Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-02-13
PATERSON FIRE-SWEPT
More Than Twenty City Blocks
Wiped Out.
tHE LOSS WILL REACH $4,000, 900

fHE LOSS WILL REACH $4,000, 900
Flames Started In Traction Power
House and Swept Through Business
Part of City With Relentless Fury.
Hundreds Are Rendered Homeless.
Paterson, N. j., Feb. 1O.-A great
| day, and in its desolate wake are the
| embers and ashes of property valued
| at S10.000,000. 1t burned its way
through the business section of the
city and claimed as its own q ma
jority of the finer structures devoted
to commercial, civic, educational and
religious use, as well as scores Of
houses. There was but small tribute
of life and injury to the conflagration.
but hundreds were left homeless and
| thousands without employment.
More than 26 blocks of the city have
been destroyed. The business section
of the town lying between Prospect
street. Broadway, Paterson and Mar.
ket streets was wiped out completely.
The residence portion destroyed ex-
tended from Pearl street to Market
street and from Straight street to
Carroll street.
What started the fire is not certain.
but it Is thought that one of the feed
wires running into the car barns was
responsible. From the car barns the
flames leaped to other buildings close
by, and these were burned before the
first call firemen reached the scene.
The fire came at Saturday midnight
and was only checked after . des.
perate fight that lasted until late yes.
terday afternoon. Every city and
town within reach of Paterson sent
firemen and apparatus to the relief Of
the threatened city. and 1t took the
united efforts Of them all to win the
battle. A northerly gale gave the con-
fagration its impetus and carried its
burning brands to kindle the blaZo
afresh at other points. The hremen
made stand after stand before the wall
of fire, but were repeatedly driven
back. and when victory finally came
to them they were begrimed and ex-
hausted
Buildings Destroyed.
A partial list Of the properties dc.
stroyed follows:
Public buildings-City hall. public
library. old city hall, police station.
No. engine house, patrol stables.
high school and school No. Is.
Churches-First Baptist. Second
Presbyterian, Park Avenue Baptist.
st. Marks Episcopal and St. Joseph's
Roman Catholic.
Banks-First National, Second Ma
tional partially, Paterson National.
Silk City Trust, Hamilton Trust and
Paterson Trust.
Club houses-Y. NJ. C. A.. Knights
Of Columbus, Progress Club, st. Jo-
seph's Hall and Hamilton Club.
once buildings-Romaine building,
KatE building, Marshall 4 Balls. Cohn
building, old town clock. old kinne
building and Stevenson building.
Telegraph companies-Western Un.
ion and Postal Telegraph.
Theatre-The Garden.
Newspapers-The Evening News
and Sunday Chronicle.
Stores-Quackenbus & Co.. dry
goods; National Clothing company,
Kents drug store. Kinsilla's drug
store, Muzzy's hardware and general
merchandise store. Marshall & Ball.
clothiers John Norwood. paints;
Oberg's grocery, Wertendyke's gro
Gerry. p. H. & w. G. Shields. grocers:
THE Paterson" dry goods; Jordan's
piano store, Sauter & Co.. pianos;
Feder & McNair, shoes: Zendler's con.
fectionery; Lappin's tea store, Ra-
gowskfs millinery Brohal & Mueller.
shoes; C. e. Beach. automobiles;
Morehead & Son, clothiers; Paterson
Gas and Electric company, Skye's
drug store and Mackintosh's drug
store.
An estimate made from a general
inspection of the smouldering ruins
placed the number Of dwellings and
apartment houses destroyed at 500,
out shelter at 1000.
The FIRE began its work OF destruc.
tion at the power house Of the Jersey
City, Hoboken and Paterson Traction
company, which fronted on Broadway
and extended . block to the rear Of
Van Houton street. It commenced In
the car she'd and was burning hercely
when one OF the employees detected It,
1t was leaping through the roof. and
the gale was lifting it in forks and
swirls when the ire apparatus came
changing into Broadway, Main and
Van Houten streets. The flremen
tried to hem it in, but it speedily
crossed Van Houten street in one d.
rection, Main street in another, and,
gaining vigor as 1t went, burned un-
checked down into the business dis
trict. Every piece Of fire mechanism
In the city was called out. but FIRE and