Bridgeton pioneer., 1894-04-12
THE DEPARTMENT Work

TO the hremen when they began work.
L. was twelve minutes before the La
France steamer with Its three big
horses reached the scene. The two
hose carriages had proceeded the eh
gine, and the hook and ladder truck
came later.
The La France engine dashed down
Lau'4! street, AID the rough road way
made the Fl beneath the boiler scat
ter along tie streets, so that before
tho 4eu WIS reached, the fire box
was nearly eopfv, delaying somewhat
tho raisi4p NJ seam.
Before the engine had arrived line
O. hoss had h,en run from the plug
on Grove street near Eagle, but the
four iuch N Il furnished no pressure,
and the stream was of no more conse-
quen 20 nm the effect of a bucket.
Tae sfreamer, however was soon at
work, and did better, although the
inadequate mains would not furnish
sufficient wafer, and much of the time
the engine was pumping air.
The line of hose was run directly
down Grove street, and the first efforts
were directed to saving the store
building. But single stream and no
pressure proved but little avail, and
moment later, the men were called
upon to play water on the houses op-
posite. 1t was we'll they did, or all of
them would have been q seethipg
mass of fame, and then South Bridge
ton would have been swept over.
Chief Elwell hurriedly sent for the
Silsbey engine, and she was stationed
at the corner of South avenue and
Henry street. 1t was the intention of
the Chief to train two streams from
her upon the factory store and the
house of Mrs. Davis, but before steam
had been raised sufficiently to force
the water, the houses of Capt. Perry
were blazing. This indicated the work
for the Silsley, and the fremen soon
had line of hose to these houses.
The main trouble experienced by
the Chief at this time, the lack of hose,
and it was sometime before an express
wagon could be secured to get back to
the engine house after it. When it
came, "Y" was put in and stream
front and back were playing upon the
Perry houses.
The fires were exceedingly stubborn.
All the flames were inside, and kept
eating their way downward, while the
water was being thrown upon the out
side. A bucket brigade upon the
third house of Capt. Perry was doing
yeomen's service, and the young men
managed to save the structure. Had
the Chief been able to have raised his
hose and thrown the water upon the
inside of the dwellings, the work OF
extinguishment would have been
more thoroughly accomplished, but
the Chief did not think the pressure
sufficient to do effective work In that
way.
l. Meanwhile the firemen down at Mrs.
Davis dwelling had been doing effec-
tive work, and by seven O'Clock the
flames there had been entirely ex-
tinguished. By half-past seven O'Clock
the flames In the two double houses oi
Capt. Perry were under control, and
the big factory buildings, together
with the store property, had burned
itself out, nothing but acres of glowing
cinders and burning embers staring
the firemen In the face. The engines
were kept at work until half-past
eleven o'clock, the tiremen drenching
the ruins with water. At midnight
the work of the fire -laddies was finished
and worn.out, wet and blistered the
department retired.
BECOMING HOMELESS.
One of the saddest scenes presented
during the conf agration, was the
rendering homeless Of scores Of people
Terror prevailed. Women snatched up
their little children .and rushed from
the homes where they had just pre-
pared the evening meal, tears stream.
ing down their blanched faces. as they
saw the excited army of men and
boys rushing into the houses, reap
pearing with articles of clothing, furni-
ture, ornaments, etc. From second
story windows furniture was thrown
out, only to be dashed to pieces on the
ground below; the tidy homes, In a
twinkling, made desolate and forlorn,
and the neat furniture that had given
the many rooms the appearance of
home like comfort, was piled in con.
glomerated mass In the street, on a
vacant lot, in chicken yard, or any
place convenient for it. One young
man had only been keeping house a
week, and his goods were ruined and
scattered every where.