Perth Amboy evening news., 1913-02-11
so TELEPHONES
MADE USELESS
BY STORE FIRE
Clothing Establishment Of
s. GoIdstsin, 81 Smith st.
Is Badly Gutted.
POLICE STATION AND
CITY HALL CUT OUT
Repair Phones Today-.0ri-
gin Of Blaze Unknown
Damage About $4,000.

About fifty telephones were rem
dered useless early this morning
when q fire that gutted the clothing
store OF S. Goldstein at 81 Smith
street melted the cable containing
the receiving and transmission wires
of the Public Service Electric Com
pany In the business section Of the
city between State street and Front
street and in that vicinity. The burn
ed wires are being cut out and
new section OF the cable being
spliced in, and the telephones will
again be In operation this afternoon.
Among those that were out of order
were the instruments at Police Sta
ton, City Hall. Pilot House and
cutting the store OF Goldstein, the
fire, which 1t seems originated from
defective nue In the rear Of his
store, spread to the adjoining build
ing and burned large hole through
to Phillip Wings laundry. 1t also
burned through the walls OF bed
room of the second story Of the
apartments occupied by R. Powlini
and family, who were routed from
building in scanty clothes. The total
damage will approximate $4,000.
According to S. Goldstein. he and
his son left the store about $3.50 last
night and knew nothing about the
blaze until they were awakened by
residents on the first floor Patrol
saasl George Kozusko discovered the
fire in the rear Of the building at
2:20 this morning. He, seeing that
tho structure was one-story affair
and that no one was in immediate
danger first ran to fire box 35 at
Smith and High streets and gave the
alarm. He next went to the Chinese
laundry at 40 Smith street next door
to the burning building and awak-
ened Wing and his brother. who
were still sleeping in the rear near
where the fire originated. Though
told of their danger they continued
in the building and fought the
flames as they burst through their
rear room. The patrolman next
went up stairs and awakened r.
Powlini and family. In scanty at
tire they rushed from the building.
which was now fast filing with
smoke.
The Lincoln Engine Company,
Protection II and l.. Company, Lib
erty H. and L. Company and Wash.
ington Hose and Chemical Company
were soon on the scene and training
the streams on the fire from the
front and rear and extinguished the
flames before they could eat through
the walls of the adjoining building.
except in the rear.
S. Goldstein had his stock insured
for $4,000 and fixtures for $500.
The building was owned by II. Pi-
cone, of Easton, Pa, and Mrs. Des-
trephano. OF 25 Smith street, and
was insured for about $4,000. The
building was damaged several hun
dred dollars.
The building adjoining, In which
was the laundry on the side nearest
the fire and the tailor shop of H. 8.
Schneider on the same floor adjoin-
Ing the laundry, was damaged about
500. The building, which was in
sured, belonged to r. Powlini. who
resides on the second floor. He has
barber shop at III Smith street.
Several articles of furniture and
clothing in his apartments were
slightly damaged by water.
Though exactly how the fire orig
mated remains a mystery, it Is sur
missed thta the coal stove In the rear
of the building where the fire start
ed was the cause, as the heater con-
tanned still a good fire when the fire.
men reached the scene. 1t is believ-
ed the hot sparks ignited the build
ing through q defective flue.