The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-18
STOCKS YARDS FIRE
Crowds View the Ruin
Caused by the Fierce
Flames.
WILL BEGIN TO REBUILD AT ONCE
The Losses Will Amount to More
Than Million
Dollars.

Thousands of people from New York and
neighboring cities visited the scene of Satur-
DAYS conflagration at the foot of Sixth
street, yesterday and today. All that marks
the spot where the big concern of the Cen
tral Stock Yard and Transit Company's
plant is hundred or more piles which
stand few feet out of water.
Suspended from iron meat hooks which
are twisted out of shape and hanging in the
water, are large quantities of dressed meat
which were ready for shipment. As whole,
it was nicely roasted and presented an in
viting appearance. To Offset this, however,
is the vile odor which arises from the burn
ed hides and half burned bodies of the 1.70O
sheep which were penned up in the slaughter
yard.
DIVERS RAISING THE SAFES.
REPRESENTATIVES of the firms, which had
offices at Abattoir, were on hand brlgh6 ana
early this morning and directed the move
ments of divers from New 9orR VINO nao 1ata
been engaged to raise safes, which are at the
bottom of the river. They contain valuable
papers and documents and in two instances
large sums of money.
SUI eintendent Simeon Smith was one of
the first men at the scene Of destruction this
morning He declared that preparations
had already been made to recon
struct the plant. The new plant
will be more modern structure than the
old one. 1t will be supplied with ample IA
cilities to meet such an emergency In ruture
The driveways of the old plant were so mar
row that but one fire engine could reaeh the
fire at a time. In this way the firemen were
greatly hampered in the performance OF
their duty. The firemen, however, did noble
work, and it is due to their efforts that 30o
feet of the plant was not consumed by the
flames They were aided in their work by
the wind which blew from the north, thus
CARRYING the intense heat and volumes OF
sr oke out over the river.
MACHINERY THE HEAVIEST LOSS.
The principal loss of the company was in
the destruction of its machinery. The plant
was equipped with ice-nlaking devices and
machines which prepared every part OF
slaughtered animal for other businesses.
A well. too which had been driven ], 700
feet into the rocks was completely DESTROYED,
and the plunger is hard and fast in the
rocks This machinery alone had value OF
100000.
The officials of the company and the
various dealers at the yards have decided to
have the new plant reconstructed by the
DAVIS work The object is to give employ
ment to the four hundred men who have
been thrown out of employment.
WILL REBUILD AT ONCE.
just as soon as the insurance agents make
thorough investigation into the losses which
were estimated at 81, ,000, 900, the work of re-
moving the burned carcasses OF the sheep
and burned dressed meats will be begun
under the supervision of Health Inspector
Benjamin.
Work was begun this morning recon
structing the big Berwick White coal pier, a
section Of which. 200 feet long, was burned
down. 1t will require at least five months
to reconstruct the plant in such a manner
that the business may be conducted on the
same extensive plan as heretofore.