AUTO ENGINE FLIES TO FIRE.

The New York Times
December 6, 1909

Morristown Company Makes 13 Miles in 21 Minutes and Ends Peapack's Fire.

Special to The New York Times.

MORRISTOWN, N. J., Dec. 5.—A fire that started in the general store of John M. Allen in Main Street, Peapack, this morning destroyed two other stores and two residences before it was checked.  The loss was $50,000.  The Peapack Fire Department, unable to cope with the fire with its gasolene pump, asked aid of neighboring towns.  The fire companies of Far Hills, Bernardsville, and Mendham responded.  Chief Engineer J. Fred Runyon, of the Morristown Department, was asked to aid.  He took the automobile chemical engine to Peapack, covering the thirteen miles and being at work on the fire in twenty-one minutes.

The Morristown men relieved the country firemen, who were almost exhausted, and took a stream into the residence of Philip Todd, and after a hard battle stopped the flames at that point.  The building of J. H. Allen, in which was the drug store of Joseph Shippey, with a hall above, was destroyed, as was William Van Ness's harness shop, his home and the barber shop of Harvey Moke.

Several firemen at work on the buildings were hurt, although not seriously.