The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-13
E@E
BIGGEST BLAZE.
West Hoboken Loses $751; 00
BY the Sash and Blind
Factory Fire.
scANT WATER SUPPLY
CONSERVATION Caused in Tenements
Ny d Change Of Wind-Crowds
See the Ruins.

W
At about a quarter past four O'Clock
Saturday afternoon. just as the employees
Of Freiberger's sash and blind factory in
West Hoboken, were pulling on their coats
preparatory to going to the Office to get
their weeks pay. the cry of fire rang
through the building. Some of the men
scooted for the stairways, while others
jumped from the windows: one of them in
his frantic haste taking sash and all with
him. as a result of which he is now in
Christ Hospital with three or four broker
ribs.
The fire started in the drying room,
convenient to the boiler. which was fed
by sawdust and shavings from a chute.
A passer-by noticed a thin. curling wreath
Of smoke coming from the building, and
before he realized the situation a burst
Of flame awakened his faculties, and he
yer in hot haste to send IN an alarm.
BY this time the big three story building
was well enveloped in flames. and when
the entire Volunteer Fire Department OF
West Hoboken arrived upon the scene the
fire was practically beyond control. A hose
carriage and steamer from Union Hill
came down to supplement their efforts but
without avail.
In the meantime the fire was working
industriously. eating up all the available
timber in sight and lighting up the sky
for miles around. Viewed from the Hud-
son River the domes of the Monastery
stood out in bold relief against a back
ground of fire. From all parts of Hud-
son oun people focked to the scene.
and stayed far into the night watching
the blaze. and patronizing the neighbour
ing beer saloons.
1Nh Vrp1t obstacle tho Hpopnan had t0
contend with was the scant water supply.
There is only a six inch main on the
S5r ed a Iha WEI me shd nre nose o was sno, ap,
power left to send the water to the second
story. Repeated t~elephoning to the water
When the fire Was at its height the lit,
around. to. the south and CONSERVATION
| story frame houses across the street.
The cupants had hitherto been interested
spectators OF the fire. but when It threw
heat that made the paint crack on the
front of the houses. the occupants i'm
mediately began hustling out their belong
that the fremen did their prettiest. the
intense heat from the burning building
s sMeSIin n9s Ds sc4oss Of ts them st playinf6 S 1n th 1ss
banked the loose timber close by, form
ing a break from the heat, and crouch1ng
fsom he It hose tsey to eo @ash s me f floH s'e down.
1t the same time flremen scaled the
roof, and forming a bucket brigade sue
ceeded@ in saving the houses. The fronts
but apart from a few panes OF glass that
succumbed to the intense heat. no further
| damage was done in this direction.
At this stage the fire commenced to lose
| its strength. the walls falling in and half
| smothering the fierce flames. Some APP
prehension was caused by a rumer that
the boiler was about to blow up. and the
| crowd made a lively dash for safety but
it still stands in its. old position. about
The safe and most important books and
| papers were rescued early in the evening
by a few energetic employees.
The burned pr aIu E vas ks sisnated so on
Highpoint avenues covering about nalf
| three stories high, and was stocked with
mings. An annex, which also went up in
the flames. was only completed two weeks
| ago, and about the same time the works
were opened after a two weeks shutdown
f fpIne eleanin get up and thirty hatOi and fo rts men mem
The loss is variously placed at from $50
| N0 to $4,000, while the insurance is de-
| clared to be only about one-third OF the
1 total value.
All day yesterday the bellies of Union
Hill and West Hoboken with their escorts
focked around the ruins and commented
f on the st,i ap frving fo Grown ar tne the hre dying W emo
bers. Every once in a while the Sabbath
spectators would be treated to a tiny
burst of flame that would show itself and
the hose would be turned on ana the
crowd scattered.
The ''Oldest Inhabitant' says, It was
West Hoboken's greatest fire, and all the
town endorses the statement.
Union Hill is quite jealous over the az