Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-04-03
FLAMES RAVAGE
NEW JERSEY TOWN
Inhabitants Of Clayto on
Reused From Slumber by
Ringing of Church Bell
WOMEN AID FIR EMEN
Give Alarm and Form Bucket
Brigade-Loss Approx
mates 100000

The 1900 inhabitants of Clayton. y. J.,
which is about five miles south of Pitman
Grove and twenty-five miles from Camden,
were thrown into pandemonium shortly
after o'clock this morning by fire which
caused property loss of nearly 500. 900.
Despite the fact that small army of
residents fought hard in combating the
flames which were being famed by a thir-
ty-1nile gale, only two persons were re-
ported hurt, and they only slightly. They
were Grant Garwood and John Buzby.
members of the volunteer fire department
of Clayton. who were burned on the hands.
The fire destroyed the garage of David
Potash at Central avenue and High street,
in which the flames had their origin, and
in which twenty-eight automobiles were
stored. The flames shot skyward and
thence in almost every direction. and soon
the adjoining properties became II prey to
the flying embers. Two blocks and a half
away buildings caught fire and were dam
aged.
Among the properties destroyed was
wing of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church,
which is just across the street from the
garage; the general merchandise store of
Charles +. Skinner the barn and a portion
of the house of Christopher Beck the barn
Wilson Moore. a wealthy glass manufac-
turer, and portion of the glass works two
squares away. The icehouse. laundry and a
portion of the old Moore homestead finally
caught fire and were badly damaged. Other
frame dwellings came within the wake of
the flames and were more or less damaged.
SCHOOL TEACHERS GIVE ALARM
When Clayton awoke this morning the
people could only see smoke and flames.
Their slumbers were suddenly disturbed by
hearing the ringing of the chimes in the
belfry of Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church. The Rev. George Fisher had hold of
the ropes and was doing all he could to
arouse the popuace.
Mr. Fisher however, was not the first
person to discover the fire This lot fell
to Miss Lenoa Morgan a school teacher
who is visiting Miss Mamie Davis. who is
also school teacher in Clayton. Miss Nor
gan heard an explosion which is supposed
to have caused the fire in the garage She
called Miss Davis and aroused the Misses
Nell Seidel, Ruth Fellen ahd Irene Boul-
son, who are also school teachers. The
teachers ran in a body to the front win
dows and their screams aroused the pastor
of Trinity Church and a few others in the
neighborhood.
Many thought there was man or
burglar in the Davis home but when they
saw the flames shooting from the garage
they UlScONereu tne real cduSe VI tHc
teachers cries Mayor j. =. Potter, of
CLAYTON. directed the movements or the
Clayton fire department upon it's arrival
and soon discovered that additional help
was needed He phoned for the Glassboro
and Pitman Grove fire companies.
When these companies arrived the flames
had spread for squares. The brisk wind
made the work of the firemen difficult. All
the women in the place were up and dressed
nv this time and many were carrying their
| nersonal belonging to places of safety,
WOMEN FIGHT FLAMES
The school tecahers and other women in
the neighborhood refused to fly to places
Of safety themselves and formed a bucket
brigade and fought the sparks which we're
landing on the roofs of the frame dwellings
close by. ,, ,,,
MANY of the women got out their garden
bosa and played on the flames. They proved
a great help to the fremen i'm checking the
snread of the fire in the residential section
The explosion is thought to have been
o,used nv crossed wires coming in contact
,,,i,h the acetylene tank in the garage. The
,oss here Is roughly estimated at s4o,O0o.
,rha loss 10 the skinner store is estimated
at 500 900 The losses to the other buildings
"a harms are also roughly estimated The
harn and a portion of the dwelling on the
na,is estate was also partly destroyed.