National Republican., 1877-09-22
A DANGEROUS FIRE
THAT CANE NEAR PROVING An EXTENSIVE
IONFLACltATtOS.

THAT CAME NEAR PROVING An EXTENSIVE
CoNFLACRArfOS.
The extensive -four and produce establish
ment of VIM. NJ. Gait & Co., corner Of Second
street and Indiana avenue narrowly escaped
d d.struction by fire yesterday. At i:25 o'clock
in the afternoon q strong smell fsmoke In the
vicinity of the hay store-rooms and the sight
Of dense volumes of that vapor issuing from
interstices ip that building raised an alarm.
Messengers were at once dispatched to the
Columbia engne-h house and the nearest box.
No. l2. The Columbia engine was quick to
respond and was we'll on her way when the
bells pealed forth the alarm. The fire was
found to be confined to the hay stable, a brick
building, just north of the main building on
Second street, which was closely packed with
two hundred and fifty tons Of hay. 1t was
compact mass entirely filling the building,
and the smoke was so dense that the imme-
diate spot Of the fire could not be seen.
The flames were underneath the infiammable
pile, and were slowly but surely eating their
way up. Chief Engineer Cronin was soon on
hand, aud, upon his order, general alarm was
sounded and tho entire department called to
the scene. A posse Of police, under Lieut..
Kelly, were quick in their response, and rem
dored material aid In the general work of pro-
tecting property. The doors were broken
open, the roof torn otf and the food of water
poured in, which soon dclugcd the cracking,
crisping, burning hay. This had the effect Of
increasing the volume Of smoke, but did not
affect the smouldering beneath the mass until
almost every bale In the loft had been satu-
rated. Considerable time was consumed in
this, and II was not until four hours after
wards that the signal WIS struck, showing that
the fire had been subducd.
The work was not over then, and some forty
laborers were employed all night long in re-
moving the wet bales from the building, and
securing the contiguous buildings, wherein
was stocked large quantities Of -four and feed
The fire and police departments did excellent
work, and to their efforts alone is due the
preservation of the rest of the establishment.
The only plausible cause ascribed to the
origin Of the fire is that of spontaneous COM
bustion, which is claimed to have been caused
| by defective sewer in an adjoining alley.
| Here the water has been backed up for some
| time, and had forced its way into the stable.
The hay along the ground was dampencd in
consequence, and the hot, close atmosphere
caused by the tight packing occasioned the
generation off fire.
The total loss Is estimated at between $1,000
and 5000, confined almost entirely TO the
hay-loft More of the hay was damaged by
water than by fire. The building wis dam
| aged to the extent Of about 81 800. There Is
an insurance Of SS3OO0 on the establishment,
| which leaves a slight margin over the losses.
As will be seen by a card elsewhere Messrs.
Gait 4 Co. show their appreciation Of the eff
forts of the fire aud police departments, and
also state that the fire will cause no Interrupt
ton whatever in their business, a. they have
ample stock in hand and on tho road to meet
| all demands.