The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-12
U.S.. MUNITIONS LOST SCHWAB DIGS IN TO
IN R0EBLING BLAZE REPLACE FIRES RUIN
Trenton Plant Burns With
$1,000 900 LOsS-NOt
Work for Allies.
THIRD WAR PLANT FIRE

TRENroN. y. J. Nov. 11.-Fire de-
stroyed the steel wire Opc plant OF the
John A. RoeblinG Sons Company here
early TO-DAY. with a loss estimated as
slightly IN excess Of 100000
Charles @. Roebling. president Of the
company. told THE SrS correspondent
tonight that the firm is now filing
orders placed with 4, recently by the
United States Government. He made TINS
statement when told of the impression
prevailing here that the fire was started
by men DESTROYS Of preventing the ship
nleilt Of war munitions to Europ,.
W are not manufacturing munitions
or supplies for any ~ the European
belligerents," said Mr.. iioeblinr. Some
time & We had "A small order of this
kind. but II was cancelled. ~ W. have
had no similar orders since. Tn reports
respecting that ono order wccc greatly
exaggerated. We are now filling orders
for the United States Government
Mr.. ROcbling declined to tell the
amount of the order from Washington
o: give any indication whether is IL
likely 10 play An extensive part In the
Governments preparedness programme.
Fire started In Hemp.
Following an investigation 10y officials
OF the company the belief was expressed
tonight that the fire started from II
cigarette dropped by an employee who
had fallen asleep on a pile OF hemp
stored in the building.
Six hundred men were At work in tho
building when the fire was discovered
shortly after midnight. Many were COM
PEELED TO II for the doors. but the
exits were ample and IL is believed no
lives were los. Firemcu had narrow
escapes when portions Of the walls fell,
Several tenement buildings near the mill
also We're destroyed. The tenants es-
capped. carrying, in most Instances. most
OF their household goods.
The fire Will throw 1000 men out of
employment. FOr more than a week the
wire rope plant had been in operation
night and day. II was rumor d to-day
that the company received an IS. 900. 600
order a week ago, n the delivery. II
was reported. was to have been made In
one Of the allied countries. II is UNI
dcrstood that wire rope, sucn as now
lies in great quantities in the ruins OF
the building. is used In the British net
device for catching submarines, and this.
before Mr.. Roebling made his statement.
strengthened the impression that tho
company was how fll.ng an order from
London
The destroyed building was a modern
four story brick structure with steel
doors. Eight minutes after the fire
started flames were In every part of the
plant and the wire mill, u block away.
was endangered.
As they rushed out of the burning
building many OF the workmen were
halted, formed into line and organized
to assist the force OF guards drawn
about other buildings of the Roebling
factory.
The plant stood in the Chambersburg
section OF tho city and the rest of Tren-
ton was soon without fire. apparatus,
Calls for aid were sent to Princeton.
Lambertvilie and Bristol, Pa, and in
a few hours fire companies from these
towns were fighting the flames In what
proved n successful effort to prevent the
frc's spread beyond the immediate
neighborhood.