Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-02-19
TWO ALARMS FOR
BIG BLAZE AMID
WALL Of TRUNKS
Firemen Have Hard Time Get
ting at Flames in Colds
smith Factory.

A smoky fire among 900 trunks
and bags on the third floor of the
factory of L. Goldsmith G. Son, at
Cherry street and the Morris canal.
this noon, made hard work for tho
department and second alarm was
sent in to get enough men to break
through to where the blaze was.
The factory is a four-story brick
structure about 50x10o feet. with the
two upper floors given over to storage
purposes. Only the upper part of the
windows on these floors open. and
they swing on pivots like transom
Inside OF them the trunks and rags
are piled up to the ceiling sol!dly,
trunks.
The first alarm was sounded at
1911, and at 1886 Battalion Chief
Towey sent in the second.
It Is believed that the fire was
caused by a cigarette stub. Tt is the
custom at the factory for each EN-.
ploye to bring to the stock room the
trunk he has finished, and, although
it is against the rules. many of
them 1t is sa'd. smoke cigarettes.
About $50 Of the 200 employees had
left the factory when the fire was
discovered, and the others mostly
s..
A few of the men in the factory tried
to extinguish the blaze with hand
grenades. but the stock and fittings
of the place made easy food for the
fire and it soon got away from them.
The firemen attacked the blaze
with four streams, but mad SO much
trouble in getting the water i-to the
building that second alarm waI
sent in. The fire spread to the fourth
floor. which also Is used for storage
purposes. and firemen were COM
PEELED to work in relays because If
the thick smoke given off by the
valises.
Nathan Goldrmith. head of the
firm. said that he did not know how
the fire started. He was in the office
at the time and when he heard the
commotion upstairs made inquiry.
only to be told that there was a small
blaze of which the men up there could
take care. After minute or so. he
said. he decided It was better to send
In an alarm and did so.
Emnloves said there was a small
fire last week in about the sane
place where this one started. and
that was believed to have been
caused by cigarette, 1t happened
lust before quitting time at night,
and was extinguished without call
ing the department. Eight years ago
there was bad fire at the factory.
Although there was 'ot of smoke
it was not the freavv suffocating kind
and the firemen affected by 1t were
able to go back to their jobs after
"a few breaths of fresh air. Battalion
Chief James Pagan and Fireman
Cornelius A. Brosnan. of Chemical
Comrany No. l, were most seriously
affected and required the services of
DIR. Hugh Hart, the department sur
geon, after their companions had car
ried them to the fire escape at the
rear of the building. They returned
to work after short time.
Samuel Lomax, driver for Battalion
Chief Morgan, and John Leonard, of
Engine Company No. 3. were over
come while at work on ladders, and
would have fallen but for other fire.
men working near them.
Fireman Frank Wheeler, of Engine
Company No. l, was also overcome
by smoke while at work on the third
floor He was attended by DIR. Hart
and returned to work on the hrs