The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-05
GREENVILLE'S PERILS.
Practically 1t is Without
Apparatus to Fight
Fire.
NOT AN ENGINE IN IT.
Only an Old Hook and Ladder
Truck-0ne of the Most Scan
dalOus Crimes Of the Ring.

One of the most dangerous and disas-
trous confiagrations the country has ever
known will happen some day in this city
If the present system which governs the
Fire Department is not changed. Green
vile, district with 10000 population,
1,500 houses, !. 400 of which are frame; one
public school containing nearly 1000
scholars. one Catholic parochiai school
with 600 scholars; five factories, employ
ing 1000 men, aud three IN course Of cree
ton which will employ another Thousand
men; five churches, valued at nearly
500, ,0OO without any protection from fire
except an old rattle trap Of a truck which
has done service tor score OF
wears. The ineficiency of the
truck company is made
evident, every time there is a fire. One
case will, perpaps, convince the residents
of this city that Greenville has mighty
poor protection from fire. A fire alarm
was sent from the box at McAdoo and
Bergen avenues one day some time ago.
The fire was at one of a row of three
story frame dwellings a few doors below
Bergen avenue, which, fortunately for
the occupants, was put out BY the neigh
bors. The hook and ladder company re-
sponded, but in a way that totally sur
prised every. resident. The truck house
is on Linden avenue, about two hundred
feet east of Old Bergen Road. Nc Adoo
avenue runs from Bergen avenue 10 New
ark Bay.
THE TRUCK BLUNDERs INTO THE MIRE
The Hook and Ladder Company, in
stead of going through Linden avenue,
to Old Bergen Road, TO Bergen avenue
aud thence to the scene OF the fire, which
would have been the quickest aud short
t...l
to Ocean avenue, TO Danforth avenue,
and attempted to pass through Danforth
avenue, but the heavy truck got stuck In
the mud and the two horses we're unable
to get IL out OF the mire. This seemed to
suit the firemen very we'll They did not
seem to care what became OF the burning
house. why the company chose that
route was a perfect mystery to every one
who was present at the time.
The firemen went fully three blocks out
Of their way and selected the muddiest
route, which to all appeared a piece of
foohshness. One by-stander, upon asking
why this route was chosen, was told 20
mind his d-n business.
GreenviIie extends from Myrtle avenue
to the Morris Canal, a distance of two
miles, and from Bay TO Bay, distance
of one and u half miles. During the last
two years 400 buildings have been erected,
800 OF which are of frame, and buildings
are gong up Dy the score.
Among the large factories are the Barr
Din widdie Company, printers and book
binders. employing three hundred hands;
the Street & Detwliler hreHarks factory,
employing Two hundred hands; the Eagle
Dry Plate Works, s,cmploying enc hundred
hands, and several other smaller factories
employing the remaining four hundred
hands.
All those buildings and and the human
haiDpe QmDlOVe1 fnprain ara at he mercy
of the flames.
GREENyILLE NEGLECTED By THE RING.
MIR Harvey, president of the sixth
District Citizens Association, when in
terviewed on this matter, said that It was
a downright shame the way the Green
Vile end of the city was treated by the
Ring officials. Greenville, he continued.
was paying more money to the city for
taxes than any other district in the city
and there it was without protection from
fire, without Improvements. without any
thing. It's crying shame. he said, the
way the citizens of That district were
treated by the Ring, the citizens and
property owners have stood that thing
long enough, and at the next election
they would go TO the polls and protest
against this power in way which will
make the Ringsters open their eyes in
wonder. But, he continued, they must
have fire engine company in that end of
lnC C4t- II HOuAu AOs AO w ~ WAtAO0s ~
any longer:
of our residencesf' he continued.
"What would we dor Why, we could do
nothing out simply stand by and let il
burn. The few buckets of water which
we could throw upon it would have no
effect.
/ also saw Mr.. Oliver, ex-mayor of Bay
onne, and a number of the Sixth District
Citizens Association. Mr.. divers pro-
test was simply repetition of what Mr..
Harvey said He also said that the ring
was to blame for that state of affairs, and
that the sooner Greenville got rid of it
the better off the citizens would be.
Every resident in Greenyille says
Amen" 10 what Mr.. Harvey and Mr.
Oliver say, and hope by united effort to
impress upon the minds of the Ring Off
ciais the necessity of placing fire COM
pany in Greenyille.
The nearest company to Greenville is
the one at Ege avenue, fully half mile
from Myrtle avenue, the boundary line