Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-07-12
Keep Continuous Stream Of Wa
ter on Wood Alcohol
Tanks at Plant.
R. & H. STRUCTURE AFlRE
Praise Work of Firemen-TW0
Fires Here Over Week End
Result in Damage of
$500 to Property.
r. & H. STRUCTURE AFIRE

For nearly an hour last night
firemen kept a continuous stream OF
water pouring over big wood alcohol
tanks, containing more than l,ooo
gallons of the inf1ammable SUD
stance, as a frame structure of Plant
No. 2, of the Roessler & Hasslacher
Chemical Company, in Buckingham
avenue, was gutted by flames. Con-
siderable excitement was manifested
by employees of the company ana
spectators watching the fire fighters
lest the huge containers should be-
come so hot as to cause the ignition
of the alcohol and & consequent dis
astrous explosion. The f1remen con-
trolled the flames In the frame struc-
ture, however, keeping them from
entering the main part of the cya-
nide factory. General Manager Du-
Bois this morning estimated the
total damage at $4,000. This was the
second threatening fire OF unknown
origin over the weekend, with
total estimated damage of $4,000.
Mr.. Dubois declared this morning
that the firemen did good work, but
that the tanks of alcohol were in no
immediate danger as their thick cas-
ing prevented all possibility or their
exploding unless the flames had In
some way reached the fluid Itself.
However, the firemen kept the tanks
cool through the whole affair by the
use of two hose lines. The contain
ers were only about ,hirty feet from
the burning building, and the flames
shooting forth at times almost lick
ed the outside casing.
Fritz Abegg, assistant works man
ager of plant No. 2, sprained his
right ankle while on his way with
Ir. Dubois to the scene OF the fire..
ffe Stumbled into a ditch near the
Standard Underground Cable Works
in Washington street. He was as
sisted to the chemical company's
plant, and attended by DR.. William
E. Ramsay.
Mr.. Abegg and Mr. Dubois this
morn.7g were at loss to know how
the fire originated. Both agree that
1t started in the locker room of the
frame building, which is used by
employees of the cyanide factory. A
carelessly thrown cigarette or cigar
butt was suggested as a probable
cause.
The frame structure contains lock-
ers. lunch room apartment and a
carpenter shop used in connection
with the cyanide factory of plant No.
g. The fire started in the rear Of the
building in the locker room, gutted
it and worked its way to the carpen-
ter shop. which was practically de-
stroyed Only the charred hull of
this part of the building remains
standing. The firemen checked the
flames as they ate through to the
dining room or lunch room Of the
frame structure, which apartment
was considerably damaged. The en-
ergetic efforts of the fire laddies kept
the flames from spreading to the
cyanide factory, near the Quilted
frame structure, but which is separ-
ated by a few feet of space. Fifty or
sixty men were at work when the
flames were discovered and the
greater part of their clothing at the
plant, which they had left In the
locker room, was destroyed.
The plant fire brigade fought the
flames for short time before the ar
rival of the fire laddies, but soon
found they were beyond their control
WHEN VI Ildl llOl u
street, turned in the alarm from box
43, at Buckingham avenue and Hart
ford street about o'clock.
What was considered a wild rumor
by officials of the chemical company
was prevalent among residents of
Buckingham avenue after the fire,
and many were considerably per-
turbed for their safety. The story
was to the effect that gunpowder is
being made at Plant No. 2. Mr.. Du-
Bois declared the rumor absurd. He
also repudiated a story to the effect
that the plant had stopped shipping
formaldehyde to the allies on re-
quest of the German government.
On complaint Of resident in Buck
ingham avenue, Mayor Ferd Garrett
son is today investigating the rumor
that gunpowder is being made at the
plant. The rusk Of work which
causes night shifts of men to be en-
ployed at the chemical works is de-
clared to be due to the scarcity of
chemical compounds caused in this
country following the war shutting
off German imports of such ma
terials.
Patrolman Lybeck discovered
clouds of smoke issuing from the
rear of I. Cutters barber shop at
834 Smith street, about II o'clock
yesterday morning. He gave an
alarm from box No. ga, at Smith
street and Watson avenue. The rear
of the building consists of frame
extension to one of Pierce & Sons
new one-story buildings In Smith
street The addition was used as
a storage and general lounging place,
1t was said 1t was gutted by flames
and the addition itself partially de-
stroyed. The flames ignited the main
building, which was damaged. The
loss. estimated at 5000, was covered
by insurance. The dense smoke is
suing from the burning addition,
which was equipped with tar roof,
attracted big crowd, who thought
"a big fire had broken out. The orr
gin of the fire could not be learned.