Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-02-23
P|CKERSG|LL s
POSSESSIONS
IN FIVE SAFES
Two of Them He Knows Were
Protected, Other Three
Doubtful
MUCH HISTORICAL DATA
Fire in Dana Building Fought
for Hours by Entire
Department

Salvage work was started this
morning by Harold E. Pickers-
gill and his assistants to see what
remained of value in his Ompoge
Book Shop and Mosquito Print
ing Shop as result Of early yes
terday mornings blaze which
eutted the business establish
ments in the old Dana Building
224-226 Smith street. The total
damage will come near reaching
$15O,OO0 and Mr.. Pickersglll, who
possessed many historical papers
and records, was the heaviest
loser as a result of the fire.
The blaze was discovered at s:4o
o'clock yesterday morning by Peter
Zlarik, garbage man, who sounded
an alarm from box No. AZ, at Smith
and Maple streets. Smoke and flames
we're seen coming from the cellar OF
the o. k Electrical shop by tne
garbage man and although the nfe-
lighters made quick time in getting
10 the scene, the three stores on the
ground floor of the two-story prlck
structure were mass of flames upon
their arrival.
The hydrant at Smith and Maple
streets was hard to open, the McCtei-
ian appartus was out of commission,
the suction equipment of the Lincoln
company machine broke and had 10
he. replaced, and the breaking or
. rasket nut the Eagle appartus out OIL
ose DESPITE all this the firefighters
nnder the direction of Chief John
ramnbell. who was assisted by First
Assistant Chief William I.angan ana
second Assistant Chief Robert Col
,ton prevented the spread of the
blaze outside of the Dana building
and the addition in the rear.
Several times after it appeared as
,f the fire had been subdued, the
flames leaped up from the +. ont end
of the original building to the rear
of the addition. Although NUMBER
of firemen were overcome by smoke
cut by glass, ETC., none of them were
seriously injured. When the ma
chimes started. to fall through from
the second floor Chief Campbell dl-
rected his men not TO endanger tneir
lives.
After the original call, the Is spe-
cial call was sent in for the Eagles
and when this apparatus went out
of commission, the 4-4 was sounded
for the new, Garfield truck. Fire
Chief Campbell also made use of the
police patrol in bringing the Nc
Clellan company hose to the scene,
the old Garfield hose apparatus and
the old Garfield engine had been
taken to the city stables. When the
blaze continued to offer a stubborn
battle, the 1873 for the entire de-
partment was turned in. For the
final battle the new Garfield appara-
tus was placed at the post office. the
old Garfield engine at Smith and
Maple streets. and the Lincoln ma
chine at the Central railroad
The firemen prevented the blaze
from spreading to buildings in the
rear of Dana Hail., on Jefferson
street. the c. M. Peterson coal yard
and the Donnell lumber yard. The
under control taps were sounded
about six hours after the first
alarm and the out taps were turned
in at 1850 O'clock yesterday after
noon. While the fight was in prog
ress Messrs. Olsen aid Kaufman of
the o. *. company made known that
the firemen could obtain all they
wanted to eat in the Central lunch
without expense.
The $4,000 stock of the o. x.
company was entirely destroyed and
the $4,000 damage to the restaurant
of Peter Vloyans etes, was a total
loss. The third store was not oc-
.cupied and the building owned by
Aaron Kaufman was damaged to the
extent of $4,000 and no estimate
has been made on the rear struc-
ttwe. Fred Hansen, Michael Ber-
! liney and Sol Kaufman had offices
,Enpffnt1a6 .,n