New-York tribune., 1902-02-11
TpY TELEGRAPH 10 rHr 1nIBUSE.l

Paterson Feb. 10-The sun this morning shone
brightly on a scene of desolation such as never
before was witnessed in Paterson and seldom
known in other cities. The business portion Of
the city practically lay in ruins; residence
section marked chiefly by the homes of workers
in moderate circumstances, was in ashes, and
few ragged columns of public buildings banks
and churches stood like mournful sentinels over
a citys grave.
II was difficult for even old residents 10 point
out places where former buildings were. The
destruction was so complete that landmarks
were indistinguishabe, and it was only by
eIimpses of buildings still standing that a sense
of location could be obtained,
Not even Patersons inhabitants fully recog
nize the extent of the calamity which has come
upon them. There smiles on the faces
of the property owners allowed within the area
guarded by militia and police, but there was
general disposition to accept philosophically the
situation. Don't express sympathy for me-
said one man. Think Of those who have lost
more than L. and indeed that seemed TO be
the general sentiment among those who suf-
fered comparatively minor losses.
SMALL DEALERS SUFFER MOST.
Those who will most heavily feel the disaster
are the men whose stock was small The larger
firms were better insured, and have a greater
their business There is where my store stood
a man remarked. pointing out a pile of bricks
TO Tribune reporter. NO insurance; nothing
left" Come and see my safe" said another.
leading the way across the street. That's
mine-the third away from in the heap"
Did it have anything in it?" asked bystandsr.
"AT that have in the world" was the reply.
Four circumstances in this fire were remark
able-its peculiar movements, the lack of any
loss of life. the manner in which certain build-
ings wthstood the flames and the absence of
disorder.
The first flames appeared in the car stables. IN
Broadway, according to an eyewitness. 1ne
next blaze broke out in the steeple of the First
Baptist Church. at Washington and Van Hou-
ten sts., several hundred yards distant from the
original fire. Sweeping backward and forward,
as the wind, blowing almost gale. veered. the
embers carried away almost the entire busi-
ness section of the town. and ran down Market
St, on both sides, leaving the Public Library a
smoking mass OF bricks. until they reached the
Market Street Methodist Church. which was
left unscathed. Flames from that point jumped
across the Erie Railroad line to point several
hundred yards distant. and in a few hours
section of the city about three blocks wide and
four deep in ashes.
Not beam was left in these structures. which
consisted almost entirely of frame houses. Holes
in the ground sufficiently describe this tract
Many inhabitants with difficulty to-day deserted
the place where their former homes stood.
Residents in the upper section of the
where houses are almost exclusively butte of
wood, greatly alarmed when it seemed
that the fire was about to spread in that
direction. Silver and other valuables were
packed. and preparations were made hastily to
leave homes, The old graveyard at Carroll
and Market sts.. burying ground strongly
condemned at one time for its methods OF
burial proved at last a valuable factor in saw
ing large part of the city. The wind again
shifted. blowing the embers across this Open