Neshanic Station, NJ - September 28, 1910 -- A fire which wiped out the business section of Neshanic Station and for a time menaced the entire village, started at three oclock yesterday from the explosion of a gasoline engine in the creamery building near the tracks of the Central Railroad. Two workmen in the creamery building had a narrow escape, and were forced to flee in such haste that they left their coats and the records of the days business behind. The explosion was heard as far back in the village as Eagens store. The tank of gasoline connected with the engine burned fiercely and in an incredibly short time the entire building was consumed.

 

Fanned by a brisk northwest wind, the flames leaped to the big hay press owned by John S. Amerman, a short distance away. The great building was soon a roaring mass of flames which leaped and licked their way to the adjacent lumber yard with its piles of tinder-like fuel which blazed like an inferno and passed the fire along to the feed store and Holcombs Hotel and also ignited the outbuildings and barns on the farm of former Judge Louis H. Schenck.

So rapid was the conflagration that the inmates of the hotel and the adjacent barber shop and pool room had only time to carry out a few valuables and articles of furniture when they were forced to flee for their lives.

 

With the total destruction of all the above buildings and two freight cars standing on a siding the fire spent itself in close proximity to Bradford Opies store. A stiff west wind was about the only thing that kept the fire from crossing the railroad tracks and destroying the town, which is without fire protection of any kind. No effort was made to cope with the conflagration, which was of such large proportions the inhabitants were simply dazed at its ferocity and magnitude.

Realizing their helplessness against a further spread of the big fire which menaced their homes, the residents of the village appealed to this place (Somerville) for assistance.

 

Chief Halstead of the Fire Department promptly ordered out the borough fire engine and a hose carriage, which Station Master Cady volunteered to carry to the scene on a flat car drawn by a special engine. Considerable difficulty and delay was experienced in loading the engine at the station, and the hose and the hose carriage to facilitate things was left behind, but enough hose was loaded on the car to answer all requirements, after which the apparatus and a number of firemen were hurried to the fire.

 

The outfit arrived at the scene after the fire had spent itself, but the engine was unloaded and taken to the river and the firemen performed several hours of effective work in extinguishing burning lumber piles and coal heaps and in preventing spread of the flame.