Exciting Scenes Feature Big Fire

EXCITING SCENES FEATURE BIG FIRE Conflagration in Paint and Varnish Works, in Camden, Resulted in Destruction of Much Valuable Property More than five hundred thousand dollars-worth of property destroyed, three persons seriously injured and half a score of families forced to flee from their homes were a few of the effects of a disastrous fire which yesterday swept its way through the big plant of the N. Z. Graves Paint and Varnish Company, on Twelfth street, Camden, between Linden and Federal streets. It was the explosion of a mixing tank that caused the blaze, but no reason has yet been assigned for the explosion, and the only workman who was near the vat at the time is now lying in a critical condition at the Cooper Hospital. Explosion followed explosion with the same deafening roar as that made by opposing batteries in a battle, and during the three hours when the fire raged its fiercest more than two hundred tanks blew up. Spectacular Blaze From the spectacular viewpoint the blaze was one of the greatest in years, owing to the chemical nature of the varnishes and paints which were destroyed. Flames mounted as high as two hundred feet in the air and could be plainly seen from Twenty-first and Market streets in this city. Often as a vat exploded a dense mass of black smoke would mount high towards the heavens and then suddenly burst open like a huge pyrotechnic and out would come a large ball of flame. Then suddenly the whole building would seem to send up a solid square of flame that, after becoming lost in the clouds of smoke which hid the sky, would suddenly veer to the east or west and set fire to some small building. Not the least of the curious sights was the throwing by the sun of a beautiful rainbow whose arch was easily one hundred feet long across a background of smoke. The sun had caught the spray from a fire hose and reflected it across the small buildings which had caught fire, but from which no flames came, there issued a dense cloud of red smoke which gradually changed to purple, then became white and finally black. Tanks Intact While all these explosions occurred and while the heat of the flames was so great that it singed the hair of persons on the opposite side of the street, thirty large tanks containing from five to ten thousand gallons of gasoline and benzine and located almost directly in the rear of the blazing buildings, remained unharmed, although it was momentarily feared that they, too, would explode. All but one of the eight buildings of the Graves Company were either totally destroyed or so badly damaged that they will have to be rebuilt. Three houses were badly damaged and half a score of other houses scorched. The persons injured were Joseph Pease, of 341 Kimball street, this city; George Ward, foreman of Fire Company No. 2, and Peter Gray, a fireman. Pease was the workman who was near the vat at the time the first explosion occurred, and he was thrown high in the air and had his face, arms and body burned by the flames. Ward was injured while leading his men in an attack upon the flames. He was mounting a ladder leading to the room of a dwelling at 316 Twelfth street when the cornice of the roof came off, fell and struck him on the head and caused an ugly wound of the scalp. Ward kept his hold upon the ladder and managed to descend. He was immediately hurried to the hospital. Fireman Peter Gray was burned by the flaming benzine from a small tank which exploded. Attacked Flames With Vim Although one of the largest buildings resembled an enormous cauldron when they arrived upon the scene the Camden firemen, nothing discouraged, attacked the fire with vim, and while they could not confine it to the one building, they did splendid work in saving a number of small houses of workmen which surround the plant. They also saved one of the large buildings of the plant. The police boats Ashbridge and Visitor, from this city, were sent to the fire, but were unable to get up Cooper Creek, which is in the rear of the plant, owing to the ice and mud. The Pennsylvania Railroad's fire tug Jamestown, however, got to the plant and did effectual service. Mayor Ellis was early upon the scene and had his hair singed while directing the firemen. In Philadelphia great interest was taken in the fire, and at one time it looked as though all Camden were ablaze. It was about half-past eleven yesterday morning that Pease, while working in what is known as building No. 1, at the Greaves plant, a large three-story brick structure, fifty by one hundred and twenty-five feet, was suddenly hurled from his feet by the explosion in a vat. Accounts differ as to what really occurred, but it is certain that there was an explosion. This building is used partly as an office building and partly to mix paints and varnishes. General Alarm Sounded For a minute the flames did not spread rapidly and a call was sent to the police headquarters for a chemical engine. By the time this apparatus arrived the whole building was on fire and a general alarm was sent in. In the few moments elapsing between the call for the chemical engine and its arrival upon the scene several other explosions occurred and caused the employes to flee for their lives. There were only about fifty men, or one-third the regular force, working yesterday. As soon as the firemen all arrived they tried to save building No. 5, which is of the same size and structure as the No. 1 building, but in which were stored one hundred and eight large vats of various kinds of varnish and paint, and all of them combustible. Between the two buildings was a narrow archway, and over this the flames crept and defeated the efforts of the fire fighters. Then began the series of explosions that not only lit up the skies, but carried the fire to half a dozen dwelling houses. These buildings are double houses and are two and one-half stories high. When the house at 306 Twelfth street caught fire all the other occupants of the row started to throw their household goods in the street, and in several cases the sparks set fire to bed clothing. Later in the day the residents, still fearful of their homes, secured wagons and carted their belongings away. Thought of His Hens' Eggs One man, James Demsey, when he found his house afire, thought only for a dozen of Plymouth Rock hens' eggs which he had secured for the purpose of raising some chickens. Regardless of his danger he dashed into the burning building, secured the eggs, and then made his escape. Prompt work by the firemen soon put an end to the flames which had attacked the dwellings, but against the blaze which raged in the two buildings of the paint works the fire fighters were helpless. It seemed that the more water was poured upon the buildings the wickeder the flames arose. Not until all the floors had fallen and everything burnable had been consumed did the flames cease their work of destruction, and the walls had been so scorched that half of them fell crashing into the interior of the buildings. Besides the two large buildings the stable of the works caught fire but the employes of the plant were able to get all the horses and wagons out safely. A. Graves, a son of the proprietor of the plant, stated that he did not know how great the loss would be nor could he tell exactly how the fire started. There is about $265,000 insurance upon the plant. Bucket Brigade at Work Later the residence at 1104 Linden street, where lives George Brown, was ignited. A bucket brigade did yeoman service there. To add to the excitement word reached the firemen that the plant of the R. F. Smith Lumber Company, Federal street and Cooper Creek, had been fired by sparks. An engine company was withdrawn and sent to the scene of the new blaze, which was extinguished with a trifling loss. When the walls of No. 3 building fell, forcing the firemen to abandon their post, one of the recently purchased engines was left under the ruins. It wasn't there long, however, a rope being attached and the steamer being pulled out by a hundred or so volunteers. The first two dwellings to take fire were those of C. W. Sleighs, 306, and John Taylor, 304 North Twelfth street. The other houses in the row are tenanted as follows: In 702 is Harry Smith; 300, vacant; 224, Frank Pullinger; 222, Mary Rass; 220, Joseph Eccles; 218, Charles Sibert; 216, Fred Exler; 214, Henry Palmer; 212, Charles Mills; 210, Samuel Ivins.