South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-11
Twenty Houses Adjoining Fac
tory at Trenton, N. j., Are
DeStroyed-PlaCe Was
Set on Fire?
PRODUCT HAD BEEN
SOLD TO THE ALLIES
Extra Precautions Taken Fol-
lowing Fire in January.
Guards Say They Saw No
Intruder About Place.

TRENTON, n. j., Nov. 11.-Fire be-
lieved to have been of incendiary or
igin early today destroyed a four-stOry
wire rope mill at the immense plant
of the John A Roebling Sons Co,
where war orders are being filled.
In addition TO the factory about 20
houses were destroyed and for a time
the conflagratiOn threatened to wipe
out a section of the city.
The total loss is estimated between
$500 600 and 100000.
This was the second disastrous fire
in plants filling war orders for the
allies within less than "a hours, part
of the Bethlehem Steel Co.'S plant at
South Bethlehem, Pa, being destroyed
yesterday.
Following it's outbreak, the fire at
the Roebling y.tnt spread rapidly and
the entire building was a mass of
flames before the firemen were able
to begin an effective fight.
Hurried Calls For Aid.
Hurried calls were sent TO Prince
ton and Lambertville for aid and with
the assistance Of the firemen that
came from those places the blaze was
finally controlled at $3.50 o'clock.
However, it continued to burn fiercely
and the firemen kept pouring streams
OF water from half a dozen hoses
by buildings.
Fed by oils and other inflammable
Substances, the flames radiated a ter
rife heat and for a time the firemen
could not get within two blocks of
the burning building.
The destroyed building was a new
one, 900 feet long and 100 feet wide.
The entire plant has been under a
strong guard ever since the pro-Ger-
,urif u -I,f -
war supplies to the allies became in
tense. Following a fire in the plant
last January, the guards were doubled
and other precautions were taken.
OF Incendiary Origin.
Despite the elaborate police system
and alarms TO catch intruders, the de-
tectives who are investigating the con-
| fiagratiOn. believe that there is good
ground for the suppOsition that the
! fire was of incendiary origin.
However. the guards declare that
| they saw no one lurking in the vicin-
( ity nor did they see anything to
arouse their suspicious.
IL was suggested that an incendiary
bomb must have been placed in the
building but no one could be found
who heard an explosion.
One Of the most significant features
of the fire was the rapidity with
which ate its way through the four
stories. The flames threw off myriads
OF live sparks and some Of these fell
upon the roof of a five-story wire rope
mill some distance away setting 1t or
| fire.
Men were at work in the building
when the fire broke out but all es.
| capped. Workmen on the fourth floor
smelled smoke and almost before the
! alarm could be sounded flames were
shooting upward from the ground floor
of the building. The fire gong wa.
sounded and the wOrkmen, droppine
their tools, fed for their lives. The
building was equipped with fire es.
capes which undoubtedly prevented
| loss of life.
I The Roebling plant has been work.
ing night and day turning out barbeC
wire and chains for the allies.
| One Of the mills at the plant wa:
destroyed last January with 81. 800. OOC
loss. At that time. Charles G.. Roe.
] bling. head Of the company, charged
that agents of a foreign government
were undoubtedly responsible.