The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-20
FINDER BOXES BURNED.
Marshall & Ball and the
London & Liverpool
Burned Out.
A BLESSING In DISGUISE
General Regret fer the Firms But
None for the Destruction of
the Old Rookeries.
A BLESSING IN c U

A disastrous fire, which for a time
threateped to destroy many of the large
business houses below Henderson street,
broke out at Is minutes after 10 o'clock
last night in the rear of Marshall & Balls
clothing house at Nos. ssh and 60 Newark
avenue. The flames were at no time par
ticularly fierce. but the clouds of smoke
blinded the firemen and hampered them
in their work.
The fire was discovered by some gentle
men who were standing in front of the
Bon Ton Theatre. They smelled the smoke
but could see no evidence of a fire, until
they were startled by an explosion, which
blew out the big plate glass windows Of
Marshall e Balls store. The next instant
flames shot out in all directions An
alarm was sounded and the flremen re-
sponded quickly.
: The store was an old one-story frame
structure having a frontage of so feet.
1t was as dry as tinde and furnished ex-
ceIlent food for the flames. The interior
of the building was like a furnace before
q stream of water could be turned on.
1t is possible the fire would ave been
confined to the building, had it not been
for the great volumes Of smoke that
poured out and were carried up and down
the avenu by the changing wind. No
very effective stream could be turned on
the burning structure from the rear, be-
cause there is practically nothing but an
alley way between the rear of the build
ings and the stone masonry foundation
of the Pennsylvania Railroad. While great
quantities of water were poured into the
front of the building the flames were eat
ing out the rear end, and in a short time
~ 49,. %1v fro ~ cfrt11ft1ro M - nd.
joining, occupied by the London & Liver
pool Clothing Company, was on fire.
This building, too, was hard to reach.
The front windows were wrecked and
the admission of air only famed the
flames into greater fury. Well directed
streams of water kept them under con-
troll for a short time and then the trouble
with the suffocating smoke was increased.
The fremen were forced back from the
building.
A general alarm was sent out when
Perlmutter's millinery store, a four story
with smoke. 1t was believed that the
building was on fire. Mr.. was
on ham and admitted the firemen. An
investigation was made. but no trace OF
names could be found. The fire in the
meantime had extended to No. IS Newark
avenue, occupied by Samuel kra aauss
shackle building and was pretty COM
pletely Quilted. Stones candy store at
we're ~extinguished before any great
amount of damage was done.
While the fremen We're keeping the
flames from eating out the fronts OF the
nue.. a four story frame structure oc-
eupied by colored families, was set on
fire by the intense heat. The frightened
inmates escaped with their lives and man
aged to save some of their household ef-
It was nearly three o'clock when the fire
was -extinguished.
An investigation this morning shows
that the Marshall & Ball buildings with
possible chance of repair. The buildings
wsre owned by the Clark estate.
Messrs. Russenheimer & Gallagher COM
BY Jacob Ringle. The. Railroad, avenue
property, which was also gutted was
tate owned the buildings occupied by
Jeweler Krause. The loss is estimated
at $4,000. The London and Liverpool
ed by insurance. 1t is a new company.
and had not been able to arrange the
placing of insurance on its stock.
What caused the fire is a mystery. AT
ten minutes after ten o'clock. Patrolman
Heath was in Marshall &, Balls, and
found everything in good shape. It was
reported that there was a gas explosion,
but this theory is knocked in the head by
the fact that the building was lit by
electricity.
was customary to let them go ,out, Satur-
day night. It is thought probable they
are responsible for the fire. The explosion
created by the fire. which were unable
The buildings will doubtless be con
demned by Inspector Jones. and under the
new building ordinance passed by the Al
dermen at a recent meeting. 1t will be
impossible for the owners to erect frame