The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-11
HUNDREDSARE HOMELESS
And Thousands Are Thrown Out of
Employment,
A GALE TANNED THE coTFLAGRATloM
For Thirty Hours the Firemen Of Paterson AS
sisted by Companies From Other Cities
Fought the Flames. Only
Two.Deaths Reported.
(Rv the Associated Press.l


(By the Associated Press.)
Paterson n. J., Feb. 10-The fierce
conflagration which burned its way
through the business center. of Paterson
yesterday has completely spent it's force
and is quickly dying out in the ashes
and broken bricks of it's ruin. Conser-
vative opinion inclined today to cut
y 600 from the aggregate loss of $10-
100000 agreed upon yesterday and SS S,000,-
600 will probably be accepted finally as
the actual cost of the fire. No tabulation
of individual losss that can be accepted
rs reliable has been made and it will be
several days before satisfactory figures
can prepared. Equally incomplete is
the estimate of insurance 1t was stated
here that the insurance to between
S4000,000 and $4,000 900. but what gave
basis to the calculation was not clear.
Several of the largest losers said that
they had not yet had an opportunity to
examine their policies, and that mean
time they could not tell what amount
they carried Probably no fire OF equal
magnitude and widespread destructive
ness ever produced an equally small
casualty list Dozens OF firemen and the
volunteers who labored with taem We're
slightly injured by falling bricks and
timber, burned by flying firebrands or
temporarily overcome by smoke but
only Il few of them needed either surgi-
cal or medical attention. The small cas-
ualty list is explained by the fact that
I,a haH ,i,,cc =
TO abandon their homes before the flames
came upon them.
The fire made no headway during the
night. Famed by strong wind it burn
ed up fitfuliy in places during the early
hours Of the morning, but wherever it
showed threatening strength the firemen
turned streams on it and beat it down.
The firemen We're completely exhausted
after more than thirty hours continuous
work, but renamed at ther posts. There
was comparatively little suffering on the
part of those rendered homeless by the
fire.
With the embers still aglow in the
business district, Commercial Paterson
planned resumption and restoration All
of the banks burned out yesterday open
ed FOR business in temporary quarters
today and the officials of the banks ex-
pressed q determination to do their part
in the main tenance of the financial
standing and credit of the city.
All the banks and trust companies an
nounced that their safes and vaults had
proved strong enough to preserve the Sc
curities, moneys and records locked in
them at the close of business on Satur-
A bread and coffee famine was avert
ed by outside aid a Newark bread
company early this morning started
wagons loaded with 5000 loaves of bread
for free distribution in the stricken city.
Wealthy residents of this city ordered
large supplies of coffee and provisions
from Passiac Newark and New York.
In the hospitals are sixty-threc injur-
ed in the long fight AGAINST the flames
Two deaths were due to the calamity.
one was that OF an old Woman. who fell
down stairs in her anxiety to view the
fire. The other was a woman who had
Just become a mother and vino died as
the result of being removed from her
home.
The fact that the great silk mills es-
capped the ravages of the flames is most
Important, as silk making is the only
principal industry of the city. About
half Of the population depends upon the
silk trade.
The great Rogers Works and the
American Locomotive Works give en-
ployment to thousands and these are
running as usual today.
Just before daybreak the militia in one
haul eleven men caught looting build
ings. Companies A, c. and NJ, Of the !
Fifth regiment, Company A., of Passiac
and fifty deputy sheriffs were on guard |
ali night They had orders to club any |
one who did not obey orders to move on. /
The 120 members of Paterson's police |
force went on duty at o'clock, relieving |
the militiamen
The anarchists who have made this |
city their headquarters mourn the loss
Of their favorite meetin gplace, the Of
fee of La QUESTION: Socialf The office |
Of this newspaper was in Market street |
and 1t went down in the path of the |
flames. The home Of Miss Ernestine |
cravella. the youne woman who attract |
ca attention after the murder Of King
IIumbert, by her influanlnatory
speeches in public meetings, was also
burned
The homes of many others of the Pat |
erson anarchists were DESTROYED. though |