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EDISON PHONOGRAPH MONTHLY, JANUARY, 1915
Wrecked end of building near Erie Railroad.
struction, including the Administration Building, shall be equipped with steel window frames, steel window sash, and wire-embedded glass. Work along these lines is now in active progress, and soon all buildings will have fireproof windows and sash.
Still another lesson of the fire (perhaps the most obvious, because the most serious handicap when the fire started) is the need of adequate water supply and water pressure. Relying upon municipal mains is, oftentimes, hazardous, except possibly in large cities, which are well equipped for fire protection. Nearly two years ago the Edison Company determined upon its own water supply,
and at an expense of over $30,000 sunk a large well a short distance from the plant and installed its own mains to the plant. But the present experience demonstrates that this well is by no means deep enough nor the supply adequate. Mr. Edison has determined upon having now an abundant water supply independent from that under municipal control. Because the real effective work of the firemen in this great fire did not commence until the mains of West Orange had been connected with those of South Orange it is evident that a lack of sufficient water was responsible for the spread of the fire.
With all these lessons taken to heart, the new Edison plant will at once take a long stride forward in the way of real fireproof buildings and have an adequate water pressure of its own. It may be confidently asserted that no step will fail to be taken which can insure the plant against a repetition of such a fire.
The fire was remarkably free from accidents, as only one life was lost. The small number of accidents was due to the frequent fire drills which the company had organized. The Edison fire departments did splendid work, but the fire quickly got away from them, owing to the lack of water. When they found that they could not fight the fire, they at once started doing salvage work.
North side of the Administration Building, looking south. Right hand end is where fire was checked before reaching the Laboratory adjoining. Storage Battery Building appears on the right.