Rock Island Argus., 1895-08-12
BIG PLANT BURNED.
Fire at Newark, N. j., Licks
Up Half a Million.
FLAMES SWEEP OVER TEN CITY LOTS
Covered with the Buildings OF the Central
Stamping Compapy-whole Fire De-
partnent Re quired to Fight the Flames
several Casualties, hut Mono Fatal
Ruins of the New York Collapsed Build
Ing Give Up Thirteen Corpses.

partBent Re Qured to Fight tho frames
several Casualticr, hut Mono Fatal
Ruins of the New York Collapsed Build
ing Give Up Thirteen Corpses.
NEWARK, n. J., Aug. la.-The fiercest
to contend with in many years, with The
possible exception of the big grain fire at
the Balintine brewery a couple OF
months ago, broke ont in the plant of the
Central Stamping company yesterday
afternoon. The front of the Central
Stamping company plant was on New
Jersey and Railroad avenues and covered
ten city lots Oh that street. From this
branched another building five stories
high and seventy y-five 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.
One the south side of the main building
on the avenue were five thrce-story brick
buildings and on the north was new
two-story brick structure.
Whole Fire Department at Work.
AL these were destroyed. The loss to
the Central Stamping company was esti-
mated by State Senator ketcham, treas.
| urer of the company, at upwards of half a
million dollars; insurance, $4,000. The
other losses will aggregate $4,000 The
flames were discovered in the blacksmith
shop A general alarm was sent out, and
within twenty minutes every piece Of fire
! apparatus in the city was on the scene.
Fifty thousand people watched the PRO.
gress of the flames, which shot q hundred
| feet into the air at times, and big burn.
ing brands were carried blocks by the
wind.
Houses Wrecked by Falling Walls.
These brands were carried to the roofs
of buildings a considerable distance away,
and the chemical engine was kept on the
rush from one street to another putting
out the smaller fires. Firemen were sta
toned on the roofs for several blocks with
water in pals and extinguisherS to puG
out the small fires. Less than an hour
after the first alarm was turned in tho
walls began to fall. The house at No. 10
| Fair street was crus she'd beneath the wall
next to it. \ house at no. 20 Liberty
street was also caught beneath falling
wall and wrecked. Several other houses
were badly damaged by falling timbers
PerIous Position of a Fireman.
Fireman John Van Houghton, Of En-.
g!ne company No. :, had narrow escape
early IN the course of tho fire. Ee had
gone to the roof searching for position
from which to direct stream of water
The roof gave way while he was on it.
When he felt it sinking he leaped to the
gutter and threw himself over SO as to
hang from the edge by his hands. Tho
gutter was filled with boiling tar, and az.
though his hands were badly burned he
managed to cling until rescued.
Several Persons More Less Hurt.
James Parker, who lives ut No. ii
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 ami fell to the ground.
He was badly injured about the head,
shoulders and arms, but will recover.
Captain Frank Meerer, of the Salvage
corps, was severely cut about the hands.
Many firemen were also badly scorched
and blistcred by the heat.