The daily gazette., 1881-07-26
FIRST EDITION.
THE FIERY element,
Large Fire in the Pusey &
Jones Company's Ship
Yard.

xarQ.
DEsTRUCTION OF OVER FIFTY
THOUSAND DOLLARS wORTH
OF PROPERTY.
Machinery DestrOyed-In n { n .
Heat-Scenes and Inetdents.
The largest a1d most destructive
fire that has taken place in this city
since the destruction of the "Bee
Hive" on Orange street above Fifth,
ON New Ysars night 1877, occurred
last night, when the flames literally
tapped up over Any thousand dollars
worth Of property.
The fire occurred In the Pusey g.
Jones company . ship yard and through
the active exertions Of the firemen l.
Was confined mostly to that section.
DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.
A few minutes after Q o'clock as the
steamer 8. n Fblton was passing the
oompany's works on her down trip,
several passengers on the boat noticed
an unusual bright light In one of the
buildings, but they were unable to give
any alarm. A few minutes afterwards
John Hates. night engineer, saw the
flames and gave the alarm, and the
night watchman Hiram Corbert i'm
mediately ran to box IA and struck the
alarm. The alarm struck all right
upon the gongs in the engine houses,
but failed upon the City Hall bell only
striking ono tap upon it. The Water
Witch seeing that the boil was out of
order struck the II taps upon their bell
which sounded the general alarm.
In almost less time that 1t takes to tell
1t, the engines we're Upon the ground, ,and
ready for service.
WHERE IT ORIGINATED.
As near o. can be ascertained, the FIRE
originated in the south corner of the
moulding loft, and the building being
Of frame 1t soon spread. At the time
the fire occurred there was good breeze
blowing from the south, and the loft be-
ing open at the bottom the breeze fed
the flames, and in few moments the
building was In flames.
Meantime the firemen had 20 item to
work, and were directing streams upon
the burning building. As the flames
Intense that 1t was almost impossible for
those having hold Of the branch pipes to
! stand with short distance OF the build
ing,la fact some Of them were compelled
TO secure planks and even pieces Of
sheet iron, to place before them.
THE TLAmKs SPREAD.
It soon became apparent that the
building would not be saved, a. the
wood work was very dry, and the flames
which rose several feet into the air
carrying with 1t large volumes Of smoke,
licked II up like tender. Inside of ten
minutes the Joiner shop, adjoining
the moulding loft Was on fire.
This building was also Of frame,
and consequently " It was soon wrs rped
In the embrace Of the fiery fiend.
The firemen ct once came to the con-
clusion, that 1t was more than useless to
endeavor 10 save the two frame build
ing, 20 they tarnsd their attention to the
surrounding property, In order II possi-
TO save it.
Situated about thirty feet from the
burning building, was the brick Office.
Upon this streams were turned but 30
intense had the heat become
that the window frames ignised
and all efforts to extlnguish the flames
seemed to be like pouring oil upon
water.
In few minutes after the window
frames OF the Office had become ignited,
the interior burst into flames. Almost
simultaneously the sand shed also situa-
ted about thirty feet from the mould loft
was discovered to be on fire. Then it
was that the dremen and others began
to think that there would be . serious
c0nfagration, and they were further
strengthened In their opinion when the
alarm was given that the wood work
around the ventilators on top Of the
foundry were on fire - was also some OF
the wood work inside the building.
Then it was that the Chief Engineer
thought Of appealing to Chester for aid,
but - the fremen went to WORK more
determinedly the despatch was not sent.
In an inersditable short space two
streams were directed upon the wood
work of the foundry and the flames ex-
tinguished, doing but little work.
Meanwhile large volumes Of flames
were issuing from the office and sand
shed, and a. the flames In the mould
loft and Joiner shop had not yet SUBJ.
sided the heat was even more intense
than at first. 80 intense was the heat
that blocks Of wood used in bracing up
steamers caught fire fifty feet from the
burning buildings.
A THREATENING OUTLOOK.
As tho flames rolled upward they
carried with them large pieces Of burn
ing embers, which fell In all directions.
At one time the machine shop OF Rem
ington, Bailey u Co., situated on
Front street near Poplar, was ON Ere,
having caught from one Of the falling
embers, but fortunately the fire was
discovered In time and extinguished
by the application Of water from