New-York tribune., 1912-02-23
BIG TAR PLANT BURNS
Firemen Have Hard Fight with
Spectacular Brooklyn Blaze.
FLAMING RIVER IN STREET
Large Feed Warehouse Also De.
stroyed-Total Loss About
100000.

burning river Of tar burst from ths
COMPANY, on GoMsnus CanaI, and drey.
back a crowd that had gathered last nigft
TO watch the destruction by IRE OF two
blocks OF storage and factory buildings.
bounded by Court, Smith, Sigourney and
Hslleck streets. Brooklyn.
The fire was discovered about 10 O'Clock
by Patrolman Wagner and John Reagan, a
night watchn,an employed by the company.
as they stood talking. They first smelled
| the smoke Of burning tar and then dlscoy-
! cred flames on the ground floor fiaring rel
| through the windows. They turned in an
alarm, and as soon as the fire department
arrived three more alarms were sounded IN
rapid succession, owing TO the inffammsbls
nature OF the contents OF the building.
The main building Of the tar companyNis
two-story brick structure occupying an
entire block zoo feet wide by 300 feet iong.
II was filed with several thousand barrels
OF oils and tar materials, and finished prod
ucts in the form OF tar paper and tsTed
ropes. Against this the water could make
little headway. Famed by the gale, the
flames burned with increased heat, and
great pieces Of flaming paper and rope
were carried up into the air, TO fall on sur
rounding buildings, starting fires there
The flames quickly leaped across Smith
street 10 the stables in which were kept
fifty horses. Three employees OF the tar
company went into the stables and led the
horses out 10 safety by covering their
heads with sacks.
Shortly after the FIRE started IL was DIS
covered that II had spread 70 the evsPoFat-
ing plant Of the company. occupying a SEE
ond building as large as the first. Then II
ran on until the hay and feed warehouse OF
the II. w. Bovine Company, at No. he0
Smith street. was enveloped IN hsmes.
Owing TO the infsmmable nature OF the
materials stored here. the building burned
like torch.
A failure of the water supply hampered
the fremen in their fight against this al
ready difficult problem. The high pressure
system was installed in the district six or
eight weeks ago. but when the fire fighters
came 10 use It they found that II was rot
working right. They had 10 fall back on
their fire engines. but even then found
shortage OF water. The nreboats, New
Yorker and Zophar Mills were sent for
They steamed up the canal and did effec-
tive work from that point being able 10
get near the flames with their powerful
streams
A peculiar feature OF the Are was in tho
fact that a one story wooden frame build
Ing, occupied by the Commonwealth Roof
ing Company. containing inhsmmaole ma
terials, was entirely untouched by the rire
II was between the two burning buildings
belonging to the tar company. but for some
reason the flames did not fasten on Il, ap-
parently because IL was so low that the
sparks and burning brands were carried
over II.
A fire nozzle carrying a powerful stream
got away from group OF flremen in Court
street. Captain Michael Brennan OF
Engine Company 100 seized II, and in the
struggle the nozzle struck him on the head
and laid open his scalp. He was treated
by an ambulance surgeon and sent home
The entire plants of the Barrett Manu-
featuring Company and the Bovine Hay
and Feed Company were destroyed, with
loss estimated at s3co0oo.