Perth Amboy evening news., 1903-05-25
HOUSE. BURNED FOR
WANT OF PRESSURE.
FTeen Handicapped at the Fire the Smith Homestead Tester
day MOrnmgNO Pressure was the caUseoUse Caught Fire
IN the Attic Origin Is Unknown

Fire, originating in the attic, from
a cause as yet unknown, almost de-
stroyed one of Perth Amboy's old
landmarks, the Smith homestead at
High and Market street, facing City
Hall Park, yesterday morning. The
exceeding low pressure of water SO
handicapped the firemen that in spite
of their early arrival upon the scene,
the fire destroyed the roof and part Of
the second story, before they got it
under control. The loss is estimated
between So, 900 and "a, 900 fully cover
ed by insurance.
Chris Anderson, the handy man about
the place, was the first to discover the
fire. He was standing at the back of
the little building on the property,
known by the older residents as the
Custom House, when suddenly he saw
smoke issuing from the attic window
in the northwestern part of the build
ing. He ran to the house and told
Mr.. and Mrs. Jaudon Mark Skid
more happened to be passing by when
the fire was discovered and he ran
through the park to police headquart-
ers where Chief Burke was found and
the alarm was quickly turned in from
box 35 by the latter just as the church
bells had stopped ringing. This
brought the Lincolns and Washington
Hose Company and the Protection
Hook and Ladder Company upon the
scene in record time.
At the time of their arrival the fire
was confined to the roof of the nor tn
ern end or new section of the building
built about fifteen years ago. At this
time the fire could easily have been
put out with one good stream of water
from a steamer, but instead all the
streams that the fremen Sapad muster
could not stop the fire, so aaH sRels
the pressure. When they
top of the building wi
the water in some in
refused to leave the
when it did come on
spray over three or
firemen had to hold
over the nozzle to
little further to get
By this time lsI
had reached the So & S
realizing that the
save the buildi
the building to 8 "A
ings The bull
bly, as much an
time relics as an
Soon these things
of windows and do 3 E
They were caught
below and now and
would go smashing I'd |s
each case they were Il
harms way until finally
of value, except very old
which the boys could not geFz
and an old bureau which has not be5z
moved for over 100 years, were gotten
out and saved. The things were PACK
ed in the little old custom house,
while the more valuable articles were
taken to the home of w. H. McCor-
mick and after the fire was extinguish-
ed much of the 1goods was taken to
the Benton Homestead across the
street now occupied by Mrs. Amy
Marsh, sister of Mrs. Jaudon.
A number of firemen were slightly
burned and bruised by falling timbers.
The first to get hurt was Walter Mar
tin, who was struck by falling wall.
His face and head were burned and
his hat was crushed in by the blow.
Howard Hope was also struck by a
falling beam. Stacy Coutts and Sam
Bayard were up in the third story
when part of the blazing roof fell in
upon them and for an instant they
were almost buried in burning timbers.
Their rubber coats and heavy hats
was all that saved them from serious
injury.
The fire was rung out at exactly
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