The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-02-14
SWEPT BY FLAMES
FIRE AT PATERSON, n. J., LEAVES
DESOLATE WAKE OF ASHES
AND EMBERS.
PROPERTY LOSS ABOUT $40, 600, 900
BUILDINGS ARE LAID IN
RUINS.
PROPfRTYlOss ABOUT $40, 900, 900
fIRtMtN STRUGGLE FOR HOURS
HUNDREDS ARE LEFT HOMELESS
AND THOUSANDS OUT OF EN-
PLOYMENT.

~N
PLOYMENT.
Paterson, N. j., Feb. 11.-A great hre
swept through Paterson yesterday, n
in its desolate wake are the embers n
aches Of property valued in preliminary
estimate at &c. 900, 900. 1t burned its
way through the business section
Of the city and claimed as Its own q
majority of the finer structures devoted
to commercial, civic. educational n
religious use, As we'll az scores OF
houses. There was but small tribute OF
life and injury to the c~onfiagration. but
hundreds were left homeless and thou
sands without employment. A RELIEF
movement for the care Of those unshel-
tered and u~nprovided for has already
been organized. and Mayor John Hench-
sliffs said last night that Paterson
would ne able to care for her own with
cut appealing to the charity Of other
communities and states. The great
manufacturing plants Of the place are
safe. and the community,
Temporarily DaReA
BY the calamity. has already COM
menced the work of reorganization and
restoration. The nrs came at midnight
Saturday and was only checked after q
desperate tight that lasted until late
yesterday afternoon. Every city n
town within reach Of Paterson sent
firemen and apparatus to the relief of
the threatened city, and It o o the
united efforts of them all to win the
battle. A northerly gale gave the con-
Migration it's impetus and carried its
burning brands to kindle the blaze
afresh Al other points. The fremen
made stand after stand before the wall
Of fire, out were repeatedly driven back,
and when victory finally came to them
they were grimed and exhausted. An
estimate made from q general inspec-
ton Of the
S~mouldering Ruins
placed the number of dwellings n
apartment houses destroyed at 500 and
the number Of families left without
shelter At 1000. The nre began it's work
Of far-reAching destruction at the
powerhouse OF the Jersey City, Hoboken
& Paterson Traction company. 1t CON-
menced in the car shed and was burning
f1ercely when one of the employees de-
tected it. The nremen tried to hem 1t
in but it speedily crossed Van Houten
street in one direction, Main street in
another, and, gaining viGor as it went,
burned unchecked Town into the BUSH
ness district. Every piece Of fire
mechanism in the city was called out,
but fire and gale were masters. A great
torch Of
Flame Rose High
In the air. lighting up the country for
many miles and carrying a threat and
warning TO the people and property in
its path. Main street was 500 arched
over with = canopy Of nre for = block.
and then for two blocks, as the flames
fastened themselves upon building after
building. The firemen fought with
every esource OF their craft and the
impulse Of desperation, but the flames
found new avenues In Ellison and Mar
ket streets and got beyond all control.
Calls for relief went out to every city
n this portion Of the state and the
jsded firemen labored on through the
hopeless hours of the morning. The
city hall, 4 magnificent structure, sur
mounted by . great clock tower, stu
lted on Washington. Ellison and Mar
ket streets. finally caught. and with 1t
went all Of the
Splendid Business Struetures
that surrounded 1t. They made . great
furnace of fire that burned with . fierce
roar. There was = series of explosions
and scores of walls fell when the hre
left them st%rengthless. Flying fire.
brands carried the confagration 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 ana
deeolation wrought vas nearly as great
% in the other. Paterson rests in .
valley and the co~niagration was an
imposing spectacle from the rim Of the
hills that wall 1t in. Columns Of fame
climbed high in the air and shed their
light for miles. Hundreds Of persons
Hurried Into the City
before daylight to watch the work Of
destruction at close range, n when
the day came thousands more Joined
them. Once in the city they crowded
around the bremen n at times
hamrered them in their work. With the
crowd came thieves and hooters, but
there was not much pillaging. Under
orders from Gov. Franklin Murphy.
who hurried here from Jersey City,
Companies A.. C. K and M. Of the Fifth
National Guard assembled 1T their ar
mories and were held ~ a reserve force.
The police. deputy sheriffs. HUNDREDS OF
special watchmen and firemen united in
protecting property during the day. and
when night came a grim order clearing
the streets was issued by the city and
county authoritieA
Loss Of Life 10 Feared.
Scores OF persons were hurt and
burned. but the loss Of life II not
thought to be great. There are many
persons supposed to be missing, but in
the excitement and fright most Of these
are supposed to be separated from their
families and friends. Until order 10
brought out Of the chaos which has ex-
listed here nothing definite can be
known. Reuben Islib, while serving