The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-10
.$8,000,000 The Loss.
Paterson, N. j., Visited by a De-
structive Fire.
STORES AND RESIDENCES BURNED
Two Lives Lost and 1000 Families
Rendered Homeless-Public
Buildings Gone.

Paterson, N. j., Feb. 10.-The fierce con-
f1agration which burned its way through
| the business center of Paterson yesterday.
has completely spent its force and is
quickly dying out in it's ruins. The tire
men who hurried from other cities to save
the endangered city have gone back to
the local department have been ordered
to their houses for the rest and refresh
ment they SO sorely need
Conservative opinion inclined to-day to
cut $2,000,000 from the aggregate loss OF
$40, 00O, 900 agreed upon yesterday; and
$4,000. 900 will probably be accepted finally
as the actual cost of the fire. It is stated
to-day that the insurance amounted to be-
tween $4,000, 900 and $4,000, 900, but what
gave basis to the calculation was not
clear. Probably no fire of equal magni-
! tude and widespread destructiveness ever
produced an equally small casualty list.
Dozens of fremen and the volunteers
who labored with them were slightly
| injured by falling bricks and timber,
! burned by flying fire brands or Temperate
! ly overcome by smoke, but only few OF
| them needed surgical attention. is
Bread and Coffee.
A bread and coffee famine was ayerted
| by outside aid. A Newark bread COM
pany early this morning started wagons
| loaded with 5000 leaves OF bread for free
| distribution in the stricken city. Wealthy
residents OF this city ordered large sup
| plies OF coffee and provisions from Pas.
| sale, Newark and New York, The ladies.
relief committee will provide food to all
who may apply.
| In the hospitals are sixty-three persons
| injured 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 woman
! who had just become mother and; who
| died as the result OF being removed from
! her home.
The sternest feature which Mayor
! Hinchecliffe and his co-workers find con-
fronting them to-day is the necessity for
| providing employment and permanent
homes for the destitute. The fact that
the great silk mills escaped the ravages
| of the flames, is most important, as SILK
making is the principal industry OF the
city. .
Just before daybreak the militia ar
rested eleven men caught footing build
ing. Companies A, G and M, OF the F1ttn
regiment; Company A of Passa1c and nity
deputy sheriffs were on guard all night
They had orders to club anyone who did
| not obey orders to move on.
! .sa How We Mourn! ss,-~. ,sa
The anarchists who have made this city
their headquarters mourn the loss OF their
! favorite meeting place, the Office OF La
QUESTION: Sociale newspaper. The home
-, of Miss Ernestine Cravelle,' the young
woman who attracted attention after the
murder of King Humbert by her infamma-
tory speeches in public meetings, was
i burned The homes of many others Of
| the Paterson anarchists were Destroyed.
| There was comparatively little suffer-
ing on the part of those rendered home
less by the fire and the armory, churches
and public shelters opened their doors to
but few applicants during the night.
Practically every house that escaped the
flames was thrown open and nearly every
refugee found shelter The declaration
of Mayor Hinchcliffe that the city can
care for it's own is not concurred in by
everybody and there may be an appeal
later for outside help.
With the embers still aglow in the bust
! ness district, commercial Paterson
planned resumption and restoration. All
Of the banks burned out yesterday opened
for business in temporary quarters to-day
and the officials expressed determine
tion to do their part in the maint enance
of the financial standing and credit of the
city. All of the banks and trust companies
announced that their safes and vaults
had proved strong enough to preserve the
securities, moneys and records locked in
them at the close of business on Saturday.
Some of those whose business places and
homes were destroyed were ruined f1nan-
cially and must give up. but the majority
will be able to start afresh. Much valua-
BILE property is still exposed and the au-
thorities are determined to prevent loot
ing or disorder. Saloons that attempted
to open after midnight were promptly
closed and the sale of liquor was prohibit
ed until after daylight.
Course Of the Fire.
Famed ty a forty-mile gale, the con-
flagration ragged beyond control until late
in the afternoon, when, after destroying
twenty-six entire blocks, it was checked
by the combined efforts Of the fire depart
ments of Jersey City, Passaic and other
nearby towns. The fremen made stand
after stand before the wall of fire, but
were driven back repeatedly, and when
victory finally came to them they were
grimed and exhausted.
The business section of the town lying
beyond Prospect street, Broadway, Pater-
son and Market streets, was wiped out
completely. The resident portion de-
stroyed extended from Pearl street TO
! Marget strete and from Straight street to
Carroll street. The city hall, all the ma
! tional banks, five churches, the big school
and all of the principal business houses
and public buildings were in the ruined
] section.
Hundreds Of persons are homeless, and
it Is feared much suffering will ensue,
as the city is in darkness. A relief COM
mittee for the care of those unsheltered
and unprovided for have already been or
ganized and Mayor John Henchieliffe said
that Paterson would be able to care fol-
her own without appealing to the charity
] of other communities and states. The
: great manufacturing plants of the place
4 I are SAFE and the community has already
i commenced the work of reorganization
| and restoration.
/ Property Burned.
A partial list of the properties destroyed
follows:
Public Buldings-City hall, public library
4 old city hall, police station, No. 1 engine
house, patrol stables, high school, school
i No. Is.
III Churches-First Baptist, Second Presby
/ terrain Park Avenue Baptist, st. Marks
u I,piaannal Ct Insanh,a Roman Catholic