The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-01-08
PRIGGE'S BRAVERY.
He Tells the Fire Board He
Did Not Care to Risk
His Life for Others.
INVESTIGATING THE REICH FIRE
Regulations for the Manufacture
and Storage Of Aceiylene
Adopted.
INVESTIGATING THE REICH FIRE

The Fire Commissioners held lengthy
meeting last night. Augustus b. Buck
ingham, driver of Engine Company No.
8, was tried for leaving the engine house
fifteen minutes before his time, and was
severely reprimanded. Daniel I. Bar
rett, hoseman, of the same company,
pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct
toward his superior officer neglect of duty
and being absent without leave. He was
penitent and was fined ten days pay.
The Chief Engineers report for two
weeks ending December 81 showed that
the total number of alarms was twenty
two, of which twelve were by telegraph.
The Clerk then read letter sent by the
Board to Mr.. George L. Prigge, requesting
him to appear before the Board and tell
what he knew about the charges of mis-
conduct. against firemen at the recent
Germania avenue fire, in which the Reich
family lost their lives. Mr.. Prigge res
ponded and said that all he knew was
that the firemen were at least fifteen min
utes responding to the alarm, and that
they acted like lot of schoolboys in
stead of firemen. Commissioner Cone
questioned Mr. Prigge and found that all
he knew was what other people had told
him.
The Commissioner then said to HIM
''If you were upon the scene SO soon
and the firemen were as late IN arriving
at the fire as you state, then why did
you not try and save some of the Relches
lives, you being such an intimate friend
of the family?"
To this Mr.. Prigge replied that he did
not care to risk his own life to save any
one else.
Mr.. Prigge then rehearsed some infor-
nation that had been given him by his
neighbors, but he did not know whether
(tf1rr, ,,fc-cf 1aT.
asked him to leave the names of all the
people who gave him information, and
the Clerk will request them to be present
at the next meeting, as the Commission
ers intend to Sift this matter to the very
bottom.
The Committee of the Whole recon-
mended that the manufacture OF carplde
of calcium or the liquefaction Of car
bide of calcium in this city be prohibited
except under certain prescribed llmlta-
tiohs, to be designated by the Board
that it decline to permit the use OF any
acetylene gas regenerators IN TINS CITY,
except those devices first submitted to
this Board for careful test examination,
and approved of by the Board; that after
the careful examination made into the
methods of operation of the Bournenvlile
gas regenerator and finding same to be
operated on safe scientific principles, and
in view of the small quantity of carbide
treated by, said device, and the careful
storing and distribution of the same, thaI
the embargo laid by the Board against
the use of this machine be Withdrawn,
provided that the methods now employed
be not altered or made more dangerous.
1t is further recommended that the use
or storage of carbide of calcium be con-
fined to quantities of five pounds each,
which must be stored in heavy block tin
vessels, and. until ready for use, be kept
Theoretically sealed, and that no dwelling,
factory or other building be permitted
to keep in storage a total quantity IN eX-
cess of twenty-five pounds in cans or yes
sells of five pounds each. All parties de-
sirous of storing in this city
quantity of calcium carbide or nque-
fed aeetylene gas in excess of the limi-
tations above defined to be allowed to do
so only by formal request upon the Board
and official permission therefor obtained.
The Board then adjourned until Friday,
January a.