BOUND BROOK, NJ: Oct. 1, 1908 - "Nero" the lion escaped from the Leon Washburn Circus and was at large in nearby woods. The entire fire department was placed on standby as police and circus folk searched for the missing carnivore. A full head of steam was maintained in the steam engine in case the department was pressed into service. After 12 hours of freedom in the Jersey wilds and a hearty meal of a dairy cow and calf, the lion was killed by a local farmer armed with a rifle.
CHELTENHAM, PA: Oct. 3, 1908 - A new residence being erected by George Elkins to replace the one destroyed by fire on July 15 was seriously damaged by a late-night fire that appeared to be of suspicious origin. Further investigation, however, proved that embers carried on the wind from a bonfire a half-mile away started the blaze.
WILLIAMS, AZ: Oct. 3, 1908 - A late-night blaze that began in the Babbitt Brothers General Store was quickly out of control and began spreading. Despite the best efforts of firefighters, the flames destroyed six structures before it was brought under control.
RICHFORD, VT: Oct. 7, 1908 - The explosion of dust and gases inside a huge grain elevator caused the death of at least 13 people. The initial explosion occurred at about 4:35 in the afternoon and knocked everyone within a quarter-mile off their feet. The blast ignited a fire inside the elevator that spread to a nearby flour shed before extending to 75 freight cars.
BALTIMORE, MD: Oct. 14, 1908 - A spectacular afternoon fire in the Canton plant of Standard Oil blazed out of control for four hours. The fire started in a pump house before spreading to nearby tanks. Firemen were assisted by favorable winds as they pressed the attack and cut-off the spreading conflagration. Three 1,200-barrel tanks were destroyed.
CHICAGO, IL: Oct. 16, 1908 - Property valued at $1 million was consumed by flames that swept the International Salt Co. docks. Ten fire companies made a successful hour-long stand as the fire closed in on a nearby elevator. A fireboat ducked in under the flames and towed away two freight steamers docked nearby.
SHARON HILL, PA: Oct. 18, 1908 - A large freight train of the Philadelphia, Baltimore & Washington Rail Road was just passing Gray's Landing when a large fire was noticed blazing from one of the cars. The engineer raced full throttle toward the closest fire department as 6,000 newspapers, several thousand dollars' worth of mixed merchandise and baggage were consumed by the spectacular fire. Mutual aid was requested from Collingsdale and Folcroft.
NEWARK, NJ: Oct. 21, 1908 - A huge factory fire threatened a major portion of the city as high winds fanned the flames and showered the surrounding structures with flaming brands. The entire fire department responded as the fire, which began in a trunk factory on Canal Street, also spread to a malt warehouse owned by Lion Brewery. Firemen used distant hydrants and suctioned canal water to allow aggressive stands against the flames. Forty frame buildings were destroyed and nearly every rooftop in that section of the city was scorched.
CINCINNATI, OH: Oct. 29, 1908 - Panic that was increased by the sight of a bursting fire hose caused several girl employees of offices in the 11-story Neave Building, at Fourth and Race streets, to leap from the windows onto the roofs of adjoining buildings. At least eight of the girls were injured. One fireman was also seriously injured as the department made a heroic attack on the high-rise flames.
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.
