The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-12

NEWARK, n. J., Aug. 1.-THE
fiercest fire the department of this city
has had to contend with in many
the grain fire at Ballentine brewery
a couple of months ago, broke out in
the plant of the Central Stamping
company this afternoon.
The front of the Central Stamping
company's plant was in New Jersey
and Railroad avenues, and covered
ten city lots. This building was five
stories high and seventy feet wide,
running through the block to Liberty
street. From this building there was
a wing of the same size, extending
from the middle of the block through
East Fair street. On both sides of the
main building were five three-StOry
brick buildings, and on the north was
a two-story brick structure. All of
these were destroyed. The loss to the
stamping company was estimated by
State Senator Ketchum, treasurer of
the company. as upward of half
million dollars; insurance, $250,000
The other losses will aggregate $780,
900. The flames were discovered about
2 o'clock in the blacksmith shop. Even
then the fire had a firm hold on the
building. 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 progress of the flames.
Masses of Flames.
Despite 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 building were
masses of fire. The flames shot a
in he
big burning brands were carried
blocks by the wind. These brands,
some of them many inches in length,
were carried onto the roofs of the
buildings considerable distance
away, and the chemical engine was
kept on the rush from che street to
another putting out the smaller fires.
Firemen were stationed on the roofs
for several blocks with water in pals
to put out the small fires. In less than
half an hour after the first alarm was
first turned in the walls began to fall.
The house at No. 10 Fair street was
crushed beneath the wall next to it.
In this house lived Samuel Glesner and
his family The house was fiattened
by the wall 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.
\ house at No. q Liberty street was
also caught beneath falling wall and
wrecked. Several other houses were
badly damaged by falling timbers.
Narrow Escapes.
When the main wall fell it buried
the tracks of the Pennsylvania rail-
road and all traffic on that road was
blocked for a time. A number of fire
men had narrow escapes from being
buried beneath the wall
Fireman John Van Houghton of
company No. had a narrow escape
early in the fire. He had gone to the
roof searching for a position from
which to direct a stream. The roof
gave away 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 edges by his hands
The gutter was filled with boiling tar
and although his hands were badly
burned he hung o- until rescued.
James Parker who lives at 10 Ham
ilton 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 injured
about the head and shoulders, but will
recover.
Captain Frank Meerer of the salvage
corps was severely cut about the
hands. Many firemen were also badly
scorched and hlistered by the heat
The origin of the fire is unknown
The building belonged TO James
Aiken & Co., who are also interested
in the stamping company. The COM
pany started on full time last week.
employing 4S7 men.