The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-16
HORSES DIE AMID FIRE.
Heart Rending Scenes at a
Fierce Blaze on Pro-
VDst Street.
XE~~1NA4IaMNAN4 X33& 10000 49,
FMRMEN1S DESPERATE EFFORTS
A Clash Over Insurance Impedes
! the Health lnspeetor-What
! sg1 Started the Flames.

Fire destroyed Nos. 1874. 1856, 1888, 14o and
142 Proves street at two o'clock this
morning. T~wenty-three horses were
burned to death and a loss Of about Sls,o 900
entailed. +
About fifteen minutes before two O'Clock
fah1es were seen issuing from the two-
story double frame ramshackle buildings,
which were occupied ny Peter Jackson,
a truck and wagon builder. The fire is
supposed to have started near one of
the many blacksmith's rorges with which
the building is equipped. The structure
from the roof to the ground floor was
saturated with oil and nlled with inf1am-
mable material. The flames spread quick
ly and before a fire engine had arrived
the structure was completely enveloped
A stiff brseze was blowing and the flames
were famed by each gust. Time and time
again the fremen were driven back by
the intense heat.
The flames extended to the paint shop
at No. 140, and before an effective stream
was turned on the building it. too, was
Lanpster & Schroeder, painters, and was
we'll stocked with paints and oils. As the
latter caught fire surrounding property
was sent out by Assistant Chief Den
mead.
. While the hrefnen were battling with
the burning buildings word was sent to
Chief Denmead that No. 142, occupied by
the Fuller Express Company, was on fire
and that twenty or more horses We're
firemen were directed 20 the stable, but
nothing was accomplished by keeping
streams 9f water turne45spsn i. The in
set fire to it. Above the Toar Of the flames
the neighing of the frightened animals
as they plunged and kicked in their stalls
could be heard.
This urged the fremen to greater ef-
forts and several of the men risked their
lives in e~ndeavoring to reach the doomed
building and open the doors. Three
upon them made a final effort to reach
the stable through the binding smoke.
They were within ten feet of the main
door when flames shot out of 1t. The
Wild neighing of the imprisoned animals
was terrible. For fifteen minutes they
could be heard kicking against their
stalls e-ndeavering to free themselves, but
slowly the noise ceased. The stable with
ground, the remains of tw~enty-three
horses being visible IN the ruins.
Jackson estimates his loss at $1,000;
the Fuller Express Company lost $1,000,
and Lamster & Schroeder, $1,000. They
are protected to some extent by insur-
ance.
While It is supposed by some that the
a forge, others think it may nave re-
suited from a match or cigar being
thrown carelessly about by one of the
many expressmen who loiter about the
buildings: Health Inspector Benjamin
was on hand bright and early to have
the dead animals removed. There was
a clash between the agents Of the in
surance company and the representatives
Of the express company. AS a conse-
ouence, the latter refused to have the
an'mal removed until the insurance
muddie had been adjusted. The Inspec-
tor served notice upon the disputants
that he would remove the dead horses
this afternoon.