Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-03-08
MANDEL BLOCK RAzED
BY FIRE EARLY TODAY
(Continued from Page u


was done to a wooden storehouse
building in the rear of the Mandel
structure.
The fact that, the wind was blow
ing west prevented the spread of the
fire to the lumber yard and the water
pressure obtained through the use
of the fire engines kept at Dorsey
Motor Company establishment at the
corner of Fayette and Maple streets
out of danger.
After over an hour and a half Of
fighting, the firemen were warned
regarding the loosening of the Man
del building brick lining. First part
of the north wall fell, causing, it is
believed, the damage to the Boving
Tile building, and short time later
a portion of the front wall came
down. In the latter case several fire.
men were hit on the legs by bricks
which travelled some distance on the
field across the street.
Whe the fire was rapidly fading
away shortly after o'clock this
morning the firemen set to work
pulling down portions Of the wal
which were ready to fall and if left
up, might later come down on pass
ing citizens or the firemen in their
final work on the fire. The under
control taps were given by Chief An
derson at 6:55 o'clock.
Shortly after 10 o'clock this morn
ing when a majority of the compan-
les were still at the scene, watering
the smouldering remains, the chief
and his two assistants prepared a
complete report on the fire.
Damage to the Building Of Man
del was estimated at $4,000 for
which it is said $4,000 insurance
was carried. The Goodman-Cohen
loss was fixed at 100000, and the
Boving Tile Company at $4,000. The
first store on the ground floor of the
building is occupied by Messrs. Yei-
len and Zboyan under the name OF
Electrical Home Wiring Corporation
and damage was estimated at $4,000
and $4,000 insurance is carried. This
corporation recently opened business
on this site.
Adjoining the wiring store is q
bedding storage of the Gen.
tury Supply Company and
the damage of the latter's goods
amounted to $1,500. The Schwartz
stein stock damage was estimated at
$4,000 and st. Michael Falcon Club
fixtures at $2,500. Between the
club and the Oliver Gas Heater store
is an empty store. The Methner
people who sell the Oliver Gas Heat
ers suffered $4,000 damage and
Dominick Terio in his recently open
ed awning shop adjoining had his
damage placed at $4,000. The M.
Laursen paint shop, the last store in
the row, was damaged to the extent
of $4,000.
No report has been received re-
garding Schwartzstein, Supply Co.
Methner, Lawson, Boving Tile OF
Goodman & Cohen insurance. Terio
carried no insurance while st. Mich
aels had $1,000 insurance. The Lor-
raine Sweet storehouse In the rear of
the Mandel building was damaged
to the extent of $500.
Just what caused the fire and the
exact spot where it started, has not
been learned. 1t is said that the
blaze started in the rear of the
Schwartzstein store or the st. Mich
ael Falcon Club. An opinion was
given that the fire had been burn
ing for a long time before it was dis
covered and in this way the fire chief
was handicapped in deciding on the
exact starting point.
A big tank of kerosene was re-
moved from the Methner store by
Sergeant Kasprzak, Menther anc
Officer Koyen. Soon after the start
of the fire portion of the south wall
of the Mandel building fell on a
telephone wire and caused a pole to
snap off. City Electrician Jay FRANKIE
cut away a number of dangerous
wires which would have hampered
the firemen in their work and the
telephone people are at work today
making new connections in that Sec
ton as a result of the fire.
Employees of the street department
were at work this morning clearing
Maple street, which was well filleo
in front of the building with fallen
brick from the burned structure
Shortly before noon 1t made ready
for traffic.
Sergeant John Larson, Detective
John Murray and a detail of police
officers are at the scene to see tha'
everything is as it should be. This
action was taken by Chief N1els j
Tonnesen, who was at the scens
shortly after the start of the fire.
Several hundred people, mostly
girls, were without work today, as
the result of this early morning fire
The remains of the structure shows
the manner in which the employees
of the two-ffoor factory went into anC
out of the building. The Maple
street entrance was the only one
used by the employees, it is said, al
though there is another exit on JEFF
ferson street.
Machines from the factory fel
from the second and third floors OF
the building to the ground floor dur
ing the fire this morning, the re-
mains showed today. Many Of thf
employees of the factory started fol
the factory this morning, unaware
of the fact that there had been
fire. a number coming from adJo1n'
ing towns, while others knew Of the
fro and put off coming to the scene
until later in the day.
It will be necessary to tear dowT
what is left of the building before
rebuilding can bc started.
The plant at the coner of JeffersoI
street and Madison avenue is owned
by Cohen & Fiskin OF this city and
it is said, mas no connection WIFI
the Goodman-Cohen Company.
Within a few hours after the
building mad peen oeStfoysu ny III I
the Standard Awning Company o1t
of the firms occupying first hool
store, had leased a new store ant
was again in business.
The out taps were turneu In aoou,
1885 o'clock this afternoon, almost
ten hours after the first alarm was
sounded. Chief Anderson is 'desirouE
of thanking Mrs. Iver Larsen, the
Old Homestead Lunch, and the lunch
wagon on the north side of Smith
street lust west of Maple street fol
serving hot coffee and sandwiches tc
tLa