New-York tribune., 1910-08-18
FACTORIES FALL PREY TO
FLAMES IN JERSEY CITY
Fireman Killed by Live Wire and
Damages Placed at More
than $1,000, 600.
NEW YORK CITY SENDS AID
Battalion Chief and Companies
Respond to Call for Help
Captain Hurt and Fire
man Reported Missing

In g FIRE which threa tened at one time
to sweep the greater part OF jersey
City's business district, last night. more
than 81 100000 damage was done ana
one fireman, Spencer Babcock, of En-
CINE Company s. was killed by live
electric light wire. So fierce was the
blaze that acting Chief Lowell sent 70
Mania ttan for help. and Chief Croker
at once dispatched three engine COM
panies and fifty men. under acting Bat
talon Chief Norton, Of the 9TH Dlstrlct,
to the scene by way of the ferries HAD
il not been for the aid rendered by the
Manhattan department the area moved
down by the flames would have been
much larger.
A peculiar feature of the fire was the
fact that every building in the burned
block bounded by Washington, Warren.
Steuben and Morgan streets. was de-
molshed by the flames. with the single
exception of a small frame house, which
esca ped with a slight scorching. Dyna-
mite was brought into use in order TO
prevent the spread Of the flames, while
water walls were formed on all four
sides of the burning area, and these did
much to keep the fire from spreading to
the tenement district
I Several firemen were badly injured by
walls caving in, one of the most seri-
ously hurt being William Brehn. acting
captain of Engine Company {. of the
local force.
The fire had its start in the engine
room of the Truslow & Tulle Company
manufacturers of cork and cork prod
nets at the corner of Washington and
Morgan streets. This was a four story
brick building and burned like dry
kindling wood.
The flames raced through the building
being famed by a thirty-nile wind, and
soon began to lick up against the sides
of the rolling mill of the Ames Spike
Company, which occupied the rest of the
block from Washington to Steuber
street. The fire spread SO quickly and
in so MANY different directions that a
second and third alarm were turned III
al soon as the firemen had reached the
scene Acting Chief Lowell arranged his
men in single file about the burning
buildings and kept every available nose
pouring water on the fire
Despite the fact that the third alarm
had summoned every bit of fire fight
ing apparatus in Jersey City. the Chief
realized that the wind would thWart his
hest efforts, and IT was then that he
sent ont a call for help to the New York
firemen
Rush Help from New York.
Battalion Chief Norton, of the 9TH dis
trict. and fifty men, and Engine Com
nanies Z 1S and 80. crossed the North
River nv way of the Cortlandt and Des-
hrosses street ferries. Before they ar
rived, however. the flames, sweeping
down Washington street. had leaped
across the street and began consuming
the big factory of the Riegel Sack Com
pany. on the northeast corner.
This building is equipped with auto
matte extinguishers and a factory fire
department, but the flames ate their
yav through the building, causing a
portion of the wall to collapse. 1t was
only by the most desperate work on the
part of the firemen that the building was
saved from total destruction.
When the New York fire fighters got
to Washington and Morgan streets they
al once pitched in to help the local de-
partment men. and the effect of their
skill in hghtfng flames was at once evil
dent. They attacked the flames with
nowerful streams from their compound
engines. and threw up water wall. thus
nreventinp the spread of the flames be-
vond the block bounded by Washington,
steuben. Morgan and Warren streets.
The burning cork made a blaze that
was terrific in its heat. and the firemen
we're scorched even when standing
across the street from the fire. An cleo
tric light wire fell TO the street, and
Fireman Babcock. of Engine Company 8.
thinking 1t was dead. picked it up and
was so badly shocked that he died d
short time later in the City Hospital.
A few minutes later Captain Brehm
of Engine Company was caught be
meath the falling walls of the Indepen-
dent Baking Powder Company. and was
removed to the hospital, suffering from
two badly crushed legs.
Italians Pray in Street.
Directly to the south and west of the
burning block of buildings are many
einosv wooden tenement houses. occu-
MED by Poles and Italians. and when the
roar Of the flames was heard by these
neople they rushed from their homes,
droqeine their household effects with
them. They remained in the streets.
lnee,;ng and praying for help.
chortIv before midnight the FIRE was
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