The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1902-02-14
BIG FIRE At PATERSON, Nd.
slo,OOO.OOO ESTIMATED LOSS
Destructive Flame swept the business
Portion OF the City-Oaly One Death
Reported-A Heavy Gale Blew City
VIII Look After the HomeIsss-Mayo
Issuod Proclamation.

the business section of the city an,
claimed as its own majority OF tn,
finer structures devoted TO CONNER
cial, civic, educational and religion:
use, as we'll as scores OF houses. There
was only small tribute OF life and in
jury to the conflagration, but hun
dreds were left homeless and thou
sands without employment. A relief
/ movement for the care of those un
sheltered and unproyided for has al
ready been organized and Mayor John
\ Hinchcliffe says that Paterson would
be able TO care for her own without
appealing to the charity of other com
munities and states. The great manu-.
featuring plants of the place are safe,
and the community, only temporarily
dazed by the calamity, has already
commenced the work of reorganiza-
ton and restoration.
Scores OF persons were hurt and
burned, but the loss OF life is not
thought to be great.
Many persons are reported to be
missing. but in the excitement and
fright most of these are supposed 10
have been separated from their fam
lilies and friends.
Reuben Islib. while serving coffee TO
the exhausted iremen. was hit on the
head by falling beam. and 1t Is doubt
full II he will recover. He was carried
away by the iremen as they made
their retreat from the doomed school
house.
George Fitzmaurice, fireman. who
has been acting as driver for Fire
Chief Stagg, is also dying. He was
driving an engine from Passaic. when
the horses bolted and before Fitz- /
maurice could get them under control (
they brought the apparatus against an |
electric pole. and Fitzmaurice, who 4
had not waited to strap himself in. I
was hurled out on his head. There Is
no chance of his living.
The fire lasted over twelve hours.
Every city and town within reach OF
Paterson sent fremen and apparatus
TO the aid of the city, and II took their
united efforts to win the battle.
A northerly gale gave the conhagra-
ion its impetus and carried its burn
ng brands to kindle the blaze afresh
It other points. The firemen made
tand after stand before the wall of
Ire, but were repeatedly driven back.
md when victory finally came to them
hey were grimed and exhausted
A partial list of the properties de-
troyed follows:
Public buildings-City hall, public
brary, old city hall. police station.
10. engine house. patrol stables.
Ugh school. school No. 10.
Churches - First Baptist, Second
resbyterian. Park Avenue Baptist, st.
Iark's Episcopal. st. Josepn's Roman
atholic.
Banks-First National. Second Ma. ,
onal partially. Paterson National.
ii City Trust. Hamilton Trust, Pater-
,n Trust.
Clubhouses-Y. VI. C. A.. Knights of I
Progress club. st. Josephs o
Ill. Hamilton club. u
Office buiIdings-Romatine building. I
atz building, Marshall G Ball, Cohn d
Hiding, Old Town Clock, Kline r
Hiding, Stevenson building.
Telegraph companies-PostaI Tele- r
aph, Western Union.
Garden.
Newspapers-The Evening News. A
Inday Chronicle. n
Stores-A large number. a.
An estimate made by general in n
ection of the -smouldering ruins
aces the number of residences ti
rned at 500 and the number of fam 81
es left without shelter at 1000. I,
A re-estimate after the confiagration
abated may alter those figures.
The fire began its work OF destruc-
N at the power house of the Jersey II
ty, Hoboken e Paterson Traction &,
mpany, which fronted on Broadway ve
d extended block to the rear of If
n Houten street. II commenced IN wi
} car shed and was burning fiercely fir
en- one of the employees detected II. En-
was leapigg through the floor and nc
, wind was tanning It into forks and Ia
iris when the fire apparatus came to VIC
scene. The fremen tried to hem fro
blaze in. but 1t skipped across Van ar,
uten street In one direction and
in street In another, and. gaining
or as 1t went, burned unchecked
gn into the business district. Ev-
piece OF fire mechanism In the city are
5 called out, but the fire and gale Ia
re masters. as
great torch Of flame rose high in .
air, lighting up the country for ior
ny miles and carrying threat and yo'
ming to the people and property in en-
path. There were efforts to rescue AZ
liture and stock, but the speed 7
which the fire moved gave the POI