The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-02-04
SR|VER|NG eEIESTALS
And Startled Mission Lodgers
Driven Out by Fire.

AA'S ~ 49, y y - -
Firemen do Excellent Work in ControIl-
ing two Night Fires In the Business Por-
tion-FIames and Flood Ruin stores and
stock-Independent Hose Company de-
ing Mission Work-List of Damages and
the Mission Outlook.
The firecracker language of old Con-
fucius has not been confined solely to
laundry checks during the past week.
but has rent the air in the shape of shrill
shrieks from the lusty throats of shiver-
ing Chinamen-'Fi Burnee, Devilee
Wetee-Fi Burnee, Devilee Wetee."
And that's no joke. Twice within the
week have these industrious clestials
suffered from fire and food.
About quarter of twelve on Saturday
evening last. Lem Hing, owner of the
Washington street laundry, following
the smell of smoke, discovered fire in the.
upper portion of his apartments. From
the first cry there was much excitement.
With chatter of 'unspellable'' exclama-
tions, the six cinnamon who were resting
quietly in the place set to work carrying
out the laundried clothes and valuables in
the place, depositing most of them on
the front piazza of the Mansion House.
When the fireman arrived the flames
were located both in the laundry build
ing and in the millinery rooms of the
Misses McVay, adjoining, where the
Cinnamon claim the fire started, but ex-
cellent work was done and the fire soon
put down. The building, owned by
Lewis Pierson, and recently improved by
the adding of second story, was damaged
to about $500, insured for $1,000. The
Chinaman lost on goods, bedding, etc.,
about $l00, no insurance and to S.
McVay goods in store, 81 900 fully in
sured. and the millinery establishment,
$3.50, not insured.
Wednesday morning saw an even
more serious fire, and again in Chinese
laundry, this time on Market street, but
also owned by Lem Hing. The alarm
was given at 220 a. m. by Officer
Campbell, who saw fire coming from
the front window of the building owned
by James P. Sullivan and occupied by
the Chinese laundry and Max Mintz,
clothier. The fremen did good work,
but Notwithstanding the fire took hold of
the wing of D. p. McCiellan's cash store
and the Market Street Mission, on either
side adjoining. The fire broke through on
Mr.. McClellan's side and though quickly
controlled there was great damage by
fire, water and smoke, estimated at near
ly $1,000.
The eight men who were sleeping at
the Mission escaped over the roof of the
woodward, as dense volume of black
smoke threatened at the front stairs: one
without shoes, another without coat or
vest, and all without hats. They were
sheltered at various places, but eventual
Iy gathered at the Independent Hose
house, where the boys kindly sheltered
them by the fire in the basement until
further provision was made for their
comfort in the morning.
The Sullivan building was totally des-
troyed by fire and the Mission building is
wrecked beyond repair. The loss on the
Sullivan building was 81 800 fully in
sured; on the Mission building the loss is
So. 500 insured for 81 800, on furniture
$3.50. fully insured.
The fire of Wednesday happened at
most unfortunate season of the year for
some of those whom the Mission is seek
ing to benefit; as 274 lodgings and 805
meals have been furnished to homeless
men in return for work done in the wood
yard during the past two months, and
besides this about $50 has been paid in
money or groceries for work done by
men living in town. But the Mission
Committee has secured the store No. 8
Market street for temporary use for
meetings, and as reading room, and
William Cooper has kindly given the
Mission the free use of his house on Bank
street for lodging purposes. SO that to
some extent the work of the Mission will
be carried on as usual. Pending an adj
justment with the insurance companies,
no definite plans have been formed as to
the future, but if the people will rally to
the support of this good work the FIRE
may turn out a blessing in disguise.
For long time the Mission work has
been hampered for want of room and
needs a more suitable building on it's
present site as well as more land. The
Mission has long since passed the expert
mental stage and has proved so much a
success that the Market Street Mission is
held up all over the country as model
of what successfully conducted Mis-
sion should be and it should now be
provided with plain, substantial,
commodious building suited to its
needs.
Strange to say the woodward escaped
unhurt, and Superintendent Ironside is
very anxious to close out the stock Of