Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-20
PROBE FIRE THAT
SWEPT LENGTH
OF CITY BLOCK
It Wa Third Blaze
That las Occurred
at S. ne Place.
MANY LIVE N DANGER
AS II IEMENT BURNS
Reports of Damage Done Vary
Between $4,000 and
$45, 900.

Captain c. Albert Gasser, of the de-
partment of combustibles and fire
risks, today began an investigation
looking toward the prevention of an
other such hazardous fire as that
which swept Sixteenth avenue, from
South Seventh to South Eighth
streets, last night
This blaze is the third that has
started in the plant of the New Jer-
sey Sash and Door Company. 1t
spread with such extraordinary ra-
pidity that all the company's build
ings and sheds but one brick struc-
ture were destroyed. A three-story
tenement was burned so quickly that
the reserves from the Fourth precinct
police station had scant time to carry
out the half-suffocated tenants. Sew
eral other buildings were damaged.
Sparks, flying high into the air from
the blazing piles of lumber and
wooden sheds, were waited far over
the neighborhood, endangering houses
es far away as South Orange avenue.
Had a strong wind been blowing
there seems little doubt that the fire
would have spread to other blocks
uAAd Spi eau iidNOI l'iIouBn lH6 StCtloil.
AS it was, three alarms and the most
stubborn kind of fighting were re-
quired before the blaze could be
checked.
The damage is placed today at s21,-
100 by the police. Hiram Sirota, man
ager of the sash concern, places the
loss much higher
Spectacular Features.
Newark has rarely seen a more
spectacular fire. Thousands from all
parts of the city were drawn to the
scene and crowded as close as the
fire lines and the intense heat per-
Snitted. The glare in the sky could
be seen for miles. Many who, saw the
reflection thought that whole blocks
were burning.
The heat was so terrific that the
sightseers could not approach close
to the fire. Nevertheless, the reserves
of the Fourth precinct had their
hands full in holding the crowds in,
check. Two men were so persistent
In breaking through the lines that
they were arrested. Both were dis
charged today.
Alfred Weller. a conductor on
E1dnh EOdu l1ut tdis SdW lH6 lldIltS
shooting from the southwest corner
of the sash company's yards at 7:19
p. m, At that time, however, the
fremen were busy fighting a $4,000
two-alarm blaze at the Hudson Hat
Company. 21S-23O New street.
Whole Block Afre.
By the time Deputy Chief Towey
sent in the third alarm at the Six
teenth avenue fire the flames had
swept the length of the block.
Patrolmen Pasco, Honish, Speer.
Schmidt and McAdams, and Louis
Jayson, of 3S7 South Sixth street. and
Frank Jurik, of 32 Sayre street. broke
into a three-story frame building at
125 Sixteenth avenue, which was al
ready afiame
Mrs. Isabelle Gaffney and her
daughter, Mrs. Sadie Johnson, were
found semi-conscious on the third
floor. They were carried out by Hon
ish, Pasco and Smith. Some of the
tenants, in their hysterical fright,
fought their resceurs.
The four-story brick building con-
tanning the mill and offices of the
sash company, at the northern end OF
as a barricade to prevent the fire
spreading. The absence of high
wind enabled the f1remen to stay the
progress of the flames at the three
story frame building at the corner of
Sixteenth avenue and South Eighth
street, but not without hard fight.
Firemen O'Connell and Sweet, of
Engine No. Il, were caught in the
q q Is,,.- 1. H..
troyed. Although they were struck
by falling timbers and burned about
the hands and face, they made their
way out unaided.
For blocks men were forced to form
bucket brigades and sluice down the
roofs of their homes to prevent the
flaming embers starting other fires.
The sash concern is said to have
had two other fires. Captain Gasser
is afraid of a possible recurrence, be-
cause the neighborhood is filled with
frame dwellings and tenements, which
would burn like tinder IL a. fire
escaped control
The cause of the fire is unknown.
The damage, as estimated by the po-I
lice, is as follows: The New Jersey
Sash and Door Company, 100000
house at 125 Sixteenth avenue, owned
by Julius Dobowitz $1,000: furniture
of barber shop of Leo Pillizzotto, $780,
furniture of apartment of James Gaff-
ney, on the third floor. $1,000; rear
porch of the building owned by Domi-
mic Doninosky at 416 South Eighth
street, $500; water damage to furni-
ture of George Trader, 127 Sixteenth
avenue, $1,000; damage to the building
at 127 sixteenth avenue. $500.
Meyer Krasner is president of the
New Jersey Sash and Door Company.
He said today that he thought the
damage would be between $4,000 and
$4,000, covered for the most part by
insurance.
1--WE cannot tell, of course, exactly |
wEat the loss is until we take an in
ventory. We will commence rebuild |
'nc as soon as possible"
The majority of the thirty men en-
picyed by the company were laid off |
Saturday for week. An inventory |
wss being taken.
Take Notice.
Do ssour marketing early. Centre Market