The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1921-09-17
RECORD RUN
is MADE TO
ABSECON FIRE
Local Fire Fighters Responded To
Call From Sister City Last Wednes-
day.
EFFECTIVE WORK WINS
PRAISE OF MERCHANT

Flames were discovered eating their
way through the roof of the building
occupied by William b.. Etris & Co.,
grain and feed dealers, adjoining the
West Jersey & Seashore Railroad sta
ton, at Absecon last Wednesday MORN
ing about 1890 o'clock. The whole
town was quickly aroused by the
sounding of an alarm, and as the
blaze, fed by several tons of hay,
leaped high into the air, it was feared
that a general confiagration would re-
suit. Several people saw the blaze at
about the same time and each one
dashed for a telephone and summoned
the P~leasantville firemen for assist
ance. With the blaze coming in
sheets several feet high and the wind
tanning the flames, Chief Charles M.
Kesler, of the Absecon fire depart
ment, instructed the men TO save as
much of the contents of the Etris
building as speedily as possible, as he
and the others believed it to be DOOM
ed to total destruction.
Mayor Harry Mattson of Absecon,
was the first man to reach the fire.
Mr.. Etris and his bookkeeper were at
work in the front of the place and did
not know it was on fire. The Mayor
went to the second floor of the struc-
ture and said that the fire was just
burning a hole through the roof and
embers were beginning to drop down
on the hay. If he had been supplied
with water at that time he believes he
could have extinguished the blaze. By
the time water was available the in
side of the place was ablaze.
The fire was discovered very soon
after a train had passed through the
city, and it is said that the blaze was
caused by sparks from the engine,
which was making fast time and
throwing sparks high in the air. This
is borne out by the fact that at the
same time a fire was discovered in the
roof of the barn of James Hamilton,
who lives a short distance from the
Etris property, and both of them are
beside the tracks.
The burned structure stood back of
the main building and the fire quickly
communicated to the roof of the main
structure, which was of shingles and
very dry. At this juncture the Pleas
antville hremen had arrived and run a
fl5rerUf bAsd<< toD<S 49, fSxAtseg&s9p15
Ito supplement the fine the Abseeon
firemen had in use. Almost at the
same time the fire was driven down
ON some coal sheds and a barn, all of
which were destroyed. Splendid work
was done by the Pleasantville and
Absecon firemen in saving the big
main building, which is entirely of
frame, and was filled with such mer-
chandise as is usually carried in stock
by a hay and feed merchant. AS it is
the damage to the main building is
said to be about $500, which, with the
loss on stock and the hay, horse barns
and coal sheds, will bring the total up
to about $4,000.
While the fire was in progress some
trains were held up because the Pleas
antville line of hose was across the
tracks. After the blaze had been
somewhat subdued a trench was dug
under the double tracks and the line
of hose extended through this to allow
the trains to proceed. The efforts of
the firemen in combining the fire SO
quickly saved several historic build
ings from destruction. The old rail
road station, which is just across the
tracks from the Etris plant, has stood
there for many years, and some say 1t
was the original station erected when
the Camden & Atlantic Railroad first
came to Absecon in 1854. The Rock
ingham Hotel is also n of the old
landmarks of Atlantic County, dating
back to the days before Atlantic City
was founded. The hotel is almost op-
posite the scene of the fire. Then
diagonally across the street is the old
homestead of Richard Doughty, who
was one of the widely known men of
South Jersey up until his death some
time ago.
In an interview with the editor, Mr..
Etris was lavish in his praise of
Personalities Fire Department. He
was especially pleased with the quick
response made by the local fire fight
ers, and their work, together with that
of the Absecon department, he be-
lieves to be responsible for the saving
of the main building.