Morning journal and courier., 1891-05-08
A BLAZE IN WEST HAVEN.

Two Houses in Flames-One NeaFAy l Ruined-Hard Work by the Fire men-Lack of Hose and Hydrants- Excitement and Comment in the Borough. A destructive fire started yesterday after noon in West Haven and, as might have been anticipated at the start, the West Ha- ven fire department could be of little use, from lack of sufficient hose and hydrants. The house where it started is on Court street, about two blocks below the West Haven horse railroad stables, and isowned by William E. Beckman, who lives there with his wife and four young children. Shortly before 4 o'clock Mrs. Prahn, who lives opposite on Brown street, noticed smoke issuing from MT. Beckman's garret, close to the chimney. She immediately notified his wife, who was busy down. stairs and quite unconscious of what was going on-Beckman himself being at work in the piano factory, where he is employed, the other two, a baby and one four years old, were with Mrs. Beckman down stairs. The fire alarm whistle at the piano fac l tory was at once sounded and the fremen ran to the engine with all haste, but with | lack of apparatus neat work cannot be ex- | pected and consequently it was fully half an hour before they got the stream on at all. They then discovered that they had not sufficient hose to reach from the near l est hydrant, which is at the car stables, and so pumped two wells dry before they l could borrow 250 feet more of the car company to make up the requisite 75O feet to the hydrant. Meanwhile the neighborf had been doing their utmost with buckets and a garden hose. It was quarter of before the firemen cou1d~be of any mate rial value, though they worked like heroes all the time under the leadership of Foreman Spiegel, Dr. Wilson, the chief, being in New Haven at the time. By this time the whole top of the house was blaz, ing furiously and the flames had spread to the house next door belonging to family named Juelech. Most of the roof and one side of the Juelech residence were also con. sumed before the fire could be got unde, control. Many sparks also fell on the rood broken in the roof and the latter was washed to prevent danger. By 5:15 the | fire was well under control and at 5:40 ii was finally extinguished.
 MT. Beckman's house is total wreck, l the water having done what the fire left undone The house will probably have tc be entirely rebuilt, except the foundation It was two-story structure built only 6 year ago by Benjamin Richards, lumber dealer at West Haven, and cost $1 400. Il was insured for about $90O. About $4O( sured The loss to MT. Juelech is esti mated at s4O0 to the house and $500 on furniture, a large part of the latter being in 8 piano, one end of which was de stroyed MT. Juelech also claims he hac two gold watches stolen. He is still in hi house, however, which is for the most par untouched. The cause of the fire wal doubtless defective fue.
 Though the fremen, especially Foreman Spiegel, must be well credited for thei
 energetic efforts, the people of West HaveI are beginning to think that thero is some thing very seriously at fault in the sys Insufficient hose, only one hydrant,a singl hand engine and that at ridiculous dis tance (the railroad station) from the cen ter, are certainly defects which ought t be remedied. Whether the fire depart ment are to blame for it O not, certain it is that Superinten dent Ward of the West Haven Hors
 Railroad company has offered them place for the engine and the use of theil horses free, and no reason has been givel for their not accepting the offer. pc
 tition has been for some time before tn
 town authorities for an additional hydran
 on Brown street, and it is thought tha now something will be done about it
 Moreover they have now no claim to as
 sistance from the New Haven Fire depart
 ment, since for the last great fire, at tn Sea View house, Savin Rock. where the offered their assistance and the town neve
 paid them. These causes make considers
 ble comment very general throughout tn , | borouph