Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-04-01
LEATHER PLANT
BLAZE BLAMED
ON WATCHMAN
CombustibIes Bureau Head
Lays Bernstein Fire to
CareIessness.

A stubborn fire, which, according
to Captain c. Albert Gasser, OF the
Bureau of Combustibles and Fire
Risks, was caused by a lighted match
carelessly discarded by a watchman,
early today partially destroyed the
leather factory of bernstein Brothers,
21e Frelinghuysen avenue.
- 'sazt+--fs ray-opinion that tile fire was
caused by the watohman earelessiy
throwing down O lighted match after
he had lighted his pipe said Captain
Gasser. "The fire started right at
the place where the watchman did
his last act of labor, that of winding
his time-cloclz or box. This he is
required to do at o'clock and wait
for the day watchman, who comes on
at O'Clock. After ringing the clock
the watchman left the building and
went across the street, standing
there. He discovered the fire him
self and turned in the alarm"
Firemsn worked three hours on the
building before they considered ii
safe to leave. Although the blaze
was well under control after two
hours the flremen spent another hour
saturating the three-story wooden
building with water. The damage
was estimated at 5000.
The watchman is Thomas Paulus,
of $40 Springfield avenue. He had
Just completed his rounds of the
building shortly after $50 o'clock,
and was standing at the front en-
trance when he saw smoke coming
from n window on the second floor
Paulus ran to the private box on the
ground floor and sounded an alarm.
Before he reached the street again
the building was rocked by an ex-
plosion which smashed the glass In
most of the windows on the floor
When the firemen arrived the blaza
had made considerable headWay on
the first, second and third floors.
There are no buildings adjoining the
Bernstein factory, so it was not
deemed necessary to turn in O second
alarm. In a few minutes the main
part of the structure was a mass OF
flames. Separating the three-story
main building in front Of the plant
is q stone wall This saved part of
the two-story addition which ie back
of the main building.
In the rear oi the second floor most
of the $4,000 worth of stock was
stored. This consisted of travelling
bags, finished and unfinished and
was totally destroyed. The first floor
of the rear addition was saved from
the flames, the damage here being
confined to water-soaked machinery.
The rest of the building was gutted
from the first floor TO the roof.
Plant Not In Operation.
The Bernstein plant has not been
in operation since last November. AT
that time bankruptcy proceedings
were instituted and Curtis r. Bur-
nett, former president of the Board
of Trade, was appointed receiver. He
has since been elected trustee, but
has been unable to dispose of the as
sets or continue the business owing
to several legal tangles as to the
ownership of the property
Creditors who claim to have q lien
on the machinery and fixtures Of the
Bernstein plant are scheduled to
argue the matter to a finish today
before Referee Atwood l.. De Coster.
The attitude of the claimants may be
changed as result of the fire. An-
other claim is made against the real
estate by the j. J. Hockenjos Com
pany, of S2s Broad street. This suit
is being fought in Chancery Court.
Trustee Burnett is opposing both
actions.
rlneFc Is idfOlJ any pdfI VI LHu
defunct estate which is not claimed
by some one" said Mr.. Burnett.
Some loan concern has put in
claim for the stock. Another person
says he has lien on the real estate
and the machinery and fixtures are
claimed by someone else. All these
suits have tied up the estate and to
date the creditors have not been able
10 get anything.
1.-THE fire is going to make the tan
gled legal situation even more com
plicated / can't see how the suit
over the stock can be fought with
any vigor after this mornings
events. Still there should be a SUBJ
stantial equity in the real estate and
other property. and | intend to OPP
pose any attempt to take it away
from the creditors"
The apparatus called out by the
alarm were Engine Companies Nos.
teoutfnued on Pare d Column ~