The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-11
THE STORY OF THE FIRE.
Des perate Struggle With the Flames Tanned
by Strong Gale.
tBy the Associated Press. J

\
mate at $1000O,OOO. 1t burned its way
/ through the business section OF the city
J and claimed as it's own 9 majority Of the
finer structures devoted to commercial,
| civic. educational and religious use. as
We'll as scores OF houses. Hundreds were
| left homeless and .housanus without en-
ployment A relief movement for the
| care Of those unshetcfed and mrrovided
for has been organized already and May
or John Henchellffc says tonight that
| Paterson will be able to care for her own
Without appealing 10 the tharity o. other
| communities and States. sThr great man
ufacturing plants of the place are safe
and the community, temporarily dazed
| by the calamity, airca',y has commenced
the work of reorganization and restora-
ton
! The fire came at midnight and was
rchecked only after a desperate fight that
lasted until late in the afternoon. Every
city anf town within reach of Paterson
sent fremen and apparatus 10 the .e,ief
OF the threatened city and ii took the
united efforts of them all to win the bat
! tie, northeriy sale gave the confagra
! tion its impetus ani carried its burning
brands 10 kindle the blaze afrtsh at
other points. The iiremcn made stand
after stand before the wall of fire, but
] were driven back repeatedly, nd when
victory finally came 10 them they we're
! exhausted.
| An estimate made from the general
1 Inspection of the smouldering ruins
placed the number of dwellings and apart
nent houses destroyed at 500 and the
number Of families left without shelter
at 1000. The fire began its work Of far
reaching destruction al the power hodse
OF the Jersey City Hohoken amt Paterson
Traction Company. which fronted on
broadway and extended a block 10 the
rear on Van Houten street II com
menaed in the car sheds and was burning
fercely when ono OF the employees de-
tected il. II was leaping through the
roof and the gale was lifting IL in forks
1nG swirls when the FIRE apparatus came
Changing into Broadway. Main and Van
bouten streets. The firemen tried to
he nit in. but It speedily crossed Van
Houten street in ono direction. Main
in another and gaiuing igor as il went
i,burned unchecked down into the business
district
There We're efforts to rescue furniture
and stock but the speed with which tn.
fire moved cave The rescuers little time
The warning TO many was brief and ttet
were forced to flee. scantily clad into
streets glazed over With ice and swept
hy tho keen wind Al night the mayor
to prevent disorder and check crime is
sued a proclamation warning al persons
from being on the streets of the burned
district after D. m
Main street soon was arched oYec with
canopy Of FIRE for two blocks as the
flames fastened themselves upon BUILD
ing after building. The drcmen fought
with every resource OF their craft and the
impulse Of desperation but toe flames
found new avenues in Ellison and Mar
kot streets and got heyond ali control
Calls ;or relief went out 70 every city
in his rcrtion Of the State. The city
hall fnalIv caught. and With il went AL
cf tho splendid business structures that
surrounded IT,
Tbore was i series Of cxI ]osjons and
scores NJ walls fell Flying fire brands
carried the counagraton over some build
ings and around others. and ii therefore
burned in an irregular course. These
brands. were ON the tracks Of The Erie
and RamTio streets and aligating on
Straight street starting a new area of
FIRE. This second great fire started at
the angle Of Park avenue and Washing
ton street and swept, almost unchecked.
until in these two thoroughfares there
was no more fuel On TIE right hand
side Of Market street It encountered San
dy Iiill cemetery as a barrier 10 check
it, but on the left hand side At Carroll
it claimed St Josephs church q great
classic stone building. 1t was On this
second great fire That the volunteer fire.
mon from the outside cities did their
most heroic work They fell back only
whom they had 80 and when the natural
obstacle interposed they seized the
chance and stopped The fire.
The final and one Of the most desner-
ate fights of the day occurred III mid-af-
ternoon back in the first fire area at the
Hamilton Club. situ@ed at the corner
of Church and Ellison streets. The hand
some club house caught and the .cx-
hausted firomep were rallied around it.
The buildings were doomed. however.
and a torrent OF water kept the fire to
The premises, the four walls of the club
house store. but the roof collapsed and
the interior was completely burned out.
With tho crowd came thieves and loot
crs, but there was not much pullaging.
Under orders from Governor Franklin
Murphy companies y. c. X. and NJ, of
the Fifth National Guard. assembled at
their armories and were held as Q reserve
force The police, deputy sheritfs, hun
dreds of special watchmen and iiremen
united in protecting property during the
day. and when night came grim order
clearing the streets was issued by the
city and county authorities. Despite
the precaution of the authorizes there
was much confusion in tho streets at
night The destruction of wires left the
city in darkness save for the dull glow
given off by the acres Of cmber5
The sale of liquor was suspended.
TWENTY BLOCKS.
The area of the destruction foots UP
roundly twenty-five blocks
From Main street TO. Paterson street,