Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1906-10-24
.SH|PYARD IS BURNED.
$4,000 Worth Of
Property Is
Destroyed.
A B IG BLAZE.

One of the most disastrous fires
that has ever been known in Totem
Vile occurred about 6:20 O'Clock last
night in the large shipbuilding plant
of A. G. Brown e Sons, situated at
the foot of Amboy avenue on the
shore of the Staten Island sound op-
posite this city. 1t destroyed a large
work shed, carpenter and joiner shop
and the main Office of the concern
and also totally destroyed sixty-foot
gasolene oyster boat belonging to an
oyster company in Port Washington,
Long Island.
This boat was about completed,
having just had two cylinder Globe
engine installed within the past few
days and would have been launched
this week.
Professor Nathan J. Lowe, princi-
pal of public school No. 1, also lost a
small gasoene launch that was being
built under the shed The fire was
first discovered by Mrs. Emma DEM
Arrest, a daughter of A. c. Brown, who
lives with her brother near the yard
on Hopping avenue. Her cries were
heard by the watchman, Westley
Wood, of Church street, and William
LaForge, the hostler, who were at the
stable, in another part of the yard
when the fire broke out.
They both ran to the shed, but by
that time the flames had spread rap
idly.
Mr.. Wood ran into the Office for
the key to the fire box and with much
difficulty was able to get out again,
as the flames were already upon him.
Considerable difficulty was had in
sending in the alarm. Mrs. Demar-
est. who discovered it, was going to
the fire box to send the alarm in, was
told that an alarm had been sent in,
but none had been received by the
companies, so they went out on still
alarm. Truck 101 and POI engine,
under the command of Captains Fran
els Quayle and Edward Meehan, were
quickly on the scene, but then the
building was a mass of flames, illum-
mating the sky for miles around, at
tracing people from all parts of the
island
The shore of this city was lined
with people watching the fire until
the last embers died out.
1t is estimated that about 1000
people surrounded the yard when the
fire was at it's height
The firemen were hampered for
some time on account of the low
pressure of water at the hydrant at
the foot of Amboy avenue, and also
at the hydrant in Hopping avenue.
There was hardly enough pressure to
send the water through the hose.
At GAS o'clock a general alarm
was sent out by Captain Quayle, who
is acting chief of the local companies,
which brought out all the volunteer
companies from Tottenville to Hug
uenot, Amicitia H. e l.. Company,
Citizen Engine Company responded
promptly, under the command of Cap
tain Wincapaw. whose men worked
diligently beside the paid department.
A number of the old volunteers of the
old Tottenville department did good
work to keep up their fine record of
years gone by.
The tug Arthur Kill, of the Arthur
Kill Towing line, and the tug Gene
see, of the Lenigh Valley railroad, did
efficient work in saving the large new
marine railway and the tug Clara, of
the Boyer G. Sons Towing Company,
which was hauled out there.
1t is estimated that the loss will
probably reach $4,000. The boat
which was destroyed was valued at
$4,000.
There are over fifty men employed
at the yard at the present time and
about thirty or thirty-five of them
lost all their tools, ranging in value
from $50 to 5000 each.
Some very valuable plans and
drawings were also destroyed, besides
most all of the models of tie boats
built in the past thirty-two years,
which Mr.. Brown says can never be
replaced.
The handsome residence of Will
liam H. Brown, one of the firm, in
Hopping avenue, close to the yard,
was for time threatened, but volun-
teers with buckets did good work. AS
II was. the back of the house is badly
scorched.
s The origin of the fire is unknown,
but it is claimed by those that first
s.w it that it started in the new mot
or oyster boat that was destroyed.
The building its contents and the boat
are covered by insurance.
Several of the fremen were burnt
about the face and hands, so intense
was the heat. 1t was about 1O:3O
o'clock when the two companies re-
turned to their quarters. but two men
from each company, under Lieuten-
ant Willis, were left there to pour
water on the smouldering ruins.