The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-08-17
Destruction Of Central Stamping
Company's Plant.
THE LOSSES WILL BE HEAVY
Buildings for Blocks Around Endangere
by the Burning Brands Carried
by the Wind.

Newark, N. J., Aug. 1.-THE fiercest
fire the department Of this city has
had to contend with in many years
broke out in the plant of the Central
Stamping Company this afternoon. The
front of the Central Stamping Compa-
ny's plant was on New Jersey and
Railroad avenues and covered 10 city
lots. The stables were four stories
high and 70 feet wide, running through
the block to Liberty street To the
stable was attached 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
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 Ketch-
am, treasurer of the company, as up
ward of half a million dollars; insur-
ance S250,000. The other losses will ag-
gregate $4,000.
The flames were discovered about
o'clock in the blacksmith shop. A gen
eral alarm was sent out and within 20
minutes every piece of fire apparatus
in the city was on the scene. Fifty
thousand people watched the progress
of the flames. Despite the tons of water
thrown on the fire, the flames gained
and within a half hour of the first
alarm the rows of buildings We're mass
es Of fire. The flames shot a hundred
feet in the air at times and big burn
ing brands were carried blocks by the
wind. These brands, some of them many
q 4.
roofs of buildings a considerable dis
lance away and the chemical engine
was kept on the rush from one street
to another putting out the fires. Firemen
We're stationed on the roofs Of several
blocks with water in pals to put out
the small fires.
WALLS BEGAN TO FALL
In less than half an hour after the
first alarm 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 on it, but the fam
lily lost but little, as most of their be-
( longings had been removed from the
building when the fire broke out. A
| house at q Liberty street was also
I
wrecked. Several other houses were
badly damaged by falling timbers,
When the May wall fell it buried the
tracks of the Pennsylvania railroad
and traffic on that road was blocked
for time.
A number of fremen had narrow es.
capes from being buried beneath the
walls. Fireman John Van HOughton
of Company 2, 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 roo
gave way while he was on it. Whe1
he felt it sinking he leapt to the gut
ter and threw himself over so as t.
hang from the edges by his hands. Thu
gutter was filled with boiling tar, ant
although his hands were badly burn
ed he hung on until rescued.
James Parker, who lived at Is Hamil
ton street, was on the roof of his hous
with buckets, watching for sparks. H
lost his balance and fell to the ground
He was badly injured about the hea
and shoulders, but will recover.
Frank Meeker of the Salvage corps
h was severely cut about the hands
Many firemen were also badly scorche
and blistered by the heat.
The origin of the fire is unknown.
The buildings belonged to Jane
Aiken & Co., who are also interested 1
2 the stamping company. The compan
started on full time last week, employ
ing 4S7 men.