Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1913-10-21
KEASBEY FIRE
is FAMED BY
THE HIGH WIND
Two Family Heuse Partly
Consumed and Occupants
Driven Out ScantiIy Clad
CALLED FOR HELP FROM
PERTH AMB0Y
Lincoln Engine Company aad
Chief 0'Hara Respond But
Were Not Needed

Two families were driven from
their homes clad in scanty clothing
hastily thrown about them, when
the house in which they lived at
Keasbey was partially destroyed by
fire just before midnight last night.
The two families were sleeping and
not until the flames began to flare
up brightly were they awakened to
the realization of their danger. The
building was two story, six room
structure, occupied by John Rosige
and wife, and John Wischo and wife,
three girls and boy. John Rosige
owns the building, which was partly
insured. The interior of the struc-
ture was eaten out both down and
upstairs. The furniture and other
personal property was saved from
the first floor, though everything on
the second floor was consumed or
badly damaged. The total damage
it is estimated at between $500
and $1,800. The Lincoln Engine
Co mpany was called out to the aid
of the Keasbey fire department.
Patrolman John Schock, of Wood
bridge township, was patrolling his
beat near the Keasbey Protection
house when he saw the flames rise
from the roof of Rosige's house,
near Nathan Robinson's hotel in
Smith street. The policeman i'm
mediately ran to the big fire gong
and gave the alarm. The Protection
Fire Company and the Junior Keas-
bey Company responded quickly and
were soon at the scene of the blaze.
BY this time the fire had made such
headway that the roof of the house
was consumed, the interior of the
second floor almost destroyed, and
the fire was making its way to the
first floor, the three rooms of which
were filled with black smoke. The
occupants of the house, thinly clad,
were working arduously in the cold
wind to save as much of the furni-
ture and clothing as possible.
The children, in bare feet, had
been taken in by neighbors. While
several streams of hose played on
the flames raging In the top story,
members of the fire department faced
the black, sitting smoke on the first
floor and saved practically every
piece Of furniture and all the cloth
ing. 1t was impossible for the fire.
men to reach the second floor,
though Joseph Fitzgerald and others
tried to do so to save more of the
houses contents.
Having to fight the wind-driven
flames with weak pressure it seemed
that the tongues of fire would leap
to the hotel of Nathans Robinson, SO
he telephoned to Mayor Garretson
for aid. Mr.. Garretson notified Fire
Chief William P. O'Hara, who sent
In special call of twenty-five for
the Lincoln Engine Company, after
having sent for the chiefs rig. The
Lincoln hose wagon and Mr.. O'Hara
arrived at the scene after the flames
were under control, and their SER
vices were not needed.
The Fords fire company responded
as quickly as possible, but reached
the scene after the fire was under
control. No one seems to know the
cause of the fire, though it is be-
lieved that a lamp, which had been
burning low, was upset. The first
the sleepers knew that the house
was burning was when one was
awakened by the noise and light of
the flames in the room where the
lamp had been left.