The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-02-16
PLAY FIREMEN.
Greenville Companies Made
No Effort to Save a
Burning House.
MUCH TALK--No WORK
Placed Hose Where 1t Was
Cut by Train and Then
Sat and Watched

Greenville had fire last night, and for
a time the quiet of that old section was
disturbed. Officer Meyer discovered
flames about 7:so in two story frame
building located in the farm lands, at
the foot of Gator avenue, near the Nor
ris Canal The officer ran seven blocks
to the nearest signal box and sent in
an alarm. In about fifteen minutes an
engine and hook and ladder company re-
sponded BY this time the house was
enveloped in flames.
The nearest fire plug was about three
hundred yards from the scene of the fire,
which was west of the Central Railroad
tracks. The members of the fire COM
panies gathered together, and at first
decided that they wouldn't bother with
the fire, as it could be only reached by
the expenditure of much physical exer-
ton.
After watching the blaze for some time
they decided TO tackle the fire. They
talked more than they worked but they
did finally get the numerous sections Oh
hose connected, after much shouting and
many consultations. From Princeton
avenue the line of hose was stretched
across the Central Railroad tracks to the
scene of the confiagration.
Some one instructed some one else to
notify the signaiman in the railroad tow
er to hold all trains while the hose lay
across the tracks. The hose had been IN
working order about five minutes when
some one in the crowd on the rallroad
bank espied an east bound train going at
full speed. Fearing apparently that II
the cow catcher of the engine struck the
hose the train would be derailed the vast
crowd stampeded and sought shelter IN
the warm lands
The train proved to be an express. Al
high speed it passed over the fire hose
cutting it completely through on ootn
rails. As the trains passed on, obvious OF
the damage done, it was treated to dose
of good clean Jersey water, through the
severed hose. AS the water played on
the side of the train the surprised pass
engers could be seen lodging to places of
safety.
After the cutting of the hose the fire
men decided to let the house burn, with
out making further efforts to save it.
They wound up the mutilated remains of
the hose and sat on their machines calm
ly watching the flames devour the old
structure.
In the meantime the burning building
had been surrounded by crowd of
curious spectators. The house had been
previously occupied by an old squatter by
the name of Beuno. Some one in the
crowd said that Bruno was asleep in the
burning building.
William Shaw rushed into the burning
house to rescue the supposed inmates.
The crowd gathered close to watch the
result. Shaw stood on the bottom floor
and bawled Justify to arouse the sup
posed inmate He received no response,
but still continued his bowling.
BY this time the house was entirely
enveloped in flames and the heroic
rescuer was himself in need of being
rescued The crowd called to him to
come out, but he was bent on rescuing
someone and refused. Realizing that he
would be shortly burned to death or suf-
focated, second rescuing party, COM
posed of Arthur Petit, James Smith and
John Walsh, rushed into the building and
dragged the would be rescuer out. 1t
was afterwards learned that Bruno had
not occupied the building in two weeks.
The burned structure was the property
of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and was
located on ground owned by that COM
pany. It burned to the ground, no efforts
being made to save it after the acci-
dent to the hose.