The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-11
ABLAzE IN AN INSTANT.
Sudden Burst of Flame in
Mike" Doy1e's Newark
Avenue Saloon.
THE O'NEILLs BURNED OUT, TOO
Doyle's Barkeeper Narrowly ES.
capes Observation-Disclosures
Second Escape---This
Mornings Fire.

A disastrous fre occurred on Newark
avenue this morning. Doyle's saloon, the
pet resort of politicians, is now bur pic
holder Gorman's cigar store in the same
building, is thing of the past and the
three-story brick building adjoining, in
which were located jackson & Co. g store
stocked with wall paper and shades, and
the O'Neill Associations handsome par
lors above, shared the fate Of ruin. The
losses will aggregate $4,000.
The fire broke out in the rear of Doyle's
saloon at ten minutes past eight. Pat
rick Maloney, the bartender, WAS alone
IN the ssioeis when he observed a tongue
of fame shoot out Of the rear room.
He grabbed the cash and tried to fly
into the street, but the sudden burst Of
flame had reached him and he reeled and
staggered.
A ready arm seized him, and dragged
him TO the street. The saloon had become
seething, waving mass OF flames.
THE BLAZE FIRST SEEN.
The fire was first seen by Policeman
Murphy standing in 'front.' of the rink
stables at the junction of Gregory aud
Van Worst streets The patrolman pulled
box IA, which was the first alarm. At the
same moment young Joe Newman,
son Of Proprietor Newman, Of
Coopers Hall, pulled a private alarm.
The strokes were mixed, and when No.
Engine, which was the Hrsr to dash upon
the scene made its appearance, the en-
tire front of the frame str ucture WIS in
the maw of the fiery element Great
volumes of dense black smoke coiled uo
from the roof and front, and it was evi-
daur q h11ildiu1 eould n0f he q1va6
No. Engine was closely followed by
Nos. 2. 3, 4, 5, 6, and IL Engines and
several trucks. a third alarm had been
rung. Several streams were soon play
ing upon the fire, which had spread to
the. adjoining three-story. brick frdpt
arated the two buildings invited thk
flames in that direction, and IN q few,
moments Jackson & Co. g stock of wall
paper and window shades beneath, the
O'Neill Associations rooms on the second
tioor above, and "Joe" Buckrldge's home
on the third floor, were engulfed IN the
confagration.
The various steamers now playing upon
this building prevented further spread
of the angry flames, but the building was
total wreck before they were finally
subdued. Scarcely anything was saved
from either building.
LOSSES AND NsURANCEs.
Neither Mr.. Doyle nor his bartender,
Mr.. Maloney, could give even the faintest
idea as to how the fire originated Mr..
Doyle places his loss at $1,000, fully in
sured- jackson g. Co.'s loss will also
reach near $1,000. The O'Neills place
their loss somewhere in the neighborhood
OF So 900. insured for 81 500.
tGt,riIisii's Is less will probably reach
$1,000. and the Buckridge family lost
their all.
Joe Buckridge, the sergeant-at-srms Of
the O'Neills, with his father and mother.
bar ely escaped with their lives.
Mike O'Mara's full dress suit was
various members of the O'Nein Associa-
tion.
The scene along the avenue in the
vicinity of the fire was intensely pictur-
esque. A rope was stretched by the police
across from the City Hall and along the
curb on the north side of the avenue.
Against and beyond this a dense mass
Of spectators surged and tossed, and were
kept back by police vigilance. The blind
ing volumes of smoke from the burning
buildings and the stacks of the fire en-
gines, together with the thick fog which
prevailed at the time, was only relieved
by the lurid glare of the flames and the
mvriad sparks from the engines.
MORE BLESSINGS FOR THE FINANCIERs.
President Conway, of the Fire Board,
and Fire Commissioner John Brown were
inside the fire lines studying the condi-
tion of the department ht service and
cursing the stupidity of Finance Board
that compelled the City Fire Department.
to depend upon borrowed secondhand
telegraph alarm apparatus.
Both buildings were owned by Mrs. e.
Klein, of Summit avenue.