The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-01-13
RANK AND FILE KICK FIRE FIEND At WORK
The Erie Shops and Three
Tenement Houses Re-
duCed to Ashes.
MANY FAMILIES HOMELESS.
Two Hundred Men Thrown Out of
Work-Cause of the Fire and
Probable Loss.

Fire last night destroyed the Erie Railroad
machine and repair shops and threw two
hundred men, machinists, wood workers and
laborers, out of employment. The fire was
a fierce one while it lasted. The velocity of
the wind famed the elnbers into fame, and
in a remarkably short time the entire works,
which were 600 feet in length, were in ruins.
The firemen were driven back time and time
again, but they worked like Trojans to save
from destruction the frame dwellings in the
neighborhood.
From the Palisades and side streets fully
5000 people viewed the beautiful sight pre-
sented by the flames as they leaped high into
the air in their mad work of ruin.
CAUSE OF FL 1
The fire, which deprives so many men of
work and which deprived four families OF
their homes and belongings, was caused by
the upsetting of a stove in the tinker room of
the repair shop, which, together with the
other departments, extended from Bruins
wick street to the foot OF the Hill and cover
ed the blocks between Ninth and Tenth
streets. The loss is estimated at about $780,
900. All the railroad property is insured to
the fullest extent. =
PREVENTED AN
The alarm for the fire was sounded by
William Ahearn, who, with several en-
ployes of the railroad company, knocked
down the door leading to the boiler room
and allowed the steam to escape, thus pre-
venting what would have been a terrific ex-
plosion.
A half hour after the fire broke out Super
intendent Brown, realizing that it would be
impossible to save the shops, directed his at
tention to the saving of buildings in the
neighborhood, which were being endangered
from Avinor S11oTES Sr,oT.ES cpf fire. fn tbQ
roofs OF houses as far down as Jersey avenue
and Seventh street, and it was only by the
vigilance of the firemen that many more
people were not rendered homeless.
BURNED LIKE PAPER.
The works were frame structures and were
soaked with grease and oil. This. together
with the piles of infialnmable material i'll
the shops caused the buildings to burn like
paper. The shops were surrounded by
swamps, and it was with the greatest diff
Guilty that the ffremen were able to fight
the flames. Water was scarce also, and
pieces of hose burst on all sides. The firemen
were handicapped in many ways.
FRAME ATTIRE.
At nine o'clock sparks set fire to the three
three-story frame buildings at Nos. PSI, 25115,
and 253 Brunswick street. To save these
buildings was Superintendent Browns de-
sire, as he believed that if it got beyond the
control of the firemen the sparks would
spread the fire to buildings on the block be-
low. Five streams of water were directed
on the buildings. The firemen two or three
times put the flames out, but a terrific gust
of wind would set the whole place in flames
again. At ten O'Clock flames burst through
the roof and it was soon seen hat nothing
remained of the building but a shell.
AN OLD LADY RESCUED
When the fire was discovered in these
dwellings, Mary Flannelly, an aged woman,
who has bnpn Sjplx for weeks had bnaO dp-
serted by the other inmates in their hurry to
escape. Three streams of water were direct
ed upon the rear of the building, and the
woman was finally carried from the building
in an unconscious condition by Firemen
Michael Whelan and Moses Conklin. Hearty
cheers were given the fremen for the noble
rescue.
At half past ten o'clock the flames were
under control, having consumed everything
that would burn.
THE RUINS.
A review of the situation this morning
shows a section of the brick shop, standing
alone, supported only by the high chimney.
stood is covered with ashes. The only things
which remain to mark the spot where the
extensive works stood, are the iron frames of
several passenger and baggage Coaches and
freight cars.
The %company's loss is Upon its buildings,
rolling stock in course of repair, telegraph
poles II signal system and block station,
machinery and tools.
The building No. 251 Brunswick street,
which was burned to the ground, was owned
and occupied by Richard Castro, an EN-
ploye of the company. No. 253 was owned
and occupied by Edward Muller, and No. 255
was owned by Daniel Z. Cleary and occu-
pied by William Farrell and Thomas Toll
bert. The household effects of the families
were comnletely DESTROYED. The loss to the
owners Will be 81, 500.
WORK FOR THE MEN
1t was learned this morning at the COM
pany's offices that it was the intention of the
company to give employment to as many of
its employees as practicable, by putting them
to work clearing away the ruins preparatory
to constructing new works.
While returning from the fire last night
the front axle of the Fourth precinct patrol
wagon broke, Driver John Reddy was
thrown ont and severely injured about the
head.