The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-08-30
BURNED TO THE GROUND,

AN FxrENslvR oILcLoTH FACTORY IN HABRI-
SON, N. T., DESTROYED BY FIRE = Loss ONE
HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ;
INSURANCE, THrRTY-EIaHr THOUSAND DOL
LARs-oUEsrIoNABLE CONDUCT OF THE NLw-
ARK AUTHORITIES.
Az ten minutes before two O'Clock yesterday morn
ing Are broke out in the Peters, Manufacturing Com
pany, in Harrison township. HUDSON county, N. J,
Tho town without fire department, aud the flames
after the FIRST breaking out continued 10 rage until the
entire structure was destroyed. The night Waterman
at the factory said yesterday that he had just
pleted his hourly tour OF the building when he heard
dull explosion, tho coming from the northeast
section Of the factory, in which tho drying room
is located. He ran ~ the place and found
the room wrapped in flames Knowing that big
copfagraton WAS inevitable ne hastily blew an alarm
the factory whistle. This had tho effect OF
ing the residents OF the thinly populated TOWNSHIP
from their slumbcrs; but before they reached tho
factory the flames had spread from the north wing
to small wooden structure connecting tho drying
with tho main building ana at that time the
flames had spread into entire building that the
interior mass OF IRE, the flames shooting out
through the windows and roof ana Illuminating the
country for miles around.
RED TAPE ouIBBLING.
party ofcitzens organized bucket lines and, there
being cisterns in the factory yard, mad diff
Guilty in procuring winter necessary to the
rounding property. Others were semitic Newark to
notify Chief Engineer Benedict and secure his as
sistancc. Chief Benedict was found but told the
gentlemen that he had NO authority to take the
department OF the city without the Emission Of
Mayor Yates. The Mayor could not be found, and
there being no else who could send the fire de-
partment Hudson county the citizens returned to
anaV PcQd IN and Inv nnd valc Tho
fire burn itself out .t,flt.T. :
The flames continued in all their fury, the oombus.
tble OF the material with which the buildings
wore flied supplying abundant fuel TO The element
even after the walls ana floors had failon in, aud It
not until nearly noon before the fire entirely died
out.
THE BURNED BUILDINGS.
The factory consisted Of eight distinct buildings,
cupypg entire square, bounded by Fifth. Bergen,
Sussex ana Fourth streets, and the extensive bust
conducted by the company led them to begin the
erection OF a new building on Bergen street only
few months ago. This building has already al
tanned the second story and fortunately
buildings consumed were built Two years ago. at
which lime Peters Il Co. moved their machinery IRON
Newark and took possession OF them. Tho building
gen street, and l25 feet in depth and four stories
IN height Tue adjoining building ironted 13s feet on
Bergen street and fifty feet Fifth street. The Office
at tho corner OF Sussex and Fifth Streets
ana was forty by twenty feet, and tire, stores in
boiler house and a dwelling house occ pied by the
foreman. all of which escaped destruction
Inc nrm were engaged IN Inc manufacture OF liable,
stair enamel aud oicioth and employed lately about
two Hundred hands. In busy times their employees
nnA1bcr over three hundred. Besides these they en-
pIoyed $50 hands in the hosiery works, corner OF
Cherry and North Cacal streets, when place Will
have TO closed until the destroyed factory
be rebuilt.
INVOLVED IN MYSTERY s
Mr. Peters yesterday SAID that the origin Of the hro
was mysteryeto h,methe Arm having felt entirely
from any such disaster. They mad caused tne
building 10 be ructed to extensive
conagrat,on almost un and he thought
nj 4 n m IL tsl
Are could have been confined 10 one room.
LOIS AND INSURANCE.
Tho loss he said, would amount 10 about 800 OOO,
tho building, $24 900 the stock, divided FOL
lows:- Htfi
American, New York, 81, 900; Newark City, 81, 900;
Peoples Newark 81, 900; Gernana, Newarx 81, 900;
s., 900; Standard, Trenton, N. j. 81 900; 81 LOUIS
$1,000: Citizens, ST. Loum, So 600; Lycoming, Penn
sylvanIa, $4,000; Firemans'. Philadelphia, 81, 900;
Capital City Albany, 81, QUO; Mitviile, Now Jersey;
81, 900, and Viryinis Fire Marine, 81, 000. '
ME Peters stated that the low amount OF the insur
ance was because the firm telt confident that Tho
Of brick sixteen inches IN thicknoss the Rirders OF
Georgia p'ne 12x4 inches and all the flooring oi four
inch Georgia pine, tongucd togsthsr Besides these
precautions blowing machino was Kept Ia operation
uaiy, which forced rs 900 cubic feet Of hot air
into every drying In the factory, thus driving
out all the gases, aud, the firm thought completely
preventing mn explosion. trtf..t ..tr'n .fr.
Tue hrm feel very indignant At tho In which
the Newark Fire Department treated the obstruction
OF their buildings, claiming that they had paid
In Newark for forty years their properly, even n
half mile outside that city was entitled to protection
The officers oil the company are Thcouore Lutte,
president; Horace N. Peters, treasurer, and Edward
Peters, secretary. When Interviewed they decl,pea
TO state whether the buildings would be REBUILT Out
rels o, naphtha and about four wagon loads Of made
up stock