Connecticut western news., 1895-08-15
NEWARK'S Bit BLAZE
PLANT OF THE CENTRAL STAMPING
 COMPANY DESTROYED.

rhe Buildings Occupied Ten City Lots-Fif-
 ty Thousand People Watched the Prog
 .ress of the Flames-The Perilous Position
 and Timely Rescue of One Fireman.
 NEWARK, N. J., Aug. 12.-The flercest fire the department of this city has had to contend with in many years, with the possible exception of the big grain fire at the Ballentine brewery couple of months ago, broke out in the plant of the Central Stamping company yesterday afternoon. The front of the Central Stamping com pany's plant was on New Jersey Railroad avenue and covered ten city lots on that street.
 From this branched another building five stories high and 75 feet wide, running through the block to Liberty street. From this building there was wing of the same size extending from the middle of the block through to East Fair street. On the south side of the main building on the avenue were five three story brick build ings, and on the north was a new two sto- ry brick structure All these were de- stroyed. The loss to the Central Stamp ing company was estimated by State Sen l ator Ketcham, treasurer of the company as upward of $500 900; insurance, S25,- 900. The other losses will aggregate $30,- 900.
 The flames were discovered about o'clock in the blacksmith shop Even then the fire had a firm hold on tho building. A general alarm was sent out, and within 20 minutes every piece of fire apparatus in the city was on the scene Fifty thou l sand people watched the progress of the | flames. Flames Shot High In the Air. Despite the tons of water thrown on the | fire. the flames gained, and within half an | hour after the first alarm was sounded the roofs of the buildings were masses of | flames. The flames shot 100 feet into the | air at times and big burning brands were carried blocks by the wind. These brands, | some of them many inches in length, were | carried onto the roofs of buildings a con- | siderable distance away, and the chemical engine was kept on the rush from one | street to another putting out the smaller l fires. Bremen were stationed on the roofs for several blocks with water in pails and extinguishers to put out the small fires. Less than an hour after the first alarm was turned in the walls began to fall in. The house at 10 Fair street was crushed beneath the wall next to it. In this house lived Samuel Glesner and his family. The house was tiattened by the weight of brick | falling upon it, but the family lost but | little, as most of their belongings had been removed from the building when the fire broke out.
 A house at 28 Liberty street was also caught beneath falling wall and wreck ed. Several other houses were badly dam- aged by falling timbers and bricks. When the main wall fell, it buried the tracks of the Pennsylvania railroad, and all traffic on that road was blocked for 0 time. A number of firemen had narrow escapes from being buried beneath this wall.
 | Perilous Position of Fireman.
 Fireman John Van Houghten of Engine Company No. had narrow escape early in the course of the fire. He had gone to the roof searching for a position from which to direct a stream of water. The roof gave way while he was on it. When he felt it sinking, he leaped to tho gutter and threw himself over so as to hang from | the edge by his hands. The gutter was filled with boiling tar, and, although his hands were badly burned, he managed to cling to the roof until rescued.
 James Parker who lives at 15 Hamilton street, was on the roof of his house with buckets, watching for sparks. In throwing water on some of them he lost his balance and fell to the ground. He was badly in- 1 jured about the head, shoulders and arps, but will recover. Captain Frank Meeker of the salvage corps was severely cut about the hands. Many flremen were also badly scorched and blistered by the heat.
 The origin of the fire is unknown. Be sides the raw materials and the finished work destroyed in the stamping establish ment much valuable machinery was ruin- cd. The building belonged to James Aik- en & Co.,, who are also interested in the stamping company The stamping oom- pany started on full time last week and | employed 4S7 men,