The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-19
SWEPT By
FLAMES /!
Two Blocks Of Business and
Dwelling Property Re-
duCed to Blackened
Ruins.
FIFTY FAMILIES HOMELESS.
Fire Leaped Over Streets and
Deyoured Buildings in
a Minute.
BEGAN In PAYNE'S FURNITURE STORE
Sixteen Buildings Destroyed
in Spite Of the Firemen's
Desperate Efforts.
SCENES OF DEADLY PERIL
Hundreds Of Men, Women and
Children Flee Panic Striek-
en- from Their Homes.
IMPOVERISHED In A NIGHT |
Families Lose Everything They |
Own Without a Dollar of
Insurance.

Sixteen buildings in this city were de-
stroyed by a fire which broke out at
twenty minutes after one o'clock this
morning. In the neigllborhood of fifty
families were rendered homeless and all
their effects were consumed. About $685.
oe0 damage was done. The confagration
was the most serious which has visited
the city in years.
The flames spread with lightning ra-
fdity. Fortunately no lives were lost
Ind that fact is due entirely to the
prompt action and bravery of the fire.
men and policemen. There were many
narrow escapes, particularly among the
tenants, who, aroused from sleep, fed
scantily attired into the street
1t was twenty minutes after one o'clock
exactly when Policeman George Lurvey
of the Gregory street station, while
patroling First street, discovered volumes
of smoke pouring from the windows of
the third floor of Frederick w. Payne's
furniture and hardware store, at Nos. 31S
and 800 First street. Lurvey hurried to a
fire box and sent in ian alarm from box
No. 80. He next notified the members of
chemical engine No. 4, whose fire house
is situated six doors above the building
occupied by Payne.
Within three minutes after Lurvey had
sent in an alarm the whole top floor of
Payne's building was on fire. FLAMES shot
up through the roof and leaped out the
windows.
The sky was lit up and attracted at
tention for miles around The building
occupied by Payne, while fronting on
First street, extends through nearly $50
feet to Newark avenue. where it was
numbered 245 and 247.
When the firemen began 10 arrive, Chief
Conway and his assistant John DEN
mead, issued instructions to fight the
burning building from front and rear.
The doors on the Newark avenue side
were burst open and windows were
smashed Ladders were raised against
the burning building, hose carried in, and
streams turned on the blaze.
From basement to roof the big struc-
ture was packed with furniture, mat
tresses, excelsior and infiammable mate
rial A strong breeze was blowing from
the north. When the doors the New
ark avenue side of the building, which
is situated on the south side of the ave-
nue.. were thrown open, a draught was
found which in short order converted the
entire building into a roaring furnace.
The flames gained headway and Chief
Conway had a general alarm sent out.
Apparatus from all parts of the city re-
sponded promptly, but the additional
streams of water pouring on the burning
building had apparently little or no eff
feet. For brief period only were the
flames confined to the big four-story
brick furniture house.
The fremen were fighting nobly when
Frederick W. Payne, the owner, put in
an appearance. He rushed here and there
frantically, exposing himself to danger.
Ha insisted upon entering the burning
building and securing his books and
,,ars Policemen. fearful that he would
he injured, finally seized him and carried
him bodily to the home of his son, at
No X Coles street. There he refused to
he ouieted. 1t was apparent he was suf-
sering from nervous prostration- ply
s;cian was summoned and Mr.. Payne, at
bis direction. was removed to his home,
an the Hill. where the noise and excite
mont of the fire could not reach him.
sbortlv after Mr.. Paynes removal from
+be Scene the roof of the big burning
building fell in with crash
Millions of sparks shot hlgn INTO the the
81, making a magnificent pyrotechinc dis
saiav The sparks were carried by the
Wind and scattered over the rooIs OF
,,o,,ses in the neighborhood Inc rooI OF
. house in Waynes street was SET ou nle 5
5lx- Z +lern This new danger was brought
- - +ha q ffention of Chief of Police Murphy
,,d 80 II he ordered out the reserve policemen
* "a fIol streets within five blocks south
of the fire. That the move was gooa
soiIcsman discovered shed 10 the rear