New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-08
IN THE RARITAN VALLEY.
BOUND BROOKS NIGHT Or TERROR.
BY FLAMEs-RAILRoADs HEAVY LOSERS
BY wAsHOUTs-THE DAMAGE WILL
REACH WELL INTO THE HUN

DREDS OF THOUSANDS.
For several hours on Thursday night the people
OF Bound Brook were in danger from two elements.
On the one hand the Raritan River. swollen to an
unparalleled extent by the heavy rain which had
fallen had burst It's banks and threatened TO
wipe the town. On the other, fire broke OUT
in large lumber-yard in the centre OF the business
section, and for dime bade fair to accomplish the
ruin of what the water spared. providentiai
change ir the wind however. saved the town, but
the inhabitants spent night the memory OF which
will be efaced.
The town is well situated for foundations, and
several times In past years It has narrowly escaped
being swept away the last time being in September,
1882 when the water height OF about six
feet in the lower part OF the town. From various
directions three creeks. which drain the range OK
hills north Of the town. pass through the village
The rain which fell In torrents all day, caused the
water in these streams to rise, but NOBODY reared
flood until nearly o'clock, when a small stream
apparently caused by Middle Brook overfowing Its
banks flowed down Maln-st which are nearly
all the business houses of the place The stream
was OF so little consequence, however. that no ef-
forts made to escape Its advances "itnh
half-hour this stream suddenly became roaring.
oaming torrent four feet deep and the inhabitants
now thoroughly alarmed. commenced to look about
for places OF safety Minute by minute the water
rose. and those who had taken refuge In the second
stories OF their houses feared that they would even
be driven out Of them.
RAILROAD EMBANKMENT GIVES WAY.
The furious mace at which the turgid water rushed
along the thoroughfares was proof that 1t had It's
origin not in the small creeks. but IN the Raritan
itself and some who were about the station OF
the Central Railroad Of New-Jersey set out on an
exploring tour in a rowboat They soon located the
h-eak in the embankment of the Port Reading Kali
road which parallels the river for considerable
distance The Raritan, augmented by the heavy
rains had risen feet in as many hours' anu "as
runnirp about with the railroad tracks Az
point about three hundred yards from the station
IN. wh,rlng torrent had discovered weak spot In
,ha embankment and had attacked II with such
vigor that soon a mighty river. nearly huhorea
fee, wide and seven feet deep. was rushing beneath
the track This water cavorted along between the
tracks OF the Port Reading and Lehigh valley rail-
roads and soon forced its way over the latter ana
poured into the streets
FIRE ADDS TO THE TERROR.
While the town was in a turmoil OF excitement
over the encroachments OF the water nre was
s,scovered in the lumber-yard of l.. ID. Cook & Co.
A, the time the flames were first seen the wind was
blowing a gale from the northeast and threatened
- carry the sparks TO the houses in the vicinity
Suddenly the breeze. without abating one whit OK
ia velocity veered around 10 the southwest ana 70
this more than to any other cause Is due the tact
,ha, Round Brook exists a municipality and not
a mass OF charred tmbers.
when 1t first became apparent that the streets
para going to be turned into canals. the members
of the Volunteer Fire Department removed their
APPARATUS to a stable on the hill and out OF the
wav Of the flood so in this respect they ready
for the fire which they had feared. Another dif-
fculty and a serious one, confronted them' now
ever. as all the hydrants near Cooks lumber yard
were hidden beneath five six feet OF water
Connections were made with the gravity system on
the hill and preparations for preventing the spread
of the confiagration were quickly made WINE INC
local hremen were thus getting reauy 10 heh' t"0
fire telegrams were sent TO Somervle ana ram
field asking for assistance. A train was immedi.
atey equipped in the latter place. but " was im'
possible to make any headway on account OF .ne
water on the tracks and the dangerous condition
Of the bridges
The fremen with difficulty confined the names
"a tho lumber yard until midnight. when a SPARK
augh,ed on the roof OF the Presbyterian Church
a few hundred feet to the east and set II ahre.
Tho structure which Of wood. was as dry az
finder and In less than half hour II was reduced
TO ashes Several houses and stables IN the hine-
diate neighborhood became ignlted py hyihs SPARKS
80 rho terrible heat, but the hremen saved them
from destruction. All night long the hremen STOOD
IN water I'D to their waists and poured tons OF water
IN the blazing lumber piles None OF them were
saved however. and when the nre hnaliy burned
itself out the yard. which was exceptionally WE'LL
stocked was a mass OF smoking. glowing embers.
Tho fire WAS caused by the stacking Of guam
titv of lime in one of the sheds in Cooks lumber
ward The loss to the lumber firm is estimated at
ga OG The church, which was nearly two hum
dred wears old was valued at $4,000 which there
was s. 900 Insurance. The organ was also insured
While the attention OF the majority Of the in
habitants OF the town was directed toward the
burning lumber yard. the people living In the lower
section Of the town were In imminent danger from
the fast rising flood: This was especially true OF
tuose whose houses abut the lumber yard These n
fortunates menaced by the food underneath,
and the fierce heat from the blazing lumber made
their positions almost untenable Their predca-
ment was apparent TO everybody about the place,
YOU MAY NOT NEED AN OvERCOAT.
Our prices will tempt you buy for next year.
GEORGE c. BENJAMIN. BROADWAY, COR.