Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1891-12-17
FlREMEN HAVE A Big JOB.
SERIOUS LOSS AT THE CUM.
BERLAND GLASS WORKS.
Twice the Firemen Were Called
Out Monday Morning TO Fight
Fire.
MONDAY, Dec. IA.

FIRE.
/, rrf. MONDAY, Dec. IA.
The members of the Bridgeton fire
department have had much harder
work to-day than they have had for
several years. Twelve thousand gal
Ions Of oil were blazing, threatening
thousands OF dollars worth of valuable
property all about it.
About half-past one o'clock this
morning, the whistles of the Cumber-
land and Clark glass works shrieked
out a warning, and officers Parvin and
CARL, who were down town, heard
them. They hurried to the Commerce
street bridge to see If there was any
appearance of fire, but there was moth
ing could be discerned from that point
indicating danger. The whistles con-
tinued their almost demonical shrieks,
and the two blue coated officers hur-
ried up Cohansev street. Officer Par
vim concluded he would run the risk
and sound the alarm, and he started
for the bell rope. Officer Oarll did
not know whether it was best or not,
but great columns Of dense black
smoke could be seen towering high to.
ward the clouds. A. tho first alarm
was struck, a bright blaze shot heaven
ward, and the officers pulled the rope
with such earnestness, that the alarm
rang out all over town.
In q twinkling almost, the firemen
were gathering about the engine
house and the apparatus were rapidly
In readiness for use. A moment later
and the Third ward firemen were
alarmed by the Court House bell, and
the entire department were hurrying
to the Cumberland Glass Company's
works.
The big iron oil store building was
on FIRE, and streams Of blaxing crude
petroleum were dashing ont OF every
aperature that Furnished It means of
escape.
Chief Elwell saw at a glance that he
had important work ahead, and the
gallant pair of gray horses that had
drawn the La France engine to the
fire, were hurriedly sent down to the
engine house after the Silsby engine
and in few moments that was. upon
the scene doing active work. There
were two streams from each engine,
and one from fire plug, pouring wa
ter upon the flames, together with sew
eral streams from the fire apparatus
of the Company. -.
The oil store house was corrugated
iron structure situated nearly in the
centre of the works. Different frame
factory buildings surround it upon ev-
cry side. In the building was a large
storage tank holding fifteen thousands
of gallons of crude petroleum. Just
west of the storage tank are number
of small feeding tanks, their capacity
being something like twelve thousand
gallons. 1t was the oil from the latter
tanks that were blazing and running
all about the building.
The oil building was situated upon
the edge of a deep ravine or hollow,
and in this the blazing oil poured and
fortunately too, for had the oil been
permitted to run about on the level,
there is nothing that could have saved
the entire works, as the blazing oil
would most certainly have ran toward
all the frame buildings. aI
The blaze shot upward fully fifty
feet, and the smoke was dense and
black. The heat was almost un
endurable, but the brave firemen at
the branch pipes pluckily stood their
ground and the water and terrific
force from the engines finally smoth-
cred the fire, and after five hours of
hard work, Chief Elwell called his
men away, and the apparatus was
taken down to the engine house and
put away.
Few of the men had reached their
homes, and several were about taking
breakfast, when a second alarm was
struck. The black smoke was again
rolling upward, and second time the
firemen dashed to the works. It was
about half-past seven, and black and
begrimed they again began fighting
fire. The hollow now FILLED with q
miniature lake of oil was blazing like
raging furnace and the apparatus of
the glass company was all directed
toward saving buildings near by.
Trees that were standing in the hol-
low were all blazing. There was big
blaze about the feeding tanks, and 1t
was feared that the storage tank filed
with fifteen thousand gallons of
petroleum might burst, but the fire.
men turned the streams upon 1t, and
kept it cooled off. After an hours
hard work the flames were again sub
dued, and it seemed as If all danger