Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-06-12
$4,000 Blaze In Wholesale
Confectionery Establishment
About $50 Last Night.
CAUSE NOT ASCERTAINED
Breaks Unt>Again AbOat
Three Hours Later and
Firemsn Receive Summons.

fire which originated from an
undetermined definite cause and call
ed out the firemen twice, Quilted the
basement and part of the store Of
Morris Epstein, at 107 New Bruns-
wick avenue, yesterday evening. The
damage to the building was slight,
the fire being confined mostly to
large crates of variety articles made
of paper and pasteboard, which to-
gether with candy, cigars and sta
tlonery was the merchants wholesale
stock in trade. 1t is estimated the
building was damaged to the amount
of $300, and that the stock was de-
molished and damaged to an amount
between $3,500 and $4,000. Mr..
Epstein was insured for $4,000,
which included his stock and fixtures.
The building is two-story brick
structure, owned by Hans Nielsen,
which Is insured. The first alarm,
which called out the Lincoln Engine
Company, Protection Hook & Ladder
Company and Washington Hose &
Chemical Company, was given about
$50, but after the firemen had
quenched the blaze, about $50 it
Broke out again and was then ex-
tinguished finally after another call
to the firemen.
1t seems that no one was In the
store, and driver by the name Of
Joseph Gall was the only person in
the cellar, where the fire originated
1t Is said he found the blaze when
he went below from the store, and
he Immediately ran out crying
"Fire!" Charles Moore, hearing the
cries and seeing the smoke, gave the
alarm from fire box 81 at Smith and
state streets. The boy was unable
or did not say definitely what caused
the flames, but said that the fire
started in the vicinity of number
of big packages of matches which
had fallen to the floor of the base
ment in a promiscuous heap, which
probably ignited themselves.
When the firemen arrived smoke
was Issuing from the upper part of
the building, and they thought the
fire was in the store. Water was then
sent through the front door. A fire
man, thinking the blaze was in the
h2 ament, pulled away part of the
WOODWORK under one of the windows,
which directly connected with the
tcIldli dllu u utHSS FOtuHl6
blinded the crowd which stood near
by. 1t was plainly seen that the
source Of the fire lay IN the basement
and stream Of water was imme-
diately ordered into the hole by
Chief William P. O'Hara. This
smothered the flames enough to al
low the firemen to enter the building,
the flooring and some of the shelves
Of which had caught. A hose was
also extended to the back Of the
building from Fayette street, so the
flames could be fought at both ends
of the cellar. The flooring between
the cellar and the first floor was
nearly burned through In several
places, and the stairway leading up
from the cellar badly charred.
Through this avenue the flames erept
from the basement to the first floor.
Because Of the nature of the goods
kept In stock the damage was In
creased by the dense smoke and
water that flooded the store, greatly
depreciating the value and quality of
the candies, cigars and stationery
that were not really afire.
AT about 9:30 Chief O'Hara re-
ceived call from John J. Deveny
stating that fire had broken out again
among the mass of paper in the
store. The chief with the Washing
tons and "Hooks" responded and ex-
tinguished the flames finally.