Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1910-10-28
.SCANT WATER
SUPPLY GIVES
FIRE LEEWAY
House In Donald Avenue
Destroyed by Flames Yes
terday Afternoon.
TANNED By THE WIND
Firemen Stand Power less
With No Mater--Steamer
Fast In Mud.
OWNED By JOHN KON0PKA
Covered by Insurance. Chief
Anderson Tells Need of
Another Engine.
OWNED BY JOHN KONOPKA

A high southwest wind and q
| scarcity OF water in the high section
| OF the city back Of Alpine cemetery
yesterday afternoon gave free rein
| to a fire that totally destroyed the
two-story frame dwelling owned and
occupied by John Konopka, at $50
| Donald avenue, just north of Har-
rington street. For fifteen minutes
while the steamer OF Lincoln Engine
Company was being rushed to the
scene Of the blaze, only to become
stuck in the mud less than 200 feet
away, fremen of Garfield Hose Com
pany and Protection Hook and Lad
der Company were compelled to
watch the building burn, holding the
nozzle of waterless hose pointed at
the flames.
Had there been another house less
than fifty feet north of the burning
building, 1t, too, would have fallen
before the flames, while the firemen
looked on, powerless. 1t was in a
thinly populated section of the city,
and the flames confined themselves
to the one building. The damage is
estimated to exceed $1,000. While
the lower part of the building is
partly left, the superstructure was
entirely destroyed before the first
drop of water touched 1t.
How the blaze started is a mys-
terry. Mrs. Konopka was on her re-
turn from a shopping tour In the
lower section of the city, and on
reaching home found 1t in flames,
with the f1remen vainly attempting
to extinguish them. She left fire
in the kitchen stove before quitting
the building, and attributes the
blaze to live coal falling from the
CRATE to the floor. Insurance COW
ers the damage.
Someone residing nearby discoy-
cred the flames when they were yet
In their infancy, and turned in an
alarm from box So at Cleveland and
Brace avenues, shortly after 2:3C
O'Clock Garfield Hose Company was
at the scene of the blaze in a few
minutes after the alarm, but they
were powerless to DO anything, save
lay stretch of hose from {. hydrant
Owing to the altitude of that sec
ton. no water flowed when the hy-
drant was turned on.
When Protection Hook and Lad
der Company responded, the upper
part of the building was roaring
mass OF flames, famed into spread
ing by the stiff wind. Eagle Hose
and Chemical Company arrived and
a stream of chemicals was played or
the fire, but against the furnace-like
heat, 1t was of little avail.
Then the Lincoln steamer appear
ed, drawn by a team tired after {
strenuous pull up the Amboy avenue
incline. In attempting to cross E
ditch, the steamer was stalled, the
right wheel sinking almost to the
hub In the oozy mud. After five
minutes labor, the engine was final
ly extricated and put in operation.
All this occupied more than tif
teen minutes. When stream was
finally throw nn the blaze, the inte
rior of the building had already
been gutted The remaining blazt
was extinguished In a few minutes
but not until the building was prac
tically total loss.
This only goes to show how bad
ly we need steamer in this sector
of the city" said Fire Chief Theo
dore e. Anderson while impatiently
awaiting the Lincoln engines releass
from the mud. "If that steamer
wera only in the Garfield house now
(referring to the engine shortly te
be placed in the new house now be.
ing constructed), this fire would have
been out In FIVE minutes.
"We need a steamer up here In
the worst way" continued the chief
'oThe main reason is because the wa
ter pressure is SO scant; another Ia
| because almost every dwelling Ut
here is fiimsy wooden structure
Nothing will please me more thar
when the steamer and hose tndeI
are placed in the Garheld's ne"
house"