Bridgeton pioneer., 1888-01-26
NO. 2O98
SERIOUS FIRE.
An Explosion in one Of the
Rooms of the Institute.

Alonzo Ware, of Sea Isle CITY. q.
student of the South Jersey Institute.
turned the wick Of his students lamp
low in room is of the third floor of the
building last Friday night, and left it
on a sinalltable and went down to the
dining room for tea. Shortly after six
O'Clock he returned to his rooom AMI
upon opening the door was almost
blinded with flames, and nezrlv
snfoeated from a dense cloud
of smoke. Heimmediately gave the
alarm and in an instant the
students Of the school responded ana
hastily carried water in buckets aud
pitchers for the purpose of putting out
the flames. The alarm was given by
telephone, and the people OF the city
| were greatly startled by the pealing OF
the fire bell and the screeching ef the
Electric Light Engine whistle. The
members of the fire departm were
quickly on hand and with all necessary
apparatus were soon at the scene with
a crowd of some thousands.
The engine was Immediately put in
running order, and the hose pulled up
into the window of the room, and the
water turned on. But this was evi-
IDENTIFY not needed, and the stream was
soon stopped. While the firemen We're
chopping the floor and knocking the
plaster off the room, the fire seeming
to be in the partition, the students,
with others, were getting out bed
clothing, trunks, etc. On the east en-
the ladies' quarters-all was in co,
fusion. The ladies were greatly e,
cited and were packing their trunks
and appealing TO the men to carry
them to a place of safety. Many
trunks were carried down, until cooler
heads prevailed upon them to cease,
assuring them that there was no dan
ger, and that the fire was under CON
troll. One young lady packed her
trunk, and after it had been carried
out. thought of silk dress which still
hung in the room. Unnindful of what
she was doing she slipped. off the dress
she wore, and put on instead, the silk
dress, right in the presence of the
crowd. The freinen persevered untik
a few moments later, all fire had been
put out, and the danger was over. The
firemen, finding nothing else to Dc,
drew off their hose and left the scene.
After the smoke had cleared from
the building an examination of the
rooms was made, and they presented y
sorry sight. The room in which the
| the fire took place was badly chaxed
and scorched, and the imprint of the
tirelNan's axe had been left here and
there. The room was soaked, as was
also the one above and below, the
damage done by the water being con
| siderably more than the fire Other
rooms werG in general confusion, the
bed clothing, trunks and carpets hav-
ing been taken out and thrown down
stairs The students and others, after
the fire, carried their belongings Lack
in the rooms and made things as COM
Portable as possible. Some clothing
and other articles were carried of b.
sneak thieves in the confusion.
The origin of the fire, while positive
ly unknown, i, supposed to have conc
from the bursting of the lamp, as the
lamp was all in pieces. tis supposed
the oil crept up in the wick until it
reached the flames, when it ignited
1t must have fallen under the bed as
that piece of furniture was almost en-
tirely consumed and the other furlIi-
tnre of the room was badly charred
Tne loss can scarcely be estimated but
it will be considerable, not so mach
from the fire butof the general destr rue
tion and the damage done by the
water The building is insured in the
london & Liverpool Sun, Salem
and Cumberland Mutual Companies
The papers are in the hands of DR..
Winn, Of Camden, one of the Officials
of the school, and this morning Secre-
tary Lloyd, of the Cumberland Mutual
Company. o! this city, went to Cam
den to see about the insurance.
There are four hundred and ninety
four persons in this county receiving