Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-04
Flames in Gutted Store
house Break Out
Airesh Today.
LOSS is LIKELY TO
Go OVER $3.50, 600
Valuable Art Collection and Rare
Scientific Books Are
Burned to Ashes.

Less than half an hour after back
taps were sounded today for tho devas-
tet1ug btase In the Knickerbocker
''nreproof' storage warehouse IN Ar
nugton street. flames again leaped UP
in the smouldering ruins. and another
alarm was turned In. Some of the ap-
paratus had not left tho scene. and
other companies were rushed to the
building. Hard work was instrumental
in keeping the blaze in check, but 1t
was still in possession of the interior
several hours later.
While no one will give an opinion
as to the extent of the loss, It is gem
fully s250.ooo. and win possibly reach
even higher. Joseph Mulligan, owner
Of the building, said this morning that
he lie totally unable to estimate his
loss, nor could he tell the amount Of
insurance he carried on the building
Captain Martin, of the Salvage Corps,
said he figures the building Is a go per
cent. loss and that the contents have
been completely DESTROYED.
Hundreds suner Loss.
This latter loss falls upon hundreds
of persons in this and other States
who had household goods, silver.
libraries. pianos and art treasures
stored In the building. 1t Is stated that
fully half of these carried no insurance
whatever
One of the heavy losers is Mrs. John
M. Osborne, formerly Of ga Clinton
avenue, but who now lives at Deal
Beach. A collection of art objects,
which Mrs. Osborne had personally col
lected, going into all parts OF tho world
for the purpose, was In the building
ana there is small possibility that any
OF 1t escaped the flames. The monetary
value of tho collection is placed at $780,,
900, but because most Of the objects
cannot be replaced figures do not con-
vey Mrs. Osborne,s loss. The Insurance.
carried amounted to only $4,000.
Scientific Library Lost.
Another whose loss is great is Hd-
ward Weston, president OF tho Weston
Electrical Instrument Company. whose
scientific library believed to be the
most valuable of the sort owned by
any Individual in the world, furnished
food for the flames. He also had q
number of paintings stored In the
warehouse, and If both the library and
art collection were destroyed, which IL
nrobable, the loss to Mr.. Weston will
amount to fully $4,000.
Scores of persons had plate stored in
the building and 800 pianos were also
stored there, In addition to tons Of
household furniture.
Fire Mensces Factory.
The rekindled fire today broke out
in tie part OF the structure ad5oin-
ling the eight-story tower, through
which the flames played merrily for
hours yesterday, unreached by any Of
the columns of water directed against
the blazing mass. 1t was discovered
by workmen in the factory Of Jancovius
q Co., nearby. They caused an alarm
to be turned in and in a few minutes
+. the flremen renewed their fight on the
fire. A great volume of black smoke
rose from the flames, and for time
IL looked as though the flames would
spread to ncighboring buildings. They
aid reach the Newark Embroidery
Works In tho rear. but their progress
in this direction was checked by the
FIRE apparatus of the factory, operated
by workmen.
Three hundred girls are employed in
the embroidery factory. but they were
not required to work today. 1t was
necessary for then< to report, however,
and there were scores of women in the
building whom the IRE broke out again.
There was no panic. the girls calmly
marching from the endangered struc-
turs.
Interior Completely Guttea.
i
be a serious menace, largely because
the interior WAS 50 completely gutted
by the original blaze that there was
little left for the flames to feed upon.
There is on foot today an inquiry
into the fact that the fire doors be-
tween the tower and the main build
ing of the warehouse, where the fire
started, were open after the fire start
cd. It is agreed that had these doors
been closed the fire would not have 80
completely destroyed the warehouse,
as they would have confined the flames
to the main building There is con-
siderable doubt as to who Is RESPONSE
Bile for this, and it is the intention of
the fire officials to find out.
The irony of the enormous sign that
decorates the tower proclaiming the
building to be a "fireproof storage
warehouse has been the subject of
much comment and clearly points out
the need of another branch of fire.
danger inspection. There are many
similar structures In Newark. 1t is as
serted, for which the owners advance
"fireproof'' claims, that would burn
just as rapidly AID completely as did
the Knickerbocker.
Tn snifa of the fact that the fire.
proved serious enough to call out near
ly the entire f1re-fighting forcd OF the
city the smoke-eaters were lucky in
CONTINUES ON Second Pase.)