Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-10-22
'2CLAY PRODUCT
PLANTS RAZED
Standard Plant of National
Fireproofing Company Goes
Up in Flames
OVER S5oO,00o DAMAGE
Raritan Hollow Tile Company
Factory Nearby Burns Up
Shortly After

Two of the hollow tile manufac-
turinp plants at Keasbey were about
completely destroyed by fire on Sat
urdav night. the Standard plant OF
the National Tireproofing Company
being completely demolished by the
flames which were discovered at I
O'Clock while the plant of the Kari
tan Hollow Tile Corporation, about
three-uuarters of a mile west OF the
other plant, was practically wiped
out early Sunday morning. The sec
ond blaze was discovered at l
o'clock and burned until long al
ter daylight.
The damage resulting from the
two fires probably reached one mil
lion dollars. 1t is likely that the
Standard plant will be reconstructed
by the owners as soon as the gums
have been cleared away. The build
\ ings of the Raritan Hollow Tile con-
Germ were not owned by that cor
noration but merely leased from the
General Ceramics Company, Wnlch
Mas a plant adjoining.
The fire at the National Fireproot-
ing Company's plant had galneu
great headway before it was discoV-
cred by one of the night watchmen'
AS far as can be learned 1T started
in the large building used as a dry
er and machine shop. Defective
wiring is thought to have been the
cause. While the watchman was tele-
phoning word of the fire to the main
office, the flames reached the wires
and consumed them, cutting off this
means of communication.
The plant whistle was tied down
to attract the attention of the keas-
hey fire department and others In
the vicinity. All of Woodbridge
townships companies responded,
Metuchen was called on for aid as
was Perth Amboy. Owing to the
break in telephone communications
considerable delay was experienced
in notifying the various fire COM
panies of the fire The fire had been
blazing for fully twenty minutes be-
fore the Perth Amboy firemen were
called. Thousands of people went
by automobile. trolley and on foot to
the scene of the blaze.
Owing to the scarcity of hydrants
and fire plugs it was necessary for
several of the pumping engines to
go down to the dock and pump salt
water from the Raritan River Long
lines of hose We're run from the river
up to the flaming buildings.
w. Guy Weaver, district manager
OF the National Fireproofing Com
pany, estimated the damage at some
thing above 100000 when question
ed late Saturday night. This morn
ing Mr. Weaver said his original es-
innate had not been changed. The
twelve lSilns in the drying building
were completely destroyed but some
of the other kilns can be reclaimed.
Trestles, a small locomotive and
several large buildings were destroy
ed together with the dryer. kilns and
3 machine shop
Fourteen horses, locked in the
companys stables, were rescued by
workmen and persons living near the
plant before the flames reached the
stable. AS far as can be learned
no one was injured, although the
men fighting the blaze were in dan
ger at all times from falling build
ings, kilns and trestles.
The work of adjusting the loss
with the insurance company is now
well under way and it is likely that
the plant will be reconstructed and
made to be modern and fireproof in
every detail. The Standard plant
was formerly known as the Isaacs
plant and many of the frame build
ings were old structures in which
the dry wood made excellent tinder
for the fire.