Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-03-02
FIRES FOLLOW IN
WAKE OF STORM
Continued from FIRST Page.)

Handicapped by weather conditions,
that they were able to get the blaze
under control. Before this was done
the firemen experienced great diff
Guilty in stretching the line of hose.
While the fire was by no means the
largest of the season, it was declared
this morning to be the most difficult
that Newark firemen have had to
deal with on account Of the storm.
Earlier in the evening crossed
wires, which caused half a dozen fires
Yesterday, set fire to a ticket box Of
flee at Wiedenmayers ball park, the
home of the Newark Tigers, at Ham
burg place. The blaze consumed part
of the grandstand and roof over the
seats Several small shanties in the
rear of the saloon of Herman Helm
rich also were destroyed. The hre
was discovered by Heinrich, who at
tempted to phone the alarm to head
quarters. but found his telephone in
strument disabled. The loss is esti-
mated at $3.50.
Crossed Wires Start Fires.
Crossed wires were responsible also
for fire in the residence of George
Bass, at 38 Jefferson street, last night
An alarm was turned in by telephone
and the fremen quickly extinguished
the blaze. The damage is estimated
at $25 Another phone alarm came in
from an unoccupied house at Al Mont
rose avenue, also caused by crossed
electric wires. The damage is re-
ported as slight. An electrical dis
play with fireworks features fright
ened the residents of the vicinity of
Bergen street and Fourteenth ave-
nue., to the extent that phone alarms
were turnd In. No damage was done
and the alarms were pronounced
false. An hour later, however, falling
electric wires on Bergen street, from
South Orange to Fifteenth avenues,
resulted in more fire alarms being
turned in. little later a telephone
pole cross-arm fell at South Seventh
street and Fifteenth avenue, bringing
wire with it. Shortly after this the
electricity throughout the ely twas
turned off.
Careless use of matches caused a
fire later In the evening in the home
of Max Rosenwig, at So Clayton
street. The damage is estimated at
less than $75. A chimney fire at Sc
Sixth avenue also did slight damage.
About 2:30 o'clock yesterday after
noon the entire fire alarm system of
the city was put out of commission
by the storm. This was due to the
crossing and ort-circuiting of wires
which placed the city at the mercy
of a serious fire IL the telephone sys-
tenn, which is underground, also
should have been rendered useless.
Special orders and precautions were
issued by Chief of Police Michael
T. Long and the police and fire de-
partments worked together to facfli-
tate in the handling of fire Arms. all
of which were sent in over the tele-
phone wires and American District
Telegraph's system, which are under
ground.
Firemen Patrol City.
A dozen crews of linemen were sent
out this morning to work on the fire
alarm system, and it was declared at
headquarters that the alarms would
be in working order by noon. The
conditions have become so serious,
however. that Fire Chief Moore has
ordered fire companies to detail men
to patrol the streets in the vicinity
of alarm boxes to locate any possible
fires and telephone them into the Of
fees. The disabling of the alarm
system is the first occurrence of it's
kind recorded in Newark in seven
years. Throughout the night and this
morning more than hundred f1remen
walked the streets near alarm boxes
and were relieved at short intervals
The police also were asked by Chief
Moore to assist the firemen In locat-
ing and reporting fires throughout
the city. Public Service company
was requested by the fire department
not to turn on any current in the
city until after daylight this morn
ing. The service, which was partly
disabled early In the evenings was
useless all night. The police depart
10
constantly In touch with their pre-
cincts by telephone during the latter
part of the night and this morning,
so as to assist in locating fires. All
flremen who were off duty also were
called on by Chief Moore to assist in
the work of watching over the city
last night.
The work of clearing the fire de-
partment's telegraph wires OF snow
and ice is under the direction of
Adam Bosh, superintendent, and
Charles Whittemore, assistant super
intendent OF the telegraph depart
ment Chief Moore remained at the
switchboard in the telegraph depart
ment In the City Hall from midnight
until daylight to give his personal su-
pervlslon to all calls.
The flremen were impeded greatly
in their work of answering calls dur
ing the night by the darkness
and the storm, which was at its
height. The most serious trouble en-
countered was the stalling of Auto
mobile fire truck No. Q, at Twelfth
street and South orange avenue,
about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon
Trolley traffic was stalled by this I'M
til after o'clock last night, when the
huge truck was removed
Fire Truck Stalled.
The machine was returning from a
call to Vailsburg, and a motor blew
out, As the department was rushed
by work caused by the storm at the
time, the machine was abandoned
temporarily. When efforts fnally
were made to remove 1t the ropes tied
to il broke, and il was not until
chains were secured that the great
car was moved. The machine was
stalled on the westbound track. BY
the united effort of firemen and sew
eral other trucks 1t was pulled into
the westbound track and street car
traffic resumed.
Many minor fires were reported to
the department during the early
hours this morning and after day
light. None of these were serious.
Many false alarms were turned in
also, especially yesterday and Satur-
day afternoon and evening. An arrest
resulted from false alarm turned in
from Box 5S Saturday afternoon.
A