Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1894-05-10
DESTROYED BY FIRE.

Il r
Discovered in the Tank House
OF the Cumberland Glass
Company and Valuable Prop
erty fs DestrOye ed..-Excellent
Service of the Br1dgetOn Fire
Departm e N { Il n ON q n d q
Watch the Flames Eat up the
Valuable Plant.
1t was about haf-past six o'cle OK
Sunday night, when three men were sit
ting near the big tank furnace of the
Cumberland Glass Company. They
were Watchman Bep jamin Erickson,
ohnIFhzpatrick and Samuel Doran.
The former two were cleaning lanterns
when Fitzpatrick looking through the
building discovered slight flame
shooting up through the floor.
Fitzpatrick sprang to his feet and
exclaimed, 1.-THE foot bench Is on fire"
and ran down the building to extin-
guish 1t.
Hurrying down In the basement he
discovered that there was greater
calamity staring him in the face. In
the bottom of the tank furnace, there
was a crack and through it was run
ming small stream of molten glass.
At the time Fitzpatrick reached the
basement, there had but little glass
escaped, but 1t became greater In
quantity, until 1t was almost impes-
sible for him to get out of the place.
He gave the alarm and ran to the gas
producer to shut off the flow, while
the other two men hurriedly got out
a hose to play upon the flames.
Down underneath the big tank fur
mace was wooden fl Dor, and heavy
wooden joists. They instantly famed
and the. hose of the company was of
no account.
The whistle of the engine sounded
fire alarm. It sounded but weakly
down town, and little attention was
paid to 1t. But quickly an employee
hurried to the corner of Laurel and
Myrtle streets and turned In an alarm
from Box 80 and both bells were soon
changing furiously.
In aa almost incredible short tine,
the LaFrance engine, with It's three
horses, was dashing to the scene. More
slowly, a dozen men were dragging the
numbering hose cart. The entire town
was alarmed, and In short time hun
dreds and hundreds of people were
hurrying to the works of the Com.
pany.
Great clouds of black smoke were
now being carried high in the air, and
soon a bright sheet of fame lighted
up the sky.
The tank building was situated In
the South end of the plant, and the
wind.was from the Southwest, which
endangered the entire plant. Forum
ately there was but little wind, and
the flames were not carried far.
Chief Elwell stationed the LaFrance
engine at the corner of Laurel and
Charles streets, and sent the horses
back after the Silsby engine. A line
of hose was run down the yard, and
the firemen began the most effective
work they have ever accomplished.
The big tank building was doomed.
Every rafter and stick was burning
brightly, and the iron roof kept the
flames within, But the fire broke
through the north side and communi-
sated with the mould house which was
quite near. Scores Of employees leaped
to the building and began carrying
out the valuable moulds, and very
many of them were saved.
A perfect shower of sparks were by
this time rising in the air, and falling
all over the other buildings, but the
lines of hose and a bucket brigade
kept the various roofs from firing.
Chief Elwell was fighting the fire di-
rectly against the wind, and keeping
the fire. from communicating with the
adjoining hollow-ware factory. Splen-
did work was accomplished, and the
Department was complimented from
all sides.
AS soon as the Third ward Depart
ment arrived, another line of hose was
run down in the yard, but scarcely
had the water been turned on, when
q great quantity of soda bags in the
east lend of the tank building were
fired, .and the flames burst out all
through the end of the building, and
the heat was intense. The fremen
had barely time to drag the hose from
danger, and the great crowd of people
were driven back many feet to keep
from being blistered.
By this time the Silsby engine had
arrived and was placed at the corner
of Mt. Vernon and Charles street, and
the familisr rumble was heard as she
began pumping and forcing water.