The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-10-28

suffocatingly hot. Smoke filed the
Office, and Boice. jumping from his
chair, rushed into the drying room to
ascertain the cause. Arriving in the
drying room, he was horrified to dis
cover that the entire rear end of the
building was in flames. The drying
room was fitted up with patent fire
extinguishing mach ne.
This was set in operation. but all to
no avail. The flames began TO spread
and Boice and Berry, realizing that
the entire establishment was endan-
gered, rushed down stairs and pulled
the nearest fire aiariu box.
PROMPT RESPONSE.
II happened TO be box No. 5. The
box was pulled at the uniucky thir-
teen minutes past eight o'clock, and
at fifteen minutes past, or exactly two
minutes later, Engine No. 2 appeared
on the scene, closely followed by a
number of others and several hook
and ladder companies.
Assistant Chief Denmead was first
upon the scene OF the confiagration,
and rushing up into the Brooklyn
Cooperage Company building, he
made a hasty examination of the ex-
lsting condition of affairs. The en-
tire building was tightly closed, and
not even the slightest pretense of a
draught was discernible. Denmead
was puzzled, but his experienced eye
told him that wholesale destruction
of property would follow the
first vent given the half-smoth-
cred flames. Accordingly he sent out a
second alarm. Manfully he worked
inside the building. but every moment
the smoke grew more and more dense.
and he realized soon that his life and
the lives of his fellow firemen would
be imperiled unless assistance was at
once given him. Leaving several
men in charge of the building to pre-
vent the opening of any windows, he
hastened to the street to prepare for a
tough struggle. There he met Super
intendent Brown, who had just ar
rived, and to him he briefly impaired
the information that the entire block
would be swept away unless the
flames were gotten under control at
once.
A GENERAL ALARM.
superintendent Brown at once sent
out a general alarm but before the
engines hadall arrived the flames had
broken out in full fury. To check their
progress was as impossible as to stop
the sun from shining. Scarcity of
water was the first dilemma in which
the tirem n found themselves. But
this was a minor evil to contend with.
The Brooklyn Cooperage Company's
building, although considered a
i've story frame structure, rose
actually to the height of an
ordinary ten story building. At the
time OF its erection, it might be incl
dentaily remarked, property owners
In the Immediate vicinity complained
and it was a matter of record that the
company was able to secure only one
halt the insurance it desired.
The drying room was upon the top
OF the building. but rapidly the
flames eat their way downward. Soon
that portion of the building facing
upon Greene street was in mass of
flames. The heat became intense.
But bravely the firemen fought.
The main wing of the building facing
on Essex street filled with smoke. and
from every window, door and crevice
great clouds poured. Stream after
stream of water was turned upon the
building with the hope of flooding
and saving it, but all was of no avail.
The flames in the wing facing upon
Greene street speedily spread to the
fourth floor, and from there to the
third. At this juncture it seemed as
though the firemen would gain con-
troll OF the fire, but all hope was lost
when flames shot out from the front
windows of the second floor.
MANUFACTURED STOCK.
Stored upon this floor were about
fifty thousand sugar barrels ready for
delivery to the various manufactur-
ing plants under control of the Am
erican Sugar Refining Company.
which virtually controls the cooper
age concern. The barrels were piled
in tiers of five high and were stored
over the entire floor, extending from
Greene street around to Essex street.
The disastrous fact was soon discov-.
cred that these were on fire. A dozen
streams of water were turned upon
them but the heat became so intense
that the firemen were driven out of
Greene street into Essex.
The discovery was made that J. H.
Gautier Co.'S crucible works, on the
side Of Greene street, were
burning too. Jailer Robert Davis
made the discovery, and, seizing a
hose, led the way to the burning por-
tion of the building. A stream was