Bridgeton pioneer., 1899-10-05
FEARFUL FIRE.
Barn and Contents and Two Valuable
Horses Were Destroyed Wednesday
on South Laurel Street.

on South Laurel Street.
One of the most serious fires that has
threatened this city for years occurred
Wednesday, and but for the heroic and
admirable work of Chief Kinkle and the
members of the Fire Department, much
valuable property directly in the business
centre of the city, would have been laid
waste by fierce flames devastation.
1t was little after eight o'clock when
an alarm of fire was turned in from box
No. rs, corner of Pearl and Jefferson
streets. and when the Fire Department
went tearing down Pearl street, the sky
was glare of red, flames from the large
barn of Samuel Coombs, South Laurel
street, shooting upward, and perfect
shower of sparks rising high in the air
and falling all about the property in close
proximity.
The Coombs barn was on South Laurel
street, below Jefferson, was two and
half stories in height, and of frame
material. On the north was the frame
annex of the Coombs brick store build
ing, and there was but distance of a
dozen feet separating the two structures.
On the sfath is the frame blacksmith
shop of Councilman Fred Conner, not
more than twenty feet away from the
barn site, while directly west, across the
narrow street, is a perfect nest of frame
structures. Back of the barn was frame
wagon shed, and east of these the two
story blacksmith establishment of ex-
Councilman Loper.
When the Fire Department., which was
unusually prompt, arrived upon the
scere, the fire fighters were confronted
wit. the herculean task of saving sur
rouu, ipg property. The opportunity to
save The barn and its contents had passed
almost before the flames were first dis.
covered. Tons and tons of hay made
frightful material upon which the flames
might feed, and the heat was blistering.
Those who had arrived just before the
firemen, found the entire first floor of the
barn structure mass of seething flames,
The dull, heavy roar indicated the fierce
ness of the confagration. So swiftly did
the fire spread that willing persons.
anxious to save the two horses from the
burning structure, were baff1ed, and the
distracted, crazed animals, plunging and
shrieking. kicking and falling, were soon
down, rolling, tossing in their awful
agony, until death, horrible as it was,
came as relief, and then the consuming
OF the ugly, withered carcasses
One wagon had been run out from the
shed annexed to the barn, and horse and
carriage under the shed in the rear of the
structure were taken to place of safety
Then it was that the hose wagon tore
down Laurel street, and the engine
dashed along Jefferson. Chief Kinkle
and Assistant Chief Ter were upon the
ground, and in twinkling two lines of
hose were run from nearby plug and a
stream was turned upon the main Coomlbs
building, another on the Conner struct-
ure. The steaming La France was soon
ready and two powerful streams we're run
down Jefferson street, and upon the East
end of the burning barn. The men
worked like beavers, the Chief directed
withnot single mistake in judgmen and
slowly yet surely the mastery of the de-
partment over the flames was manifest.
Hard was the work, long was the time,
but resolutely, masterfully the firemen
com batted the flames, giving necessary
attention in the mean time to the protec.
ton of adjoining property, until all
danger was passed, and the fight had been
won.
Chief Kinkle then ordered all the hay
within the barn to be pitched from the
NOW, and with midnight came the orders
for the department to return to headuuar-
ters. One plug stream was retained all
night, and couple of firemen were on
duty until daybreak. Occasionally a
fittul little blaze would break out, but the
stream of water soon extinguished the
danger.
Mr.. Coombs told the PIONEER Thursday
morning that it was difficult to estimate
carefully his loss. He had no idea what
it would cost him to replace the barn.
The horses he grieved for, and expressed
greatest regret that they should have so
horribly suffered. The barn, he said,
never contained more hay than last
night. A carload of baled hay had Just
been put in, together with several tons of
fresh hay. All the harness, including a
fne new set, had been destroyed. The
barn and horses were insured partially.
Mr.. Coombs was desirous of expressing
his great appreciation of the magnificent
work of the firemen and wished to thank
them most sincerely, together with others
who rendered assistance. While he feels
his loss yet he realizes that but for the
superb work accomplished his losses
would have been far greater. Council.
man Conner and other nearby property
holders, join with Mr.. Coombs In ex-
pressing their appreciation of the work
of the Fire Department..
"a Heart as Sturdy Is an Oak" ,
But what about the blood which the heart must
pump at the rate of 70 times minutes If the
heart is to be sturdy and the nerves strong this
blood must be rich and pure. Hoods Sarsaparilla