Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-23
DELAYED,
TO GIRLS ARE PUT
IN PERIL BY FIRE
Employees Efforts to 0uench
Flames Themselves Permit
Small Blaze TO Spread.

A small fire in the hat-form factory
of Herman Meyer & Co. at $3.50
Springfield avenue, was permitted TO
get a good start about 4 o'clock yes
terday afternoon. while employees
tried to put out the blaze with ex.
tinguishers. When the alarm was
sent in the fire had gained such head
way that a second alarm was sounded
at once This brought flre-flghtlng
force which, with the assistance Of
the Prevails, kept the blaze within
the Kussy building. The damage 10
estimated at $4,000.
The fire occurred at an hour when
Springfield avenue was crowded with
people returning to their holmes, and
the blaze attracted hundreds to thu
scene.
Before the flremen were able to get
the fire under control dense smoke
issued from the burning structure and
the strong wind carried it many
blocks and persons around the -Four
Corners" were attracted TO the
scene. 1t was some time before the
firemen had the blaze under control
Seventy girls were at work on the
second floor, where the fire started.
and a number of the more excited
ones fled in terror down the stair
way and fire-escapes. They were all
able to reach the street safely. They
were employed in the hat form shop
of Herman Meyer g. Co.
The building where the fire oe-
Cured was wrecked by an explosion
about two years ago. The building is
now owned by DR.. Joseph Kussy, of
SO Clinton avenue.
The other occupants Of the building
are M. Schary, who conducts a millin-
cry shop on the first floor; Loges-
Weir Company's printing establish
ment on the third floor and on the
fourth floor there is the lodgerooms
of Peter Cooper Council Jr. o. T..
A. M
There were six boys at work there
decorating for Christmas festival.
They were the first to give the alarm
when they noticed smoke. They ran
to the rear Of the building and ran
down a fire escape leading to Ste-l-
ing street.
There has been considerable criti-
cism over What was an apparent
delay in the arrival of fire apparatus.
Patrolman John Conlon admits that
In sending in the first call from box
219 he may not have pulled the hook
according to directions given as TO
how to send in an alarm of fire. Being
in doubt, he, after performing urgent
work at the fire, returned to the box
and pulled it again. This time there
was no reason for doubt, as the Sal
wage Corps and the regular fire de-
partment apparatus came rushing to
the scene.
Whether or not there was trouble
in making quick telephone connec-
tions is another question.
In the event of a fire" call, the
Central telephone operators. as per
the instructions of the telephone
company, are supposed to ''cut Off"
all other attempts to get fire head
quarters and give the fire. can the
right OF way.
According to records at fire head
quarters the telephone calls came
In simultaneously with the telephone
messages. The box signal was trans
mitted Immediately upon being re.
ceived. This must be done. Had "
telephone call preceded the box call
the same box would have been sent
out to all companies. The Salvags
Corps in Washington street, not far
from the fire point, and the regular
apparatus, responded about the same
time.