The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-12
SAVED LIFE ONLY.
Flames Drive Upper Newark
Avenue Tenants From
Their Beds.

Newark avenue, directly opposite thu
Court House, was the scene OF a iaIS'
conflagration last night, such as IN,
in a number of years. The fire broks
out in the rear of Thomas Bantafs poo
and billiard parlor, located on the groune
floor OF the threeostory frame Et,p pliii mel
way through the walls ana CEILINGS o.
the house, which were of yellow pine
the flames soon extended 10 the pulia'
was under control five buildings in al
were more or less burned. The dam
age was $S5, 900.
The fire was first discovered py Ssv
Elise, who was in the back yard OF ms
residence, al No. p Court House place
Running out, he gave the alarm OF IRE
and Sergeant Battersby OF the Inlre
precinct pulled box SO, at Newark ane
Oakland avenues. This was at A:lo =
M, and when the engines began 10 al
rive a few MINUTES later the whote sSUIe
at No. $50 was a mass OF names. ans
fire did not take long to get a Roadway
as the building in which 1T starred Wa
an old one of yellow pine, We'll drlea' any
seasoned, and proved an easy prey tol
the ongues of flame which seemed to
shoot up from every corner of the struc-
ture.
The second floor of the puilalng Was
a family named Beythewood, composeo
of father. mother n two young chill
dren. They all got out in saIety, pH'
feots. They were all in bed at the
time. and, being aroused by Policemen,
had barely time to jump into lneir
clothes before h flames We're upon
No. SIS Newark avenue was the next
building to burn. The flames sweep
up the stairway, and despite the enorts
of the hremen that building was soon
,noSs Of flames This was also a
three-story frame building, the ground
floor being occupied by a saloon, Kept py
Daniel McNnlly. and the tWo upper p
the second floor, Mrs. Bean ana her
three children lived in one-half, ana
Mr.. and Mrs. Fisher occupied the otheI.
wife and a six months old baby. Mrs.
Bean saved some of her clothes, put
lost $1,000 worth of furniture: she was
insured for $500. Mr.. and MIS-. tlsner'
cover the fire, were able to save a few
valuable articles, but lost S1,5OO worth
of furniture, which also had an lnsur-
ance of $500 upon 1T. McNaliy iosl eseiy-
thing, and did not awe a GEM VI ~
10. $50 (Which is really No. $50, as the
building is a double frame housel by
this time was wrapped in flames ana a
total wreck. Mr.. and Mrs. Engler, VINO
lived on the third floor, had got out IN
safety and were able to save a NUMBER
OF articles. The second hoor was uhoe-
cupied. On the ground floor was {. Jew
ems real estate office. Between Jew
ellis n Banta's, or in the hallway OF
the building, was a Western Union Teie-
graph office, which was also t4tais ne
THEORIES OF ORIGIN.
Some think the fire originated in he
telegraph office, as the switeh pox was
entertained seriously by the police, who
saw they saw the fire almost as soon
as it started, and it was in Bantas poor
room. o a.. ~
large brick building known as Nos. oS4
and $50 and $50, in which the Second
District Court is located, and when IS
The upper part of the building was
burned considerably, but the most dam,
age was done by water. The ground
floor of No. 5S4 is occupied by l. .:
Farley as a hardware store and No. 5s5
by Chrichton & Grandson as a dry
store owned by George Bowers
siderably damaged by water, but Bow
ers escaped with only slight loss. Lawy-
ers Wills, Armstrong and Noonan. each
had to seek new quarters TO-DAY as their
offices were completely Quilted
The fire also extended the other d.
rection as far as No. SIG, where the IL
q. Post Office station, and the st. JOS
cph's Lyceum are located, but no dam
The buildings Nos. $50 and $50 Newark
avenue, are owned by Altar McDermott:
They are worth $4,000 and are insured
for 5000. No. 57s is owned by Mrs. Lam
ders of Porter street and is said to have
cost 81, 900, and is fully covered by in
surance. Banta's loss not only includes
his stock. which consisted OF TWO poor
valued at $500, but also a VALUABLE New
foundland dog whose charred remain
were found later in the ruins. The others
- IN xFfrN Or ron X1lNl
to 81. 900 each which added TO the dam
age to the buildings will make the total
damage at least g 5000.
FIERCEST FIRE IN YEARS.
The fire was one of the hercest wit
messed in some time. Fortunately for
those who lived on Court House place in
the rear of the burned buildings. the
wind blew the flames away from them.
Nevertheless w of the, houses were
badly scorched, and but for the timely
arrival of some fremen with a stream
of water they might have been burned.
While fremen were pouring a stream
upon the roof of No. $50, the corniee
gave way and fell to the ground: badly
cutting fireman Greenley of Engine Co:
No. I on the hand. He was attended
by DR.. Rooney. No other accidents to
human life are known to have occurred
Both the firemen and police are en-
titled to much credit for the excellent dnn
PEELED to fight the fire under great dis
advantages and it looked at one time as
though the entire block would go. Large
crowds watched the progress of the
flames, but the police kept them from
interfering with the ffremen while at
work.
The prisoners in the Hudson County
Jail we're greatly interested in the fire.
bright glare of the flames, the clang-
ing of fire bells and the hoarse shouts
of excited men put he prisoners into
a high state of excitement. Those who
could do SO watched the interesting sight
from the windows. The murderers in
murderers' row had an excellent view
u,hich Is in the front of the Jail.