Nov. 3, 1900: RIVERSIDE, CT - A fire broke out in the barn of a summer home and began to spread rapidly. A young girl, Ida Tyson, entered the blazing structure to rescue her pet pony. As she freed the pony from its stall, the animal, frantic due to smoke and heat, bolted trampling her rescuer. She escaped serious injury and joined her horse outside and watched the barn burn to the ground. Arriving firemen were able to stop the spread of the fire to adjoining structures.
Nov. 6, 1900: ALBANY, NY - A blaze broke out in the press room of the Press-Knickerbocker-Express, the oldest newspaper in that section of the state. The 6 P.M. fire sent employees, who had been preparing to publish election results, running for their lives. The fire quickly spread and was threatening the entire block. Firemen were able to stop the spread of fire only after two structures were destroyed.
Nov. 8, 1900: VINELAND, NJ - A woman was seriously burned while rescuing her infant from a fire in her home. The woman dashed into the blazing kitchen, scooped up the infant and ran, her clothes in flames, out into the street. Her clothes were quickly extinguished and the woman received serious burns. The infant was relatively unharmed.
Nov. 9, 1900: BROOKLYN, NY - Firemen in the Williamsburg section made several spectacular rescues over ladders as flames swept through a dry goods store and spread to the apartment house next door. Several people were rescued from the roof by scaling ladder as nozzle teams pushed in on the lower floors. One child, rescued by firemen, was seriously burned.
Nov. 9, 1900: SOUTH BEND, IN - A fire broke out in the gymnasium of the University of Notre Dame at about 3 P.M. Two alarms were transmitted as the fire roared through the huge steel and brick structure. As firemen battled the fire, the university board of trustees met and voted to replace the structure as it collapsed in ruins.
Nov. 9, 1900: BILOXI, MS - A serious fire raged through the town. The small fire department was overwhelmed as flames leaped from one building to the next. More than 100 structures were lost to the fire.
Nov. 11, 1900: NEWPORT, RI - A fire believed to be incendiary in origin broke out in the late afternoon. The fire, one in a series of suspected arson-related blazes, was in a large bathing pavilion. Firemen struggled to hold the flames in the west wing of the building and eventually won the battle.
Nov. 12, 1900: POPLAR BLUFF, MO - At least four people were killed as fire destroyed the Gifford House Hotel. The fire raced up the rear portion of the building and spread with amazing speed. Firemen arrived quickly to the sight of a raging fire with numerous people jumping from upper- story windows. Firemen then sifted through the charred remains, searching for guests believed to still be inside the building.
Nov. 12, 1900: BALTIMORE - A gas inspector entered a manhole at Gay and Asquith streets with a lit candle. He found the leak he was looking for and was blasted up and out of the hole, followed by a sheet of flames. Fourteen buildings were damaged by the blast. The inspector was removed to a hospital in critical condition.
Nov. 16, 1900: BROOKLYN, NY - A hose wagon responding to a reported fire was struck by a Long Island Rail Road train at the Sackman Street crossing. Five firemen received minor injuries, but the hose wagon was destroyed. The gateman, who apparently did not lower the crossing gate, was arrested.
Time Capsule
NOV. 2, 1900 - HOBOKEN, NJ: FIREFIGHTER TRAPPED!
Louis Graves, a member of Engine 1, at the direction of Chief Applegate, went to the roof of an adjoining building searching for a way into a structure on Washington Street believed to be on fire. Fireman Graves accidentally fell through a scuttle and found himself in a small locked room with no ladder. Fireman Graves then had to remain a prisoner in the room until the chief became tired of waiting and sent other members to search for him. His location was eventually found and a wall was breached to free him. It was later discovered there was no fire in the building.
Compiled by PAUL HASHAGEN
