhood OF the fire may be calculated by tho |
fact that the lighted sparks neW around the White |
Star wharf where the steamship Adrlatic is lying,
and 1t was found necessary to use several lengths |
OF hose so as to prevent the cotton on the wharf
from taking fire, and to meet any emergency that |
might arise from the appearance of IRE on any |
part OF the dock. In the Erie depot also q large
kept on night duty, as the rolling stock was liable
TO catch fire at any moment. All the available 10.
c0mQtlyes We're employed to convey the cars 10 a |
safe distance.