The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-02-20
FIRE At THE COUNTY JAIL
a SEOP BUILDING PA RTIAELY DE-
STROYED THIS MORNING.

Kiln Room-NIuch Excitement and
| Alarm Among the Prisoners, but They
| Were at No Time in Dnnger-PrOmpt
! Measures 20 Rescue Them If Necessary
| One of the brick shop buildings in the
rear of the county Jail on Whalley ave-
nue. was almost entirely destroyed by
fire early this morning. The fire was
discovered by Attorney Walter Pond,
who lives on Whalley avenue, opposite
the Jail, and he throwing an overcoat
about his shoulders hurried out of the
house and out to the corner of Whalley
avenue and Orchard street, where he
rang an alarm from box So, diagonally
across the street from the jail, MI.
Pond was awakened by his wife, who
saw the reflection of the blaze in their
room. Looking out the window he saw
flames shooting from the roof Of one Of
the buildings in the rear of the jail
ringing the first alarm he rang q sec
ond one seeing that the fire was likely
to prove serious one unless there was
a large force of fire fighters soon at
hand. About the time the second alarm
began to ring one of the watchmen at
the Jail saw the blaze and gave the
alarm to the Jail employees.
The building in which the fire oc-
Cured was a tWo-story brick building
about 40x50. On the first floor was the
engine room and the second floor was
used as a kiln in which to dry the lum-
Der used in the manufacture OF chairs
in the shop. The fireman who was at
work in the engine room said this morn
ing that the fire started on the second
floor over his head. He said that he did
not see the blaze until after the fire
alarm began to ring and then he saw
the flames overhead. BY that time the
fire had gained a big headway and he
was Obliged to hasten from the build
ing.
The building was really a part of the
long shop building and storehouse
which extends back from the main cell
room of the jail A brick partition wall
separated it, however, from the long
store room fully 150 feet long in which
are stored hundreds of made up chairs.
Two doorways which connected the
kiln room were closed with fireproof
doors and these with the brick parti-
tion wall prevented the fire from
spreading to the storage room and pre-
vented what would otherwise have un-
doubtedly been much more costly fire.
The fire department arrived al the Jail
in remarkably short time, considering
the snowy condition of the strets. One
engine coupled to the hydrant in front
of the Jail and line of hose was run
back through the office, through the cell
room and then through the storage
room to where stream Of water could
be played on the seething furnace in the
kiln room through one of the fireproof
doors, which was pulled aside. Another
engine, stationed on County street, sent
a stream on the fire from that side,
while another engine was enabled to get
in a stream from the Hudson street
side.
At 2.30 o'clock this morning the fire
was we'll under control, and practically
out at 3 o'clock One of the first of
those outside Of the employees Of the Jail
to arrive at the scene of the fire was
County Commissioner Hart d. Muhson.
He was awakened by his wife, who saw
the blaze and told him that the jail
was afire. He hastily put on a few
clothes and hurried over to the jail,
where he stood with the working fire.
men, frequently assisting them in NOV
ing lines of hose. He said that he could
hardly estimate the loss by the fire, as !
he was unable to see at that time the
extent of the damage. One estimate
placed the loss at about $4,000. Com
missioner Munson said that the entire |
Jail and appurtenant buildings was in
insured for 100000.
In the upper part of the building, the !
kiln floor, was stored quantity of chair |
material in various stages of manufac
.ure and the value of this is difficult |
% estimate. An estimate of $4,000 Is |
low enough figure at which |
% place the loss.
When the fire was discovered by the
all officials it was feared that there
night be trouble with the 800 or more
)GlSOIleGS, anu d request was telepllOItu
% police headquarters for a detail of
police to preserve order. In answer to
his request Sergeant Crocker took
detail Of seven men from
,olice headquarters and Sergeant
Hayes took a detail Of six
rom Station 2. The fire was not with
n 200 feet or more of the prisoners
quarters, however, and there was no oc-
,asion to release them, as it was at
irst thought might be necessary. Some
If the prisoners We're badly scared,
linking that the fire was close to their
luarters and fearing that they would
)e burned before they could be removed
rom their cells. 1t required continued
assurances from the guards to convince
hem that they were in no danger.
The cause of the fire is not known
definitely, but it is thought to have
,een caused by some OF the dried lum-
yer igniting from an overheated steam
,ine |