Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1902-02-10
FIRE CUTS
WIDE PATH In
PATERSON
TWenty-Six Blocks in Ruins,
Loss Of $4,000, 900
GREATEST FIRE OF YEARS
Flames Started in Traction Power
house and Swept Through City
With Relentless PurV

Paterson, N. J., Feb. 10.-A great
Ore swept through Paterson yester-
day, and in its desolate wake are the
embers and ashes of property valued
at S100O0,O00. 1t burned its way
through the business section Of the
city and claimed as its own a 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 a des-
perate fight that lasted until late yes
terday afternoon. Every city and
town within reach Of Paterson sent
fremen and apparatus to the relief OF
the threatened city, and it took the
united efforts of them all to win the
battle. A northerly gale gave the con-
fiagration its impetus and carried its
burning brands to lIindle the blaze
afresh at other points. The firemen
made stand after stand before the wall
of fire, but we're repeatedly driven
back, and when victory finally came
to them they were begrimed and ex.
hausted.
Buildings Destroyed.
A partial list of the properties de-
stroyed follows:
Public buildings-City hall, public
library, old city hall, police station,
No. 1 engine house, patrol stables,
high school and school No. 10.
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 10
seph's Hall and Hamilton Club.
Office buildings-Romaine building
Katz building, Marshall & 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.
es-Quackenbush & Co., dry
goods; National Clothing company
Kent's drug store, Kinsilla's druG
store, Muzzy's hardware and genera
merchandise store, Marshall & BAH
clothiers; John Norwood, paints
Oberg's grocery, Wertendyke's gro
Gerry, p. II. & w. G. Shields, grocersi
1.-The Paterson" dry goods; Jordan'i
piano store, Sauter & Co., pianos
FEEDER & McNair, shoes; Zendler's con
fectionery; Lappin's tea store, Ra
gowski's millinery, Brohal & Mueller
shoes; c. E. Beach, automobiles
Morehead & Son, clothiers; Paterson
Gas and Electric company, Skye
drug store and Mackintoshs drul
store.
An estimate made from a genera
inspection of the smouldering ruin
placed the number of dwellings ant
apartment houses destroyed at SOC
and the number of families left with
out shelter at 1000
The fire began its work of destruC
tion at the power house of the Jerse,
City, Hoboken and Paterson Traction
company, which fronted on Broadwa.
and extended a block to the rear o
Van Houton street. It commenced il
the car shed, and was burning fiercel
when one of the employees detected il
II was leaping through the roof, an
the gale was lifting it in forks an
swirls when the fire apparatus cam
changing into Broadway, Main an
Van Houten streets The fremel
tried to hem it in, but it speedil
crossed Van Houten street in one d
rection, Main street in another, anc
gaining vigor as it went, burned III
checked down into the business dii
trict. Every piece Of fire mechanism
in the city was called out, but fire an
gale were masters. A great torch 9
flame rose high in the air. lightin