Oct. 1, 1904: BERLIN, MD – From noon until sunset, a huge fire, started by a spark from a locomotive, raged through the business section of town. The local firemen were quickly overextended as flames leaped from building to building. Mutual aid was requested from Ocean City and Salisbury. High winds carried the fire to the residential area of the town. Several mills, two churches and a score of dwellings were destroyed by the fire.
Oct. 2, 1904: NEW YORK CITY – Three firemen were overcome during a blaze in a charcoal company factory on West 25th Street in Manhattan. Arriving units faced thick smoke laced with noxious fumes as they pressed into the burning structure. Within minutes, several unconscious firemen were dragged out of the dense, choking smoke by their comrades. A doctor began tending to the downed men as the battle continued. Two police officers called an ambulance and sent one semiconscious fireman to a hospital without consulting the fire chief. Before the ambulance could pull away, the chief removed the injured fireman, then told the cops to leave his men alone. The cops threatened to “run the chief in.” The fire was then extinguished without further incident.
Oct. 5, 1904: BROOKLYN, NY – The cry of “Fire!” from the lips of a nervous and excited woman threw a large audience in the Bijoux Theatre into a state of panic. Twelve-hundred people were enjoying a production of “Romeo and Juliet” when the cry rang out. Hundreds began a rush toward the exits when actors began to shout that there was in fact no fire. The audience was calmed, the play continued and no further actions were taken.
Oct. 6, 1904: CAMDEN, NJ – A mysterious fire was extinguished among bags of sawdust contained in the hold of the cruiser Washington, which was under construction at the New York Shipbuilding Co. The flames were quickly subdued and an investigation begun. A similar fire had occurred earlier aboard the Connecticut in the Brooklyn Navy Yard. All yards where U.S. warships were under construction were immediately placed on high alert.
Oct. 6, 1904: BROOKLYN, NY – Four alarms were struck and two fireboats were used to battle a blaze in a coal yard and warehouse at the foot of 25th Street. The fire area adjoined a yacht basin, endangering numerous vessels. The boats were saved, but flames did extend to a hay warehouse and a cement company.
Oct. 8, 1904: PLAINFIELD, NJ – A retired fire horse was credited with saving a nearby house. The horse’s owner was awakened by the loud whinnying and kicking of his horse and hurried to the stable. He found the horse gazing at a blazing house fire nearby.
Paul Hashagen, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is a retired FDNY firefighter who was assigned to Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan. He is also an ex-chief of the Freeport, NY, Fire Department. Hashagen is the author of FDNY 1865-2000: Millennium Book, a history of the New York City Fire Department, and other fire service history books.
