Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-05-05
HUNDREDS v|EW
RUINS WHERE 6
MEN WERE HURT
Fire at Art Metal Company's
Plant Last Night Caused
100000 Loss.
CARELESS SMOKERS
SAID TO BE RESPONSIBLE
Firemen Experienced Chapter OF
Accidents Almost from
Arrival on Scene.

Hundreds today viewed the ruins Of
the Art Metal company's plant. gl5
Mulberry strc,t which was swept by
fire last night, causing an estimated
loss of $1,000 and resulting in the n
jury of six firemen. all OF whom are re-
ported today as. doing well.
| The injured firemen are:
Captain Cornelius Smith, of Engine
Company No. I. back badly sprained,
probable fracture of right arm and Sc
yerely bruised Taken to his home.
Fireman Walter Steiwald, of Water
Tower No. I, left arm broken. severely
bruised and internal injuries feared.
Taken to City Hospital.
Patrolman James II. Elldns. of tlis
| Salvage Corps. overcome by acid fumes.
Taken to his home.
! Fireman Hugh Towey. of Truck No.
Q, bruised on legs and hips. Returned
| to work.
! Fireman John Connolly of Engins
Company No. :, cut over eye; returned
to work.
| Fireman Charles W. Van Pelt, No.
Engine. temporarily blinded by stream
from hose; returned to work.
mo smoking signs are posted all
over the plant and as many of the men
are invSterate smokers. when they quit
work every night at $40 O'clock they
at once light up their pipes and cigars,
1t is the belief of Louis Y Aronson.
the president of the Art Metal Com
pany, and also of the 1remen that one
of these workmen in mis- haste to smoke
dropped a lighted match on the second
| floor.
Ten minIItes after the $50 employees.
including thirty girls, had left the plant
for the day. flames were shooting from
! the second fioor and mounting TO tho
third and fourth floors
Bernard Aronson, foreman Of tho
plant and brother Of the president, saw
the fire as he was about TO close the
plant. He was in the office, which Is
on the ground floor and with the office
| force of ten fled to the street. Alex
ander Harris ran around to Engine
House No. ., which is on Centre street.
and gave the alarm while the others
remained to fight the fire in a primitive
way.
Almost from the time of the arrival
of the firemen the fire-fghters had
chapter of accidents which thrilled the
big going crowds Fireman
Towey was on a ladder when the up-
per end slipped from the window ledge
to which it was attached and the
crowd turned away as Towey fell from
the swinging ladder.
| For a moment he lay PROSTATE, but
pllckily insisted on returning to his
! duty although he was badly bruised
about the body and limbs. The sudden
jar of the ladder almost knocked Fire.
man Van Pelt from the top rung whers
he was handling the nozzle of hose.
He lost control of the nozzle. and the
powerful stream was directed at his
face. while the ladder swung like tho
/ limb of u tree In breeze. 1t was
| thrilling spectacle for the several hun
dred on-lookers in the street, who ex-
pected to see him fall at any minute
| TO the ground. The water was turned
off while his comrades ran another lad
der alongside and helped him down
A few minutes later there was cry
from the crowd in the street as ladder
of Engine Company No. 7 broke with
out warning. On the ladder opposite
the second floor were Captain Smith
and Fireman Steiwald. They plunged
headlong to the street Steiwald fell on
Smith and both lay as II dead. They
we're carried to nearby stores. where
f. Lehlbach. G. Ray Lewis and Charles
M. Mandeville Smith was taken TO his
home. while Steiwald was removed to
the City Hospital. Fireman Connolly
hung on the upper section of the ladder
| and escaped " n a cut over his eye,
When the fire was under control Fire
Patrolman James II. Elkins fell. over
come with the fumes OF acid used in the
manufacture of jewelry. He was taken
to his home.
Mr.. Aronson said today that the .otal
loss will exceed 100000. The damage
was greatest he said, on the second.
! third and fourth floors. He said that
on the second floor there was stored
s14, ,0G0 In 14-lSarat gold. on this floor
there was located general assembly
room and the furnishing and plating
departments. On the third floor there
is another assembly room and the pol
ishing and casting departments and the