Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1895-08-29
A $4,000 FIRE.
Maui & Cos Canning Factory at Buena
Vista Entirely Destroyed by Flames
Late Saturday Night.

Maui q Cos Canning Factory at Buena
Vista Entirely Destroyed by Flames
Late Saturday Night.
About eleven o'clock Saturday night
many Bridgetonians noticed bright
glare in the sky, in Southwesterly,
course from this city, and the conclusion
was that large marsh was burning.
1t would have been very fortunate
indeed if such had been the case, for the
glare in the. sky, was the reflection of a
confiagration that was fast destroying
one ofthe most successful business plants
of the county.
1t was almost fifteen minutes of eleven
O'Clock Saturday night, when the people
living on the Buena Vista road, were
awakened by the bright glare Of flames
and the cracking of burning frame work.
1t was discovered that the large pack
ing factory of Maui & Co., was fast being
destroyed. One of the first on the ground
was Samuel M. Watson, member of the
firm, and the manager of the establish
ment, 1t was soon found that the entire
factory was doomed, and nothing could
w "esfS oiiy PefAo "a ~ 49,
Watson ran into the office and procured
a couple of books that We're not in the
safe. Then the attention of the crowd
was given to the saving of Mr.. Watson's
residence adjoining.
A large row of store sheds ran along
the line of the property near the resi-
dence, and it was with difficulty that the
flames were kept from spreading from
these to the house. The back of the sheds
nearest the residence were propped up,
and by so doing the house was saved,
for when the sheds fell in the tin roof
| covered the ruins like blanket A
great quantity of water was also used in
keeping the house damp.
The flames started in the rear of the
main factory near the railway tracks Of
the Central Railway Company, right in
large quantity of box boards. The fire
spread radidly and soon covered the en-
tire plant and in three hours everything
was reduced to ashes excepting couple
of iron smoke stacks, and the brick fur
mace.
When a PIONEER reporter visited the
place yesterday everything was desolate
and i'll a state of ruin. The flames in
large coal pile and among the tin cans
were still burning, and continued to do
so all day.
| Mr.. Samuel NJ. Watson was seen by
! the reporter. He had no intimation as to
how the fire started and it is thought the
origin will always remain mystery.
There had been no fire in the building
since Saturday afternoon at two o'clock,
| when Mr.. Watson personally went
| through the factory to look after the
plant. He could not give out the figures
of the loss, and said while there was some
insurance he did not know how much.
Some of the insurance was placed with
| the Cumberland Mutual of this city; the
remainder i'll stock companies. All OF
| the insurance papers We're in the safe,
which lay in the ruins of the office.
| The firm is composed of b. Frank
Maui, Charles Miller, Samuel NJ. Watson
and Robert Watson. Each of the Wat
sons own one-third of the establishment,
and Messrs. Miller and Maui the remain
| ing one third.
The factory was built in 1855, and was
| one of the most modern and complete in
the county, with the finest of machinery.
When in full operation, the factory en-
ployed l45 women and rs men, and payed
out thousands of dollars in wages. Last
year the firm put up twelve hundred
| thousand cans of tomatoes, and this year
had 100000 cans made up, which they eX
pected to fill. All these was destroy
ed, together with quantity of stock left
over from last season.
The farmers had made contracts with
the firm, and of course now these cannot
be filled, and may entail considerable loss
upon the growers.