Evening journal., 1891-01-26
DEATH REIGNED ALL DAY.
A Singular Chain Of Fatalities
in Jersey City.
CHIEF FARRIER's TRAGIC END.


afternoon a female tenant Of the four story |
frame tenement at Essex and Green streets
went down into the cellar with a lighted |
lamp. A few minutes later the building |
WAS on fire Il is supposed that the lamp |
was accidentally upset but in the confu-
sion the woman's identity could not be |
fixed, and consequently her statement |
could not be procured One man, Henry |
ciussmann, was burned to death, and |
eleven families were made homeless. The |
building is owned by Haley q Thomas and |
leased by John Offerman.
The Fat Woman's Remarkable Jump.
Before the arrival Of the firemen the |
flames and smoke had ascended through |
the building spreading 40 quickly that the |
tenants had hardly time TO make their es-
cape. Some of them were cut of entirely. |
Mrs Tanning, stout woman living on |
the third floor, jumped from the window.
She landed on a coalbOx, and, strange to
say, she escaped with some slight scratches,
although the lid of the box was broken
into splinters. Her husband climbed on
the window sill, intending TO follow her
example, but his courage failed him, and
he went back into the room. A few min
utes later he emerged from the little door
ON Green street, with his face, hands and
clothing burned. and his hair singed.
burned to a Crisp.
Among the tenants who escaped the
SAME way was Mrs. Henry Gussmann,
who lived with her husband ON the fourth
floor Gussmann worked in the sugar house
at night and sleeps during the day.
n a. 81
His wife made every effort to arouse him,
but could not get him to open his eyes.
Finally. when Mrs Gussmann was almost
suifocated she threw open the window and
was about 20 jump out A shout from the
crowd In the street caused her 70 hesitate.
and in minute OF two the fremen
rescued her. She begged that some one
might 20 10 the rescue ~ her husband.
| Several firemen ran up the ladder but on
reaching the window the volume Of flame
| drove them back After the lire was ex-
| tinguished Gussmann's body was found on
the floor burned to a crisp
Fire Engine Hun Down.
At 7:30 p. IN an alarm came In from the
box at Pavonia and Grove streets Daniel
| Dinan. stoker Of Engine 3 took the reins
in the absence Of Thomas Dillon, the rcgu-
lar driver, and drove from the engine house
| 70 Mercer street, through Barrow street
| As he approached the Pennsylvania rail
road crossing the gateman swung his
lantern a. a signal 90 stop
The horses were under such headway
however, that Dinan was unable 20 check
them, and they dashed across the track di-
rectly in front Of the incoming Florida
vestibule train. The locomotive struck the
| fire engine and smashed il. Dinan was
thrown from his seat under the wheels Of
the locomotive His head was severed from
the body The body was picked up after
ward about half way between Barrow and
Grove streets, and, after a long search. the
head was found near Grove street. Mary
Sneed. a colored woman, was standing
near the tracks waiting 20 cross. A piece
Of iron from the fire engine struck her on
the head and knocked her senseless. Dinan
was % years old, and leaves a widow and a
child. lie also supported widowed mother.
He lived at 200 Thirteenth street One Of
the engine horses was killed and the other
so badly injured that he had 60 he shot.
chief Farrier Killed.
The FIRE to which Engine 8 was going
broke out az o'clock in the cellar of Bolt
woods hardware and paint store on the
northeast corner Of Pavonia avenue and
Grove street. The flames, which broke ont
in the cellar, were, a. Foreman Whalen
thought, practically drowned out, when
| Chief Engineer Henry r Farrier and his
driver, James Riddle, came down into the
cellar The chief, before entering the eel.
lar. was also 10 well satisfied that the fire
was out that he told Assistant Chief John
r. Denmead to take charge of the fire, a.
be Othe chief was gong home Portions
OF the rafters were still smOldenng Il is
said the chief reached up and tore a red
strip from the ceiling and threw il into the
water at his feet 10 il conjectured tha,
the brand fell in some oil and turpentins
floating on the water. Al all events, the
instant the brand touched the water there
|. was a blaze that seemed TO permeate the
whole cellar There were FIVE men grouped
, in the middle Of the cellar
They were Foreman Michael Whalen, oi
! | Truck 2; Hoseman John Mcdonald. of En-
, CINE q; James Riddle, the chiefs driver
Z Herman Foster, an extra hoseman Of I'm
gine g. and Chief Farrier. The unexpected
illumination, which was succeeded by q
! tremendous burst Of binding smoke daz
xled them. Every man ran for his life, but
h before all were out a deafening explosion
4 occurred Hoseman John Mcdonald wa.
1 blown against the wall with terrific force
| Foreman Whalen, who had escaped, dashet
, back aud rescued Mcdonald.
b BADLY Burned and BIackened.
Z BY that time streams ran through th,
floor above and from the rear Of the stor
{ had rendered the air OF the cellar breatha
D be to firemen Foreman Whalen was Oh,
Z first 90 explore it, The impression wa
, general among tine fremen that Chief Far
l. rier had escaped from the cellar by the rea'
k stairway.
j. So when Foreman Whalen stumble'
y over the body Of man in the middle O
; the cellar he did not think Of Farrier H.
d dragged the body out on the sidewalk ii
D the glare Of an electric light on the corner
D The face was hlackened almost beyon,
q recognition, and part OF one side wa
p burned away; but the clothing and a pecu
y liar ring on one Of the fingers showed th
2 fireman that the chief Of the department
l. had been burned To death. The body wa
s taken 90 Boylan's morgue and remove
thence TO the chiefs house in Erie street
Hoseman Mcdonald was assisted to dru
store and sfterwars sent To Sc. Francis
hospital His handS and chest were badl
2. burned. The physicians who looked a
is him said he would probably die Of hi
burns Foreman Whalen was slight
burned in rescuing Mcdonald. and Hos,
II man Poster was slightly injured.
le Chief Farrier was 20 years old He wa
seSn N England but came to this eountE