The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-08-17
SOME ONH BLUNDHRED.
Serious Blaze at the Point
Of Rocks Shops.
SERIOUS DAMAGE DONE TO CARS.
Made Worse by stupidity of Rail-
road Men Who lnterfered
With the City Fire
Department While
at Work.

Some one blundered yesterday, and the
blunder cost the Pennsylvania Railroad
several thousand dollars and nearly re-
railroad employees and the city's fire de-
partment. Soon after three O'Clock yes
terday afternoon citizen passing down
Railroad avenue saw that Pullman
palace car in the railroad yard at the
Point Of Rocks was on fire. He ran to
the nearest box and seat out an alarm.
Before the engines dashed up the en-
ployes VITO form the company's fire brig
ade had discovered the blaze and they
were attempting to put it out. They
worked without organization and appar-
entity knew but little about what was
needed from them. After some time a
hose was connected with q hydrant and
water turned on the fire. AT this juno
ture the fre engines approached. and the
firemen, headed by Chief Conway. ran
up the bank to the side track where the
burning car stood. A man supposed to
be Foreman S. Garrabrant was at the
head of the company's men, aud he tol d
Chief Conway that the services OF the
firemen were not needed. The Chief In
formed him that an alarm had been sent
out and the fremen called, and in conse-
TO put out the fire.
I'VE did not send out any Alarm" was
the reply, and 1t was the truth. Althougff
the Pennsylvania Company has provided
a hrebox at the shops at the Point OF
Rocks not single employe had set il of
when the fire was discovered, q piece of
gross negligence which is being investi-
gated by the company.
WANTED TO FIGHT.
The Chief told his men TO get to wor
and thevrailroad men showed light
"Why." said the Chief today, speaking
of the fire. "when ! told the man in
charge TO make way for my men he told
me to go to hi. He refused 10 obey me.
told him that would take the railroad
hose in the rear of the car and
hight the fire down. which would
have been very simple thing to do. He
again told me TO go to HI, and told the
nine or ten men who had the hose TO fol-
low him. They took 1t to the wrong end Of
the car. l grabbed him by the collar and
forced the hose from him. When he re-
sisted / turned the butt on him and he let
go."
During this time Captain McKaig and
n squad OF policemen were endeavorinR
TO make the railroad employees get out or
the way and he drove back crowd OF
men who had assembled to enjoy the
ened to turn off the. water and
Captain McKaig said If he did he
would be arrested The fellow retorted
that the water belonged to the railroad
company and not to the CITY. aud 1t was
none of the Captains business. Tne
water was not turned off.
ANOTHER BLUNDER.
When Chief Conway got control of the
hose he started through the cars with 1t.
The railroad men then got sticks and
iron bolts and smashed In the
windows, which caused draft and
halr he al tQG a q "
tended TO the dining-room rear attached,
and soon that was in blaze. The sparks
from this blew into the car-shops and set
fire to some mats and comDustible ma
terial, and for time it
looked as If the shop would
be destroyed. The railroad men refused
10 obey Chief Conway. and were about to
stroyed many thousand dollars
worth of material, but Chief Con-
way and Captain McKaig prevented
this great waste. The fire in the
building was soon extinguished, and after
a half hours battle with the flames In
the two cars, hindered in every possible
manner by the rail road men, the are
then was put out. The damage done will
reach at least $4,000
WHAT THE COMPANY SAYS.
At the office of the company | was told
today that an investigation was being
made into the conduct OF the men and the
origin of the fire. which is believed to
have been caused by lamp explod-
ing The official said that the en-
ployes had received no instructions
from the company to prevent the firemen
from doing their duty, and that gross
misunderstanding had taken place. Chief
Conway says three-fourths of the em-
pioyes acted as if they We're drunk; it be-
Ing Sunday they had plenty of time to
drink what they wanted.