Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1912-12-18
G. PARDEE WORKS IS
THREATENED BY BLAZE
EARLY THIS MORNING
Finishing Building Of ShafIing Plant
Destroyed Machinery and Automo-
bile Burn--Cars BarriCade Fire
DAMAGE MAY EXCEED $50, 900

The fourth fire within thirty six
hours rendered the finishing building
Of the C. Pardee Steel and Wall Tile
Works a demolished mass of charred
wood about 4:30 O'Clock this morn
ing and threatened one of the main
plants of the works, which was only
separated from the conflagration by
a railroad track on which six box
cars were being loaded with the pro-
duct that was being turned out of
the finishing building. The alarm
was sounded from box 50 at Smith
and Herbert streets shortly after
o'clock. Two alarms were sent in,
which in a few minutes were follow
ed by the three 3's, which brought
the companies of the whole depart
ment. Though the officials at the
plant would not give any estimate of
the damage done. 1t Is said 1t will
amount to upwards OF $4,000, as a
new passenger touring car,
owned by the Dodge Manufacturing
Company, of New York. was con-
sumed, and three expensive electric
motors, one hundred horsepower,
were probably rendered useless, be-
sides the damage to the steel shafts
that were being finished In this de-
partment.
Eagle Hose Company was the first
to arrive on the scene, and found
roaring flames coming from the
building, which had good headway
when the alarm was turned in. For
mile around the great blaze pre-
sented the appearance of huge fur
mace. The appearance to those far
away from the plant was that all the
buildings OF the works were burning
simultaneously.
The building where the steel
shafts are formed, which is q huge
wooden structure, and which is locat-
ed parallel with the burned building
would have been caught by the close
lblaze but for the three box cars that
INTERVIEWED and were ignited in III
stead. The cars, which were burned
badly ON one side, were soaked by
the streams from the firemen's hoss
and the flames not allowed to pass
the box-car barrier. The building is
one story and above the cars the
Iroof, which was unprotected by any
obstruction, fortunately sloped away
from the raging flames and as the
early morning was still with nc
breeze, the firemen by standing on
the burning box cars with their hose
were able to keep the flames low
enough 30 that they could not LICK
the superstructure Of the shaftinl
plant. About 200 feet In the rear Of
the burned building Is another frame
structure which would have easily
been ignited by burning fagots II
there had been wind and it had
blown In that direction. To the
southeast of the conflagration, about
100 yards, was the works power
plant and rolling mill.
If the shafting building had been
set afire the frame building in the
rear, which Is used for storage, and
part of 1t for rolling steel. would
have been likely to have been ignited
and the three buildings on fire at the
same time. The other plants. near
by, were of iron construction ant
practically fireproof.
A small building that was used as
a storage house for the finishing
building, and located few feet away
was burned partially and it's content:
damaged by water.
The flames had gained such {
good start when Chief Frank C
Comings and First Assistant Chic
lW. P. O'Hara arrived that they
knew practically all they could dc
was to prevent the fire from spread
| ing The flames reared to the sky
| in crimson brilliance for about 6
| half hour after the fire fighters ar
rived, but the continued play of wa
| ter in the right places and the
Drawing of smoke and heat, kept the
blaze from igniting the nearby frame
shafting plant.
James Bagger, of 531 Smith stree
night watchman, was one of the
| first to discover the fire, which hat
assumed great proportions and wal
eating the inside of the rear of the
building. He Immediately turned II
the alarm at Smith and Hobar
streets, and went back to the works
to help in getting out the company
own fire apparatus, which he ant
the other five watchmen and a mum
Der of night employees soon had play
ing on the building to little avail
The f1remen Fought the flames ad
vantageously from the top of the boz
cars, Drawing the risk of falling
timbers, which If they had faller
that wau would have had then
entrapped between the two build
ings, from which they could not
readily escape.
When the Lincoln steamer arrived
and tried to connect with the plug