Bridgeton pioneer., 1894-12-27
DISASTEROUS FIRE,
Quick Destruction by the Flames;
Terrible Peril of a Little
Child


Terrible Peril of a Little
Child.
A great fire occurred Ia the Third
ward Tuesday evening which gives
sad ending to a merry Christmas day,
and the beautiful residence of Edward
and Lafayette Swing, on Atlantic
street, just below Hampt op, is now In
asher.
How the fire originated is not quite
explained, bat is fairly and reasonably
CO.. jaetured.
Abont a quarter to eight o'clock Mr..
j. B. Clevenstine was on his way down
town from his residence on Atlantic
street; the block between Hampton
and Lincoln street seemed to him en-
tlrely deserted; no person was to be
seen up or down the streets and no
football except his own could be heard.
When he got near the residence of
Mr.. Swing he noticed the front parlor
was brightly Illuminated, looking more
closely he saw the piano and the
draperies In the room were ablaze.
He ran to the fire alarm box No. 3S at
the corner of Atlantic and Hampton,
and TUNED In an alarm.
The house is double dwelling, the
north half of which Is occupied by Mr..
Ed. Swing, with whom Lafayette 9 re-.
sides. Mr.. Frank Cox, of Cox & Sons
Co., resides In the south half. Mr.. Cox
came running to the alarm box just as
Mr.. Clevenstine had turned In the
alarm, the fire by this time having
been discovered by the inmates.
No one was at home In the SWINGS
side excepting Lafays e and the little
babe, his niece; Mr.. Swing was In his
room on the second floor writing, and
the babe was peacefully sleeping In
the front chamber over the blszlng
parlor. Mr.. Swing heard cracking
noise like a fire burning; he went down
stairs and into the cellar to see if the
heater was all right; he found 1t was.
When he got out of the cellar he saw
the fire in the parlor. He rushed up
etairs after the sleeping child, as
thoughts of her first fl ashed across his
mind, Wrapping something about
her he carried her to place of safety.
In an incredibly short space of time
the fire depsl tment was at hand. Mr..
ClevenstI tine, Mr.. Swing MIR. Cox, and
others who had arrived, began t, get
out the furniture from the burning
house.
So quickly was the work of the
flames done, that but very little was
saved OF Swings things and all the
rich furnit are was Destroyed nothing
of Importance was saved but the cloth
ing on their back.
Mr.. Cox was more successful; nearly
all the furniture from his part of the
house being taken out.
The fire engine was stationed st the
corner of Hampton and Atlantic
streets and three streams were played
upon the raging fire.
1t was a stubborn fire; the streams
of water seeming for long time to
have no effect upon It,
The flremen, with ladders, mounted
to the sides of the burning building
and broke in the strong windows so
that the streams could be got to the
interior of the building.
The firemen worked heroically to
save, not only the burning house, but
also the adjucent properties, which
were In imminent danger of being
fred. Their efforts we're unavaling to
save the bnrning house. and only a
shell of the splendid cottage Is now re-
naming.
1t is believed the fire originat ID from
a defective fiue, all the Indications
point that way.
The property was insured, but not
nearly enough to cover the loss.
The insurance was as follows, james
j. Reeves. of the North American
Insurance Co., south half $4,000.
James J. Reeves, of the Royal Insur.
ance Co. north half $4,000, James J.
Reeves, on furniture of Frank Cox, In
North American $500. Samuel Iredell
of the london and Lancaster, $1,000,
on each side.
Jos. H. Powell, of the Delaware
Ins. Co., on furniture L. W. Swing
$1,000, and on furniture of Ed. Swing
$500.