Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-24
WATCHMAN DIES
I'M h EIDE THAT
" Ill
RUINS FACTORY
Newark Cork Works Swept by
Blaze That Causes Loss
of $50, 900.
MANY PERSONS FORCED
TO FLEE FROM HOMES
Owner of Property, Commits
sioner BiertuempfeI, Dis
covered Blaze.

scores OF. persons were forced into
the chilly outer world clad only in
night clothing, as the result Of the
Sl5O,O00 blaze that destroyed the
I Nework Cork Works and the Con-
! solidated Cork Works factories at
80, Il, 43 DO Barbora street this morn
ing The body of the watchman,
Frank X. Schnurr, seventy-two years
| old, of 70 Barbara street, was found
i today burier in the debris.
The blaze was one of the most
stubborn ever encountered by the
local fire department. Three alarms
We're sounded and every fireman
worked desperately to hold the flames
within the factory district. Time and
time again the burning cork flying
in the air ignited roofs of adjoining
houses. So widespread was the scope
/ of the flames that the heat forced
! tenants for 100 feet on both sides OF
: the burning structure to vacate their
! homes in any form of attire that
could be hastily procured.
The fire was discovered by Board
of Works Commissioner Alfred II.
/ Biertuempfel, proprietor of the con-
Germs He, in company with Mrs.
Biertuempfel, returned home from a
| social about l o'clock. Shortly after
retiring, Mr. Biertuempfel was
awakened by a sound as if of n
slight exp piosion. He looked out of
his back window and found that one
of the buildings on the Barbara
street side was ablaze He sounded
an alarm and went in search of the
watchman.
Schnurr was known to be about the
place. Commissioner Biertuempfel
and a number of firemen braved the
dense clouds of smoke and went into
the burning building in search Of
him. Time and time again they were
rspulsed by smoke and flames and
re ief details were numerous. Their
search was In vain. All night long
they remained on guard fighting the
flames and looking for Schnurr.
The firemen were handicapped by
the extreme cold. Ice which formed
as soon as it hit the ground, and the
dense clouds of smoke issuing from
the burning cork, added to the diff
ficulties of their task.
1t was 6 o'clock this morning be-
Ire tbe firemen had the blaze
under control. They again turned
their attention to locating the body
of Schnurr, but were unsuccessful
| until shortly before 10 o'clock. The
| body was found through the efforts
| of Spot the fire deg of Engine
Company No 8.
The animal early today Joined in
/ the search side by side with the fire.
men. About o'clock the dog started
to bark near the entrance of the
building of As Barbara street. The
firemen followed hurriedly to the
! spot indicated by the dog aAd
chopped until they came to a large
beam. Under that beam was the
body of Schnurr. The dog remained
near the scene and could not be
taken away until the body was re-
moved.
Tho position in which Schnurr was
found indicates that he was making
for the door and was overcome. His
arms were outstretched and his skull
smashed in. He was identified by
relatives.
That the fire was smouldering for
some time, and that Schnurr was the
only one who could ever give an ex>
PLANTATION of the cause, is the opin-
ion of the flremen.
Sergeant Hearn and Patrolmen
Bennett, Rich and Van Steenberg, of
the Third precinct, aroused the ten
ants of nearby houses as soon as
they realized the danger. Among the
families routed were Mr.. and Mrs.
Silvernagle and five children, of AZ
Barbara street; Richard Melick and
children, Mr.. and Mrs. John Vandrill
and two children, Mrs. Julia Jai and
son. all of 49 Barbara street; Frank
Hamburger and four daughters, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Michael Hermann and
children, of 81 Barbara street.
The first alarm was received from
box 554 at 1:31 O'Clock and Engine
Companies s, 8 and 16 and Hook and
Ladder No responded. Acting
Chief Towey reached the scene with
in a few minutes and realizing the
danger of the situation, sent in q
second alarm which brought Engine
Companies a. 2, and 8, Hook and
I,aller Company No. 4, and the water
tower to the scene. Chief Engineer
Paul J. Moore, who had been granted
/ a leave of absence for the afternoon
and evening because of severe
cold, turned out on hearing the sec
ond alarm and was soon at the fire.
BY this time the flames and ying
embers were threatening the sur
rounding buildings in the neighbor-
| hood, which were mostly of frame,
and a third call was sent out to pre-
vent q spread of the flames.
Engine companies 10, 20, and %
and No. 1 Look and Ladder an
swered to the third alarm, totaling
eleven engine companies three truck
companies, the water tower and the
Chemical Company, with lWo SectiOIS
of the Salvage Corps working at the
fire simultaneously, and about $50
men.
In many particulars the fire was
similar to that at the Celluloid Works
about fifteen years ago, when many
buildings adjoining those of the COM
pany's, and occupied for dwelling
purposes, were destroyed, and a num-
her of persons burned to death.
Commissioner Biertuempfel stated
that he could not discover any cause
for the blaze. The place was equipped
with automatic fire gong stations and
he is at q loss to understand why
these were not sounded.
Although the four buildings are
partially insured, Mr.. B'ertuempfel
places his loss at $150,000 outside of
the insurance. He says that the
value is so high because of the ma
chinery, which was of his own de-
sign. During the last three weeks
4 Mr.. Biertuempfel was granted patent
/ rights for several Improvements TO
the machinery used in the works.
| The factory buildings, although
| fronting on Barbara street, run
| through to Komorn street. The fire
| starfad near the boiler room Situ-