Gilpin observer., 1902-02-13
GREAT FIRE At PATTERSON.
Worst Fire in the History Of the New
Jersey Town-Loss, Ten Millions.

IdteTSOl, N. j., req. lO.-A STeut IRE
swept through Paterson yesterday,
and in its desolate wake are the en-
bers and ashes of property valued at
$40 100000.
1t burned its way through the busi-
ness section Of the city and claimed as
its own majority of the finer struc-
lures devoted to commercial, civic, ed
ucational and religious use, as well as
scores of houses.
There was but small tribute of life
and injury to the confagration, but
hundreds were left homeless and thou
sands without employment.
| A relief movement for the care of
those unsheltered and unprovided for
has already been organized and Mayor
John Hinchcliffe said tonight that
Paterson would be able to care for her
| own without appealing to the charity
of other communities and states. The
great manufacturing plants of the
place nre safe, and the community,
temporarily dazed by the calamity,
has already commenced the work of
reorganization and restoration.
The fire came at midnight and was
only checked after desperate fight
that lasted until late in the afternoon.
Every city and town within reach of
Paterson sent firemen and apparatus
to the relief of the threatened city, and
it took the united efforts of them all
to win the battle.
A northerly gale gave the conf1agra-
ton its impetus and carried its burning
brands to kindle the blaze afresh at
other points. The firemen made stand
after stand before the wall of fire, but
We're repeatedly driven back, and
when victory finally came to them they
were grimed and exhausted.
A partial list of the properties de-
stroyed follows:
Public Buildings-City hall, public
library, old city hall. police station, No.
1 engine house, patrol stables, high
school, school No. 49,
Churches-First Baptist, Second
Presbyterian, Park Avenue Baptist,
st. Joseph's Roman Catholic.
| Banks-First National. Second Ma
tional (partially), Paterson National,
Silk City Trust, Hamilton Trust Pat
erson Trust.
Many other business blocks and Of
flee buildings We're also destroyed.
An estimatesmade from a general in
spection of the smouldering ruins
placed the number of dwellings and
apartment houses destroyed at 500,
and the number of families left with
out shelter at 1000. A re-estimate
when order succeeds confusion may
alter those figures.
The fire began its work of far
reaching destruction at the power
house of the Jersey City, Hoboken &
Paterson Traction Company, which
fronted on Broadway and extended
block to the rear on Van Houten
| Strapt IT comrpapco1 in tho nar chpd
and was burning fiercely when one of
the employees detected it. 1t was leap
ing through the roof and the gale was
| lifting it in forks and swirls when the
| fire apparatus came changing into the
roadway at Main and Van Houten.
The firemen tried to hem the blaze
in, but it speedily crossed Van Houten
street in one direction and Main street
| in another, and, gaining vigor as it
went burned unchecked down into the
business district. Every piece Of fire
mechanism in the city was called out,
but the fire and gale were masters.
Calls for relief went out to every city
in this portion of the county and the
jaded firemen labored on through the
hopeless hours of the morning. The
city hall, a magnificent structure, sur
mounted by great clock tower, situ-
ated on Washington. Ellison and Mar
ket streets, finally caught and with it
went all of the splendid business struc-
lures that surround it. They made n
great furnace of fire that burned with
a fierce roar.
There were series of explosions and
scores of walls fell when the fire left
them strengthless. Flying firebrands
carried the confiagration over some
buildings and around others, and it
therefore burned in an irregular
course. These brands finally cleared
the tracks of the Erie railroad and
Ramapo avenue, and alighting on
Straight street, started another great
area of fire, in which the destruction
and desolation wrought was nearly as
great as in the other.
This second great fire started at the
angle of Park avenue and Washing
ton street, and swept almost un-
checked until on these two thorough
fares there was no more fuel. On the
right hand side of Market street 1t en-
countered Sandy Hill cemetery as a
barrier to check it, but on the left
hand side at Carroll street it claimed
st. Josephs church, n great classic
stone building. 1t was on this second
great fire that the volunteer fremen
from the outside cities did their most
heroic and effective work. They fell
back only when they had to and when
the natural obstacle interposed they
seized their chance and stopped the
fire.