The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-09-04
THEY LOST THEIR ALL
Fourteen Families Made Home
less by the Fierce Flames.

A fierce c~onfagration swept the lower
end of Pavonia avenue on Sunday night.
At ten minutes past six o'clock Police
man Harris of the Second precinct,
while in Pavonia avenue saw a tongue
of flame shoot from a large shed on the
south side. of the avenue, near Kelso
street. The shed was owned by the Erie
Railroad Company, and was originally
used as a potatoe 'and produce depot.
1t was about 20 feet long, 40 feet deep,
and a ~ramshackle old concern.
Policeman Harris lost no time in send
ing in an alarm, fearing that adjoining
valuable property would be destroyed.
Before an engine arrived on the scene,
and fully ten minutes before a stream
of water was turned on the burning
shed. it appeared to be one mass of
flames. Tongues of fire shot
higher and higher into the
air. First telephone and telegraph
wires fell and then followed the trolley
wires. These handicapped the iremen.
TIL current was finally shut off, but
the heat was then so intense that they
were repeatedly driven back.
A brisk, southerly wind was blowing,
AAe " thS VI ~ C1Ai ca
row of six three-story brick houses on
the opposite of the avenue were one
mass of flames. A general alarm was
sent out, and upon the arrival of the adj
ditional engines the work of the firemen
progressed.
ALL THEIR GOODS GONE.
Fourteen families occupied the apart
ments over the stores on the ground
Hnor of tho hriaLx hnI1sac TbpXy pyara
rendered homeless within 20 minutes after
it was discovered that the row was on
fire. Every occupant lost all his house
hold furniture.
In the rear of the tenements was the
United States Express Company's horse
hospital. There were a half dozen sick
horses in it, but they were saved in the
| nick of time. A span of t~rotters, owned
by Superintendent Peterson of the Ex-
press Company, were saved, as were
also four valuable wagons. The stable
was Quilted and o. H. Perry's coal yard
was damaged to the extent of 1000.
1t looked for a time as though ex-Mayor
O'NeiIrs lumber yard would be swept
away. but it was saved.
RAVAGES BY THE FLAMES.
The Greenwood Lake Ice Company's de-
pot was puIISu OWL 81 ALSO was d
two-story brick tenement owned by Chas.
Wagner, located in Barnum street. The
flames made short work of the tene-
ments and one wall after another fell
with a crash.
In one end of the building a large
quantity of hay was stored. The fire
men kept it wet, thereby preventing
the flames from igniting houses near
IL It'll F. II IL.
ments were being Quilted by the flames
the Erie Railroad transfer stables caught
fre.-F Fifty horses were stabbed there,
but they were removed to a place of
safety. The flames quickly consumed a
shed adjoining the stables occupied by
d. E. Randolph & Co., four merchants,
and one hundred barrels of -four were
destroyed. The storehouses of C%arscallen
and Cassidy narrowly escaped being
burned. The action of the iremen in
keeping them soaked with water saved
them. The fire ragged for two hours. and
the estimated loss by Chief Conway will
not exceed 500, 600. All of the burned
buildings were partially covered by in
ran
LOSSES INFLICTED.
The heaviest loser of the tenants of
the tenements was Jacob Richter. He
resided in No. sc Pavonia avenue, and
lost about 81, 200 worth Sof furniture.
Patrick Smith, one of the tenants of
No. 80, was sick and had to be carried
out of the building. The stores of the
Quilted tenements, which were owned by
the United States Express Company,
were occupied by Louis Norman, sta
toner; Pullman Palace Car, branch com
missary department; James Tenney, eli
gar dealer; Robert Thompson, sash ma
ker. They lost everything
The s~tockyards were in danger at n
time of catching on fire, but Pennsyl-
vania Railroad tugs rendered valuable
assistance. The fire was a hot one, and
it is miraculous that further damage
was not done, as the main water pipe
in Pavonia avenue was useless, having
burst on Friday. 1t had not been re-
paired up to the time of the fire.
How the fire originated is a mystery,
although it is believed that toughs who
slept in the unoccupied produce sheds
set fire to them accidentally.
A pleasing incident of the fire was
the thoughtful act of Joseph e. Bern
stein, the clothier, who, on discovering
that the police and firemen had lost their
supper by the work at the fire, gener-
ously bought out the entire. stock of a
neighboring restaurant, and when the
flames were extinguished invited the hun
cry men to regale themselves, which
they did most heartily. Mr.. Bernstein's
kindly act was much appreciated and
applauded.
~