Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-10
FOREMAN DIES IN
EDISON PLANT FIRE
CONTINUED from First Page,

grounds until the building was prac-
tically emptled.
Men in the building where moving
picture films were drying-the one
abutting on the Erie tracks, which
made such q spectacular blaze when
It finally ignited, succeeded in remoV-
ing several thousands of dollars worth
of films before the fire drove them to
safer posts. Only the films on the top
floor were left to destruction.
High winds and lack of water pres
sure combined to make attempts to
check the early progress OF the blaze
almost useless.1
Fire Chief William M. Ash, OF the
South Orange fire department visited
the fire shortly after the alarm had
been given and he Immediately COM
municated with Harry j. Schnell,
chairman of the fire committee of
the village board of trustees and OBJ
tanned permission to take the village
department to the neighboring COM
munity. The sounding of the village
alarm at $50 o'clock, brought out
every one of the callmen in the de-
partment The automobile hose ap-
paratus responded. The village
Vamps placed a stream on one of
the burning structures adjoining Mr..
Edisons private laboratory and men
were stationed on top of the frame
dwellings on Lakeside avenue, which
were being showered with sparks. A
number of the village flremen mar
rowly escaped being struct by the
falling of one of the great concrete
walls of a factory building. This oc-
CURED near where they had coupled
their hose to a hydrant, the mas
sive wall falling out into the street.
Village Trustees Schnell and Fred
erick j. Lovatt and Water Superin-
tendent Cornelius 2. Nolan, of South
Orange, called upon Mayor Samuel
A. Muta, of West Orange, and Of
fered to add to the towns water
pressure by connecting the villages
plant with the towns sup
ply at Gregory and Montrose ave-
nues. The offer, however, was not
accepted by the West Orange exec
utive.
Narrow escapes were experiencey
by many of the Edison employees. Miss
Ethel Perry, an employe, who makes
her home with her uncle and aunt,
Mr.. and Mrs. NJ. j. Ryan, of Vose
avenue South Orange, was in the
building in which the blaze originated
and was forced with many others to
leave the building without their
wraps, as the flames were fast en-
veloping the structure.
George Vought, of Valley street,
South Orange, employed as station
airy engineer at the Edison plant, also
had a narrow escape.
Because of the danger of the flames
spreading to the frame buildings on
avenue near the factory,
the authorities asked the women and
children occupants to leave. Mrs.
Frank J. McGerr and her infant child
were among those to be forced to
leave for safety. The woman went
to the home of her parents. Sergeant
of Police and Mrs. Thomas j. Sherry,
Valley street, South Orange.
The fire broke out at $50 o'clock
from some unknown cause in the
film-testing building. which was
one-story building situated about the
centre of the plant, and was number
13. Although of frame construction,
sheathed with corrugated iron and
topped with an iron roof, it was
thought to be practically flreproof.
Fifteen employees, including several
girls, were employed here. 1t was
nearly 100 feet long and about fifty
feet wide. ~ n
About thirty feet from it and
toward the Alden street side was a
ee-Story DulidlnB Oh ABOUT Lne
same dimensions and of the same
which was the box fac
tory When the explosion occurred
In the fiIm-te testing building the flames
were shot instantly into the box fac
tory and the tinder wood with which
this building was filled was complete
ly envoleped almost at once, making
a blaze with which the fire depart
ment of the plant was unable to cope
Following the getting to work of
he private department the West
Orange department rolled in. Then
came the South Orange. then East
Orange. then Orange, then Bloomfield
md Montclair, and finally an appeal
was made to this city and three of
he big automobile engines, Nos. q,
% and "a, were ordered to the scene.
Deputy Chief NJ. P. A. McDermitt
look personal charge of the work of
ais men and was highly complimented
by Mr.. Edison for the work he and
mis- men did in saving the library and
laboratory.
Jumping from the cabinet building