The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-26
BAYONNE'S Big BLAZE.
Nearly Two Hundred Per-
sons Turned out of Their
Houses by Fire.
A WOMAN'S CAROUsE STARTED IT.
She Upset an Oil Lamp, and Burned
out Three Dozen Families.

A most destructive IRE broke out at
Bayonne at half-past four O'Clock this
morning Ia the middle OF block Of ten
three-story balloon frame wooden tene-
ment structures on East Twenfy-lrss
street, between Avenues d and Z, in the
CenterviIle section. Three large build
ings were burned to the ground, another
was completely gufted and 50 badly
wrecked that II will need to be torn down,
and two others were deluged with water
and otherwise damaged. The fire also
rendered wholly or partly homeless three
dozen families. numbering all told III
persons Providentially ali escaped IN
jury. The loss aggregated viii undoubt-
edly exceed S30,0 900.
For over an hour after the blaze broke
out the firemen had only one steamer 10
assist them The nearest fire plug was
scarcity Of hose and only half dozen
streams could be brought into play upon
the burning building. For five or the
streams the firemen were forced to rely
upon the pressure In the mains.
To cap tie climax a high wind hurled
tremendous showers of sparks upon the
frame structures across the street, nscessl-
tating the withdrawal OF two or more
streams from the big blaze
AN oRGIE STARTED IT.
The blaze originated in the notion and
cigar store Of Mrs. Matilda Clifford at No-
81. double three-story structure worth
about 5000. housing eight families. num-
Dering twenfy-seven persons ana owned
by Felix Fields, OF New York
city. Mrs. Glfford's husband was
at work as furnacemau
in one Of the oil rehneries at the Hook
when the fire started. The neixhbors ar
sert that following practice pursued by
her when her husband was away from
home. Mrs. Clifford had been quietly
corousing with q few cronfes of both sexes
in her apartments during the light.
A lighted kerosene oil lamp was
knocked from the counter in the front
part Of Mrs Gifford's store The next in
slant thee.blaze from the lamp set fire to
some rubbish beneath the counter. With
in few seconds the interior of the store
WAS one mass Of fire Mrs. Clifford lost
little time In running into the hallway
aud crying fire, and fed with her guests
from the baiiding.
NARROW ESCAPES
Reused from sleep, the other inmates Of
the dwelling, with tneexception of fam
lily named Woerner, hastily grabbed =
few articles of clothing and rushed pel1
nell down the staircases. The Woefner
family experienced a very narrow
escape Wnen the members rea-
lized their peril il was already too
late TO reach the street by the stairways-
Frederick, the father. lowered his wife
and three children by rope from the
second story window and clambered after
them. In the meantime the inmates OF
the adjoining tenements were awakened
Only few OF the families had presencc
Of mind or time enough to save any OF
their household possessions.
The chief losses ara As foIlows.--Rich-
ard Clifford. stock Of stone and furniture.
81, 500. no insurance At No. g, Max
Lagarus, owner, lost everything. In
surance on building and stock, s., 900; loss
on house. 50. 900; stock, q. 400 AT No. u
King. owner of grocery store and build
ing, loses about 500. AT No. 33 Peter
Rosenthal owner of building aud dry
goods store on first floor loses 3, 500 o.
house and $500 on stock