New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-30
AN ACRE OF HOUSES BURNED.
pm BLAZE IN JERSEY CITY ZINC WORKS.
r,prMEx UNABLE TO THROW WATER on THE

1rpEMEN UNABLE To THROW WATER on THE
Bu1LDINGs-Two SERIOUS ACCIDENTS.
Fire destroyed more than acre of buildings
,.loncing to the Passaic Zinc Company, jersey
citv. Yesterday. These buildings were used by
,he company in smelling ore to extract the zine,
ond they were joined 10 each other as a lot OF
wings and formed an irregular, rambling group
The main building, which was not burned, is
seven stories high, and the others were four-story
buildings, excepting two-story frame structure,
where were several furnaces. In extracting The
zinc from the ore powerful crushers reduce the
ore 70 the size of pea coal and even finer. This
;s mixed with coal dust and thrown in power
nl blast furnace. When the ore becomes sul'-
GENTLY hot the zinc rises to the top in the form
Of a fine yellow powder. The blast blows this
nowder. which is at white heat, into an iron pipe
Of twelve inches diameter, and it is conveyed in
this manner q fifth of a mile in and about the
buldins until the blast blows it to a room which
II masses through into the bag-roOm, and is taken
from there in barrels The bae-room derives its
name from the fact that the powdered zinc when
II reaches there through the pipe runs into score
or more canvas bags suspended from the pipe.
As soon as these bags are nearly full men roll
barrels on a truck beneath them and empty the
contents in the barrels which are rolled TO the
st,reroom for the market. This action of the
zinc is constant day and night, year after year,
for the furnace fires are never allowed to go out
Jacob IIilkcne, the engineer, at 10 p. m. yes
.erdav. while engaged in his duties saw blaze
beneath the pipe that conveyed the hot zinc from
one of the furnace buildings to the oXygemzlng
room at the northeast corner OF the building lie
at once blew the whistle and an alarm was schu
out. BY the time this responded to 1t became
evident that a big fire had to be fought, ana
ooneral alarm was sent out, bringing to the IRE
all the ire-engres in the city excepting three en-
limos and one truck The greatest difficulty
was experienced in getting water on
tho fire. The buildings were situated in the
middle Of a ten-acre lot bounded by Grand-s'.'
Communipaw-ave the Morris Canal ana Man
nnr-ave All Of the engines at nlst cohhec'cu
with the fire hydrants in Communipaw-aVe., ana
in consequence the water main was pumped uIS'
When this was discovered half OF the engines
were sent to Grand-st., and the Commnnipaw-ave.
main then gave the water needed, but OWING 'o
the hose having to run about 1000 feet, ana
,ho boso hoinc so rotten that every other length
hurst and leaked only very light pressure was
obtained. Some of the streams thrown on the
bn;l1inos were so weak that they failed to break
ordinary window glass.
The fire gained rapid headway. The ilrst oil 'he
cronn of buildings to be reduced to ashes was the
frame structure containing dozen furnaces me
next to follow was the fOur-story DrIcK palluihe M
where the fire was first discovered, ana tnei cio
flames extended to the Dulldlhs Wnoiic III. ,,,9s
room and the store-rOOm were situated iHl, WHS G
aIso n four-story brick building and adorned 'Nc
main hnildinc The united efforts OF the nicncl
prevented the main building from pelg r,
but the east wall will have 70 We fepuAU I'm, %
there the flames jumped TO frame WaEoiislcI I
owned by John H. Hudson: wealthy norist dlo aIi.
Gardener This was soon destroyed, ana 81 wee
q
by Mr. Hudson The fire ncXt at at
tackled tcnemcnt-house occuptu
Patrick Purcell and James CoSgroNe, WoIhIHcn
employed by Mr. Hpd-on. The flames were soon
rytingushed and this building was mug dam
aged. Mr. Hudson said his loss was Sl'ooo par
tialIv covered hy insurance. He suffered Serl0hs
loss bv having about an acre of early tTuck de-
s.royed by being trampcd on by fremeh ana poiice-
men. eool. i .1o s4orobonso
Of Tho smelling works Of Frank Hyde an cmploN@
was knocked down bv some machinery Ihat leIi
across his legs. He shouted for 6Glp, ana str
members of Truck No ran up ladders ana chtre,i
a window They found the man surroundcd 4lliios, 1
BY fire and unable to move lie was req reieaSeu tSad
and escaped with his life but ms hanuS %n i"Te cn'
nlovo in his excitement fell from the second toor
10 the first. As he fell he clutchcd at nook 10
save himself The hook caught into his hand
and laccra;cd it frigtfullY. He was sent TO
snroeon The fire burned until evening:
The Passaic Zinc Works are owned by James
Manning and William c. SquireS bot OF kanTaX'
Neither of the firm was at the works Yesterday
bnt Superintendent Manning was there. Whcl
asked what loss had been Sustained he reiuHGd G,i
to say. but said that the bindings were i4IH 4
covered bv insurance. Men who SAID that thcy
knew estimated the loss at $4,000. While the
buildings were burning Inspector smith ana IOp W
policemen guarded the property. ana k'p' plrh &
fhe thousands Of persons who had galhefcd aooU'
the place. The fire is supposed TO have been
caused by the pipe that conveyed the not @ 2ihc
becoming over-hcated and setting lire 20 soinc
infammable material.