The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-10

STORES
Ouackenbush & Co, dry goods.
Boston store, dry goods.
Globe store. dry goods
National Clothing company.
Kent's drug store.
Kinsella's drug store
Muzzy's hardware and general mer-
chandise.
Marshall & Ball. elothiers.
John Norwood, paints.
ObergS grocery.
Wertendyke's grocery
P H. & W. G. Shields, grocerS.
The Paterson dry goods store.
Jordans piano store
Sauter & Co, pianos.
FEEDER & McNair, shoes.
Sendler's confectionery.
Tappan'S tea store.
Ragowskis millinery
Brohal e Mueller, shoes.
c. z. Beach. automobiles.
Moorehead < Son, clOthierS.
Paterson Gas and Electric company.
S1ye's drug store.
Macintosh drug store.
% BLOCKS BURNED.
An estimate made from a general in
spection of the ruins placed the number
of dwellings, and apartment houses de-
stroyed at 500 and the number of fam
lilies left without shelter at 1000.
re-estimate. when order succeeds con-
fusion. may alter these figures.
The area of destruction foots up
roughly twenty-five city blocks.
L
between Van Houten and Market
streets. there is but little left. On the
block bounded by Main, Ellison, Wash
ington and Market streets not a single
building excepting that of the Paterson
Savings institution, stands. All along
the west side of Main street property IS
wiped out and on the east side also
from Market to Van Houten street
Along the south side of Broadway, be-
tween Washington and Church streets,
great damage has been done
Van Houten street is reduced to
smouldering debris, so far as buildings
are concerned. for some distance
Ellison street suffered from the neigh
borhood of Prospect street, on its norta
side. as far as Church street On the
south side of this street there is wide
spread ruin from short distance west
of Main street to the parsonage of the
Second Presbyterian church near Pat
erson street.
Market street is a pile of ruins from
Main street to the Market street
church on the north side and on the
south side
Nowhere was the scene of devasta-
ton more marked than north of the
Erie railroad in the district bounded
by Sixteenth avenue and Market street.
There was simply nothing but ashes left
ton of the city had ever existed.
On Washington street. between
Broadway and Market streets, there is
practically nothing left
Church street is wiped out on its west
side between Ellison and Market
streets as it is on the east side.
1t was in its newest and best built
portions that Paterson suffered, though
some of the property now lying in
bIackened ruins had an interest which
came with age and usage. The trolley
car stables, where the flames began,
had in their time been a skating rink
and also the scene of political rallies
and other popular gatherings. The First
Baptist church had a history all its
own, its origin running back for CEN
tury. The old city hall used for po-
lice station was also a landmark
Neither the home of John w Griggs,
ex-attorney general of the United
Hobart, widow of Vice President Hobart,
was harmed by the fire. both being well
out of its path.
The cost of the fire has not yet been
counted with any degree of accuracy
and it will be several days before there
can be a definite tabulation of losses
and insurance.
STARTED IN POWER HOUSE.
The fire began its work of destruction
at the power house of the Jersey City,
Hoboken and Paterson Traction COM
pany, which fronted on Broadway and
extended a block to the rear on Van
Houten street. 1t commenced in the car
shed and was burning fiercely when one
of the employees detected it. 1t was
leaping through the roof and the gale
was lifting it in forks and swirls when
the roadway, Main and Van Houten.
The firemen tried to hem it in, but it
speedily crossed Van Houten street in
one direction. Main street in another,
and gaining vigor as ii went, burned
unchecked down into the business dis
trict. Every piece of mechanism in the
city was called out, but the fire and
gale were masters. A great torch of
flame rose high in the air, lighting up
the country for many miles and carry
ing a threat and warning to the people
and property in its path There were
efforts to rescue furnsc1re and stock,
but the speed with whicn the fire moved
was often moved to place of presumed
safety, only to be eventually reached
and destroyed. The warning to many
was brief and they were forced to fee
scantily clad, into streets glazed over
with ice and swept by the keen wind
Main street was soon arched over with
canopy OF fire for block and then
for two blocks as the flames fastened
themselves upon building after build
ing The firemen fought with every re-
source of their craft and the impulse
of desperation, but the flames found
new avenues in Ellison and Market
streets and got beyond all control.
Calls for relief went out to every city
in this portion of the country and the
jaded firemen labored on through the
hopeless hours of the morning The city
nall, a ma gnificent structure, Surrnount-
ed by a great clock tower, situated on
Washington. Ellison and Market streets,
nnally caught and with 1t went all of
the splendid business structures that
surrounded it They made a great fur
mace of fire that burned with a fierce
roar.
There was a series of explosions and
scores Of walls fell when the fire left