New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-07
SINGER WORKS IN FLAMES.
GREAT LOSS TO THE BIG FIRM.
The MAIN FACTORY AND IT'S VALUABLE
MACHINERY GO FIRST.

TO CHECK THE TREMENDOUS BLAzE-THE
Loss LIKELY TO GO INTO THE MILL.
IoNs-ovEE 5000 PEOPLE WILL BE
THROWN OFT OF WORK.
fire broke ont in the high clocll-towcr of the
main factory of the Singer Sewing Machine Com
pany. in Front-st., Elizabeth at 10 minutes past
Il o'clock last night, and within thirty minutes
the immense building a mass of flames and
the different factories and foundres seemed
doomed. The blaze was first discovered by one
of the watchmcn, but he lost his presence of mind
and an alarm not sent in for some time after
the flames broke out. The entire fire force of the
city was called out, but two Of the sin engines
hecame fast in the mud of one Of the streets leading
TO the river front. and they were stuck there for
over an hour
When the chief of ia" Fire Department reached
thc burning factory he was forced 10 batter
in the massive doors. and here another delay
caused Ey the time the four enyineS had
come 10 the scene If the fire, the main building
was Ioarins mass OF flames. and The heat drove
back Tie ire nch. that they were able TO ac-
c"mplish little or nothin2.
II wn, found that It was almost impossible 10
get water for tie engines and the iirrboat
Bayonuc ordered to give assistance. Here
again those who were fighting tho flames mot
Disappointment. for the crew Of the ircboat
could not be- found The situation became
critical that the Mayor assumed charge Of the
FIRE. working in conjunction with the chief of
the fire department.
The i.remcn. however. did The hest they could.
workinc with % will to save rs many of the other
buildings IS poss g. but tie flames continued
Ia gain hcadwsy. spreading rapidly When il
became known that il was tie Singer factory
which on fire tie town was thrown INTO great
excitement for about $500 people are employed
there, aud nearly all Of them 1--we in Elizabeth
or Elizabethporr Crowds poured toward tho
burning building but they were unable to got near
70 the spot as the heat was intense.
The flames spread and gained dcrceness until
AZ u: go o.clock no one entertained any hope
of saving tie main building. several hundred feet
long, and it then became a question Of how much
could be saved
10 add 10 the excitement and danger tanks OF
glyccriuc and hcn1inc began 10 explode. tho cy-
plo,ious following one another rapidly and throw
in- the flames great distances. From
ihi, time on tie flames ate their
way steadily through the main factory. and
AZ 10 minutes past ! O'Clock thc fire had burned
completely down 10 the first floor \ fcN seconds
Inter Tie structure was lcycllc 10 the ground, and
+ bccamc evident that II would he only with
difficulty that the flames could ~ checked from
spreading - tie other huidiugs J." II. Miller
the superintendent OF IN" works, was unwilling 70
-nv what tlc loss secuei likely to be. a~ IT was
extremely uncertain ~ tAnf hour how much more
.auagc would ~ rorc. II was however. csti-
mated by those at the fire who were familiar
with the immense works and the cY-
trusivc outlay wloh had hccr made
fppn item that tie loe- could scarcely fall below
: 600 opo THIS. however. Was blld t. be fully
covered ly insurance
~ 800 o'c.ocl the fire still covered an i'm
mcusc amount ~ ground. having caught several
. oiuim- hG..dlu-S At this time however. the
l,rrcr factories We're still s,fr. and Nr Miller was
Iu hopes that Tie flames could be- kept from them
When tie walls of the main bIiding came /
down. howcycr Tie raging flames seemed T" be /
come more fierce for the, started toward tie /
centre of 'lc immense grounds and ~ 80 70. n. I
tie blacksmith shops and foundrl"- were In dan
rcr Within a few minutes the ire had caught |
them. and then began desperate struggle 10 save I
these buildings A. late hour Tins morning the
tire ire hciug under control
The erc,i works Of tho Singer Manufactures /
ompan. are situated ON Ncwark BAY. ln the
second Wand Of the city. and co'cr an immense
pace ~ ground The main factory building
which was four stories IN height. had frontage
VI 23o feet IN Fir,t-si.. while the Irlmhnll-N'
,unc\ IS 500 feet long and hiy i"r;
wide TIE cabinet and box factories 10 o." same
street have a FRONTAGE of 900 feet and are three
stories in height The forging and foundry
in the north eud of the park aN ,'""
feet long In ore open floor the foundry covers
$50 and half acres of space. and ne iul'
ground area IL about eighteen acres racing
hc factory building in First 81. is the hc 'utliu'
Singer Park. which covers about three acres. c\-
ending to Sccoud-st. on the west se. while IT
axe, in all the ground between the 'c"i'
;ailroad Of Ncy-.Icr,cy and Trumhull-sf.
ON tie first iloDr of the main building W'r'
hc sufrrIntcndcnts Office, the order, shlppihI
and entry departments stock room, ciShIcfS
n;cc. inspection room and milling department
lhc screw. shuiilr. needle, ADJUSTING, 's'r"-
ling and attachment departments occupied thc
,thcr floors. The most valuable machinery ol
lie works was in tins building
The original firm of T. VI. Singer son WAS
iarted in 1891. when the Singer machine made
Idcrahc debate. the hrm decided to max" I'S
headquarters IN this city. The increase "i phsi-
cs, forced the firm several times to change ii>
uaricrs. but finally II erected large factory IN
iott-st where in s63 the Singer Manufacturing
'onpanN was founded. The factory soon hc''he
90 small. and the company finally made S'r''iYYn
+ tie sii. at EliIahcih. where II had lnc l"'lI-
les for rail and water transportation 1T the small
81 possible expense, the railway ircl-ht '"'A@
,adcd in lis own freight sheds and forwarded VIII
MT change to IL destination, while Nt""rA !"N
aturnllN affords direct connection WIN every
hippng point in the nciehborhood of Ncw-iork
ne doc, frontage Is 500 feet long. IhfI' are
other more than four miles of railroad track III
hc yard
Tie company consumes about 5000 tons "i co" {
nnually and the gas Is all made on the PREMISE
The Singer Company gives the means "' "N'u'
ood 10 $500 people, and IS able to t"rh ""'