The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-05-10
SAW HOME
BURN UP
Tenants Driven to the Street
in Their Night Clothes
By Fire.
yam KEUREN'S LUMBER YARD GONE
Disastrous Blaze on Prior
Street Causes a Loss of
n Over $l5, 900.
yam KEUREN'S LUMBER YARD GONE

"A
morning about half-past three in the lum-
Der yard of William Van Keuren & Son,
at Prior and Fremont street, but short
distance from the power house of the
North Jersey Street Railway Company,
on the grounds formerly used by the Jer-
sey City Baseball Club The lumber yard,
sheds, wagons, harness, several dogs,
goats and pigeons were entirely con-
sumed. The frame houses, Nos. $50, ao2,
554, $50 and 55S Grand street, were partial
ly destroyed. The loss IS estimated at
about SIS, 600.
For three hours the firemen battled
with the fierce flames which apparently
originated in the eastern end of a two
story building, which extended three
hundred feet across the lumber yard.
Battalion Chief Hogan, who was driving
home along Grand street, after leaving
Fire Headquarters on Bay street saw
the flames as he reached WOOD
ward street. Box No. M5 at Johnston
avenue and Grand street was the nearest
signal time. Hogan lashed his horse and
reached the box in a minutes time An
alarm was sent in and this was followed
by a second and third
A dozen engines and hook and ladder
companies were soon on the scene.
Within fifteen minutes several streams
were playing on the burning structure.
The reserves from the Communfpaw ave-
nue. police station did gallant work They
dashed into the houses fronting on Granu
street and succeeded in waking up an
the occupants. There were about sixteen
families in the seven houses. In quar-,
ter of an hour, all were dressed and
out on the street, many carrying some OF
their belongings with them.
In the meantime, the flames had reach,
ed every part of the immense sheds IN
the rear of the houses. The fire was
such a peculiar one that the RESIDENTS
are inclined to think that 1t was the work
of some one seeking revenge. The east
ern and western ends of the sheds were
burning simultaneously while the. centre
was untouched for time. 10 TINS the
residents say they will make affidavit.
The sheds were stored with all kinds OF
second hand lumber, new and old wag-
ons,. machinery and tools. Huge piles OF
nited from the sparks and all were event.
ually destroyed.
The work done by the firemen in saving
the frame dwellings was cOmmendable
Flames were bursting out of dozens OF
places at once, and the firemen were kept
continually on the jump. The sheds aaq
lumber did not last long, as the wood
being very dry burnt up in no time. The
efforts of the men were directed mainly
to the frame houses. When the police
under Inspector Archibold and Captain
McKaig, reported that all the occupants
were out of the blazing houses, which sat
about fifteen feet from the lumber yard
the firemen turEed the streams on the
seven dwellings. Considering the head.
way the flames had gained and the vast
amount of space they covered, the work
of the men certainly deserves special
mention. Comparatively little damage
The flames were confined to the roofs.
Water which leaked through caused all
the damage ON the lower floors;
When the fire was completely under
| ter that short work was made of the
flames. A few small blazes in various
parts of the lumber yard caused the men
considerable apprehension. They 1eareo
and power house. Not a piece of wood OF
! the three hundred feet of sheds was left
| Dozens of piles of old lumber had van
ished and at least ten new wagons ano
as many old ones were destroyed
The occupants of the partially destroy
| ed buildings, many of whom watched the
| flames in their night clothes, We're given
shelter in neighboring houses; wnen ifa gay, Iay,
! more than few dollars worth of furni-
| ture and practically no clothing, as only
| the rear rooms used as Kitchens Were
burned The houses at Nos: $50, 652, So
and 558 are owned by John P. Mount Of
| Harrison avenue The ground floor OF
1 No $50 was occupied by Mrs. Timmons
| who Kept a small grocery StVIS. I1Gi
stock was ruined by water and her apart
ments upstairs were burned more thar
any in the block Adjoining the grocery
store Is a butcher shoP OCCUPIED ss 3y y
these was slight. Mrs. Higgins, who
lived upstairs, lost some kitchen furni-
| ture.
No. 554 is owned and occupied by Mrs
| John Fried, who keeps cigar store. Ihl:
| is three-story building. About S2,0W
worth of tobacco and cigars were. de-
stroyed by water The apartments above
were partly destroyed by fire.
4 laundry at No. 556, suffered much loss BY
water Many dollars worth of laundry
was spoiled. Mrs. Cullen lived above the
| laundry All her kitchen furniture was
/ ruined.
IA Dranow owns a paint store at No. 55S
| Little damage was done there. Mrs. Hig.
gins, who lived on the floor above, lost
| some furniture. The partments of Mrs
| Crowley Mrs. Michigan. Mr.. Mawiey ane
Mrs. Cullen, in No. 558, were soaked with
water, but little damage resulted.
| insured There was no insurance on the
other houses All of the residents are
| poor people, and what loss they suffer
| will be felt keenly by them. Mr.. Van
Keuren told a News" reporter this
morning that he had no idea how the fire
| originated. HIS loss he placed at about
SO. .CCO About two weeks the western END
| of the sheds now destroyed was found in
| flames The blaze was quickly ext1n-
guished by couple of laborers working
hin an adjoining paper factory.
/ A watchman was supposed to patrel the
lumber yard, but he was not in sight last
4 q -r-rx