The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-07-05
BLAZE MAKES
3 A lilies
HOMELESS
Clifton Avenue FIathOuSes
Burned While Occupants
Are Away.

Damage estimated at 1900 was dom
to the second floors of the 1athouse
27a and PSI Clifton avenue last night.
People living in the two houses wer'
away at the time. The blaze was noticed
by Mrs. James Fitzgerald, of 27S Clifton
avenue, just across the street, and he
husband pulled the fire o at Bloom
field and Mt. Prospect avenues, after
he had made a personal investigation
and raised a cry of "Fire!" which
alarmed the neighbors.
Charles Martins, manager of the Cliff
ton poolroom, at the orner of Bloom
field avenue. ran to the blazing houses
He Kicked in the front door Of 279 and
hurriedly ran through the house t.
see If there was anyone inside. The
place was empty and the kitchen was
burning furiously.
He al down and up onto the stoop
OF Isl. While he was kicking in thu
door he "a Joined by r. e. Award,
another neighbor, and together they
rushed up the stairs. The dining-room
windows of this fiat are directly OPP
posite the windows of the house next
door. Flames were belchlng into the
apartment they had just entered.
On the table stood a jardinier filled
with water. Martins seized this and
dashed 1t on the burning window casing
and curtains. Award got hold of a big
can, and, filling 1t with water, poured
his on. but the fire still blazed. While
they worked desperately to beat out
the blaze they were Joined by Fitzger-
aid. Just then the apparatus began to
arrive and quickly a stream from a
hose was playing.
Other n%eighbors joined the three in
the house, and began carrying furniture
out of the four apartments. A vacant
lot across the street soon took or the
appearance of an open-air auction
room. There were chairs and tables,
rugs and table linen, dishes and books,
and right in the front rank stood an
upright piano that had been carried
from the first floor of 279.
The second floor of PSI, where the fire
started, was completely Quilted and
little furniture was saved there. The
apartment was occupied by James FOX.
He and his wife had left not fifteen
minutes before.
On the floor below most of the furni-
ture was taken out safely. j. L.. Adams
and his wife, who occupied the apart
ment, had left early in the day for AS
bury Park. The water from the floor
above poured through the ceiling and
more damage in that apartment
than did the fire itself.
The second floor of 2s1 is occupied by.
Clarence b. Woolley. The fire in this
apartment was confined to the dining
room and one bedroom. Most of the
furniture of. these two rooms was
moved into the front of the house and
was not badly damaged.
The first floor in this house Is occu-
pied by Benjamin Wolverton. All Of
the furniture there was taken out and
was not damaged. The piano was
taken across the street. He and his
wife had gone out early in the day.
When the fire was out came the task
of putting back the stuff that had been
rescued across the street. Six strong
men took hold of the piano n moved
1t into the front room of the apart
ment on the first floor of 2T9. 1t had
been there a short time and the men
who had moved it We're just setting
cool again after their efforts when 1t
1t was learned that the piano belonged
in the house next door and h same
men took hold of 1t again and moved it
in where 1t belonged.
The blaze kept the f1remen busy for
three hours. After they got through
an inspection was made of the rooms
Of the different buildings and it was
found that the fire started in a bed
room In Mr.. Fox's apartments. The
cause is alleged to have been due to
the careless use of matches, as the
space between the houses at 279 and
PSI Clifton avenue was too narrow to
admit fireworks of any kind getting
in the Windows.
Mr.. Fox's loss is estimated at $500;
J. L. Adams, $500: B.. l.. Wolverton, $500;
and c. b. Wooley and the house al 21i
Clifton avenue is damaged about SIS.
Today all of the families were kept
busy exchanging furniture, as the fire.
men, in placing the household effects
that had been carried out last night,
were returned to the wrong flats.