The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-24
CHILDREN In PERIL
Fire Breaks out Under tho
Roof Of St. Aloysius
Academy.
PUPILS MARCH OUT QUIETLY
The Flames Extinguished Quickly
But the Building Is Dam
aged by Water.

A fire broke out this afternoon in St.
Aloysius academy ON Grand street, be-
tween Warren and Washington, which
fortunately was extinguished before any
considerable amount of damage was
done. There We're a number of pupils in
the building at the time, but the presence
of mind of the Sisters in charge and the
proficiency of the pupils in the fire drill.
averted a panic and all got out Of
the building in safety. The building
is large four-storied structure, with an
attic. The fire originated in this attic,
which was used as a storage room and
contained number of beds and furniture
which were not in use The Sisters have
no idea of the manner in which the
fire originated. 4 plumber was at work
upon. the roof OF the Academy all the
morning and it may be possible that, a
spark from his portable furnace was
blown among the inflammable material
in the storage room.
: The first the Sisters knew of the fire
who was passing by on the other side
OF the street who had seen
smoke pouring out Of the at
tic windows rushed into the
building and breathlessly told a Sister
whom he met in the hall that the build
ing was on fire The Sister in charge was
Immediately informed of what the man
said, and she Immediately sent a boy to
send an alarm to the Fire Department,
She then told the teachers that the build
ing was on fire and directed them 70
march the children out of the building at
a given signal
The teachers returned to their class
rooms with nothing in their looks or man.
y1,1t NJ hat fhdtr q q
the peril which threatened them. Five
minutes later the signal was given and
the children, headed by the devoted
Sisters, marched orderly and quietly down
were gong, and the first intimation they
had of the fire was when reaching the
yard to which they were marched, and
seeing the fire engines dashing up to the
building and the policemen driving back
the crowds, they glanced upwards and saw
the smoke pouring from the attic window.
dren amid all the confusion and excite
ment marching calmly and orderly out of
the building as though on their way
home. In ten minutes after the signal
was given every pupil was out Of the
building. They were placed in the play
ground under the care Of Patrolman Frank
McMahon, until Chief Murphy and his
men could make a passage for them
traeted to the scene. They were then
formed in line two by two, and marched
by Chief Murphy OUTSIDE the fire lines
wlere they were told to go home.
as tA;s wes heirs done tho firemen
under command Of Assistant Chief Den
i.=sIo, was ue5ng coed work The
aerial ladder of No. i truck was run Ut
against the building and a line of hose
stretched to the attic, but neither were
needed. The hose of the chemical en-
cine and one of the steamers was car.
ried upto that portion of the attic which
was burning, and in half an hour the
flames were extinguished.
The Academy is one of the handsomesi
school buildings in the city. The damage
done by the fire will probably amount K
$500, but the damage by water will be
considerably. more. The ceilings in the
halls are all soaked, and the beds in ths
front portion of the top floor will bt
useless Some. of the carpets in the
building are also slightly damaged.
building can be used by the pupils again.