The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-11-29
Cables LAUNDRY GONE
A Beautiful Thanksgiving
Ewes illumination.
THE LOSSES NOT VERY LARGE
The Cause of the Flames Not
KnOWn---Some Valuable
Machinery Gone.


The New jersey Steam Laundry, corner
of Pine and Lafayette streets, in the
Lafayette district, suffered total destruc-
tion by fire on Wednesday evening.
Flames were discovered in the building
shortly before nine O'Clock. and at mid
night nothing remained of the structure
but few charred timbers standing and
a smouldering mass of burned wood and
twisted iron.
The lire originated. in some unaccount-
able manner, in an apartment known as
the drying room on the second floor
Here all the linens were stored, after
haylng gone through the cleaning process,
to be dried by steam.
About sixty people were employed in
the various departments, but all had left
the building about an hour before the fire
started. 1t frequently occurs that press
of business keeps them there until d much
later hour, and had such been the case on
Wednesday evening it is possible that
more serious calamity might have to be
reported.
THE PLAN OF THE BUILDING.
The building was frame structure and
very old and two stories high.
On the first. or ground floor, were the
OAllCO3 anu ulaHRlDQ rooms. IN
the latter were four Troy machines for
ironing small linens, two larger machines
1or towels, aprons, etc, and two box
mangles for sheets and such like. In a
safe in the Office all papers, ETC., were
kept secure from the flames and were
taken out yesterday by the proprietor,
John HI. Gable. Part of the office fur
niture was saved, but the valuable
machines for washing and ironing,
together with large quantities of linens,
cleaned and ready for removal, were
destroyed.
Five expensive washing machines in
the wash room on the first floor were also
destroyed.
The second floor was devoted to driving
purposes and divided into numerous com
partments called closets. Frame horses
here were loaded down with sheets that
fed the flames from the start and lent
material aid in giving the fire good
start.
THE START OF THE BLAZE.
How the fire started is a conundrum,
The watchman, John Murray, went up to
the drying room about half-past eight to
put out the gas. Fifteen minutes later
some one called his attention to a bright
light there, and he went up a second
time to learn the cause. As he opened
the door of the room he was confronted
by blazing mass of linen that was
speedily igniting the surrounding wood
work.
In his fright Murray tumbled down
stairs. Grocer Whitcomb, of Communi-
paw avenue, was the first to discover the
fire from the street, and turned in an
alarm from box 81. Officer Salmon sent
out another alarm from box 81 inmedf-
ately after, and upon the arrival of Chief
Farrier general alarm was sent out
The burning building was surrounded by
frame tenements on all sides. and this
course was deemed advisable.
TARDY STREAMS
Engine No. 10 was the first to arrive,
from Halliday street. and by that time
the building was in flames and burning
like tinder. No. 10 took up position di-
rectly opposite the burning building, but
some time elapsed before q stream was
got on. Even then the water no more
than reached the office window. A tall
telegraph pole in front of the building
ignited and sent up long shaft of fra
towards the heavens.
A frame building opposite on Pine
street, No. 170, also caught fire, but was
extinguished by the occupants After
that it smoked threateningly for some
time, but the tiremen kept watchful eye
on it.
A brick building on the opposite corner
also smoked, and the cornice on the Pine
street side blazed and was partly burned.
The occupants of neighboring houses
notice and only waited the order.
The washes" of the St Marks Hotel
and steamboat Dean Richmond were res
cued and piled in heap in a neighboring
yard.
SAVING THE HORSES.
Joe Hall. a young man residing in the
neighborhood, was one of the spectators.
So was John Reilly, an employee of the
laundry. When the fire looked as il it
was going to spread all over the district,
both brave boys rushed into the laundry
stable. and while Reilly was leading the
seven imprisoned horses away from dam
ger, Hall mounted the back of pet billy
goat with the same humane object in
view. But the goat evidently did not ap-
preciate Joseph's kindness, for it dexter
ously threw him from its back, and
dashed madly over the lots. Joe did not
want to loose his prize so bravely gained,
and, it is said, clung for dear life ON to
the billy's tail, and wherever the goat
went he went with him.
The loss to the building and machinery
will scarcely reach $4,000, though Mr..
Cable says it will run up to $50, 900. There
is no insurance on the building or stock
which are consequently total loss.
The business has been in the hands of
of receiver since last July, President
Thurston, of the j. c. d B. r. r.. acting
in that capacity. The business of the
New Jersey Steam Laundry was inaug-
urated just fifty years ago and was run
by the mother of the present proprietor,
j. III. Cable, Gable has contracts with
New York hotels and steamship lines.
which must be met He endeavored yes
to get riN al concerns to take his contracts
temporarily, but they refused. He will
build Immediately and resume work
During the fire Wednesday evening,
Captain McKaig had platoon of police
at the place and was assisted in their
management by Inspector Lange and
Captain John Smith.
DANGEROUS SALVAGE.
There was a drawer full of large size
cartridges in the office desk, and during
the fire they were scattered over the
neighborhood and secured by some chill
dren. They are dangerous toys. Any
one of them is big enough to blow ones
head off, and parents are warned of their
circulation among the small boys of the
district Your boy may have one.
From Johnstown to Lynn.
Chief Farrier, of the Fire Department,
has sent $3.50 to Chief Moody. of Lynn.
Mass, to be contributed to the fund for
the relief of the sufferers by the recent
fire in that place. The money was re-
turned to the Chief by DR.. Gordon as the
ref ks.fIN fBen