New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-04
a BIG BLAZE IN PLAINFIELD.
EXTENSIVE LUMBER YARDS DEsrRoYED-LosS
sllOnOn.

Sl50000.
The most destructive fire Plainfeld n. j., has ever
known broke out in the heart of the city last evening
shortly before o'clock and within two hours property
worth S150o00 was consumed. The largest lumber
property In that part Of New-Jersey was until last
evening that belonging to the estate Of ID. j. Boice
At midnight last night nohng left of 1t but a
mass OF glowing Goals
II quarter OF O'Clock when c. d. stelle iirst
discovered flames issuing from small outbuildlng In
the rear of Boice's lumber Yard lie quickly sent In
an alarm OF fire, and within live minutes the fire
department apparatus had arrived the scene. The
3oice yards AMI buildings occupied two blocks, being
bounded by Park ave. the tracks Of the Central Rail-
road Of New-Jersey, and Madison. ave. East Of the
yards were small barns, dwelling houses and the
undertaking establishment OF A. NJ Runyon Son.
The yards enclosed by big wooden sheds built OF
boards set one inch apart.
rhe flames from the small building crept through
these crevlces and communicated with the soft pine
shingles and boards within. Almost instantly the
whole OF one side of the yard Was mass OF flames
Within five minutes 1t seen that it would be i'm
possible to any portion of the property. Huge
piles OF shingles swept away like bundles OF
paper, while lumber stacked twenty feet high
consumed in a twinkllng. The fire was 50 not
that the remen could not get enough TO 1t TO do
anything toward quenching it, For nearly an hour
II impossible for trains to pass the tracks OF
the New-Jersey Central Railroad.
The propnet0rs of RunyOn's undertaking establish
ment realized that it would be impossible to save their
establishment and they began to remove their stock
Dozens of men carried coiins, and steady stream 0i
them soon flowed from the shop, filling the door
yards with the caskets Of all sizes and kinds. The hre
drove the helpers from the place long before all the
stock was removed, however, and Runyon's loss VIII
be heavy. small buildings, barns and shops in PARK
ave. were swept away like chaif under the fierce
heat, but the fire department prevented the flames
from destroying the dwellings in Fourth-st. Many
times flames burst from their roofs, bat the we'll
directed efforts of the fremen prevented them from
gaining any headway.
The Boce Building fell with crash about O'Clock,
and Chief Dane and three assistants were struck By
falling timbers, but escaped serious injury. Aid was
received from the Westheld, FanNOOd and scotch
FlainS fire departments. .
John ID. Runyon, manager for the BOlce estate, said
his loss would be about 100000. His insurance Is
about $35 0OO other heavy Losers are samuel snyder
Thaddeus o. DOane, Frank y. Hun, Edward O. Mul-
ford solomon Dunn and L. ". French. A. VI. Run
yOn & Sons loss heavy. Two corpses were said
TO have been saved from their Undertaking estb!ish-
ment with difficulty. How the fire originated is un'
known.
While on his way TO the fire Arthur j. Upston, an
insurance agent, was thrown from wagon and badly
hurt. lie was carried to Doctors Office where a
haSty examination revealed serious injuries lie was
still unconscious at late hour