Introduction
William C. DuBell moved from Northampton Township in Burlington County to Camden at some point between 1880 and 1887. Once in Camden he found work as a teamster for the Volney Bennett Lumber Company. His son, Charles G. DuBell followed him into the lumber business. In 1922 William, Charles, and grandson Lester went into business for themselves, founding the DuBell Lumber Company at 18th and Federal Street in East Camden.
DuBell Lumber was a fixture on Federal Street for many years. After a brief association with the DiMedio Lime Company in the late 1970s, DuBell Lumber moved out of Camden. Still in business in 2004, the DuBell Lumber Company is now headquartered in Medford NJ.
DuBell Lumber Company
Camden Courier-Post —
DuBell Lumber Company. — Camden Courier-Post, September 17, 1928.
DuBell Lumber Company
Camden Courier-Post —
DuBell Lumber Company. — Camden Courier-Post, March 12, 1930.
Camden Concern Sees Gain in Orders
Camden Courier-Post —
Storm Sash and Insulating Board Sold in Increasing Number
With cold weather just around the corner, one Camden concern anticipates a rush of orders soon for storm sash and insulating board.
With a steadily increasing number of householders becoming acquainted with the merits of storm sash in keeping out cold drafts and consequently cutting down coal bills, the company has shown a steady gain in orders the last few years.
Because it has been convincingly demonstrated that there is a big heat loss through the roof and side walls of even a well constructed building, if the roof and walls are not insulated, the DuBell Lumber Co. also is distributor in Camden and vicinity for Masonite, a board made from fibre.
By the use of Masonite insulation in the roof and side walls, it is possible to eliminate a large part of this heat loss, so that fuel costs in many cases, may be reduced from 25 to 40 percent.
One factor which has helped bring business to the DuBell Co. is its small order department. By maintaining a special service for those who need only a small quantity of lumber, the firm has added scores of new accounts to its books.
Six big sheds house the firm’s stock, in the yards at Eighteenth and Federal Streets. All kinds of inside millwork, as well as lumber for outside purposes is handled by the company.
DuBell Lumber Company Advertisement
Camden Courier-Post —
DuBell Lumber Company. — Camden Courier-Post, June 1, 1932.
DuBell Lumber Company
Camden Courier-Post —
DuBell Lumber Company. — Camden Courier-Post, September 12, 1935.
DuBell Lumber Company
Camden Courier-Post —
DuBell Lumber Company, 18th and Federal Street. — Camden Courier-Post, February 7, 1938.
DuBell Lumber Company
Blaze destroys business
Camden Courier-Post —
By JUDY PETSONK Of the Courier-Post
Courier-Post photo by Evangelos Dousmanis
Battling blaze A five-alarm fire destroyed the Du Bell Lumber Co. in the 1800 block of Federal Street last night. The blaze also damaged the adjacent Concrete Steel Co.
CAMDEN — A spectacular fire which burned out of control for several hours last night destroyed the Du Bell Lumber Co. and damaged the adjacent Concrete Steel Co. on Federal Street here.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. Arson was thought to be “a possibility,” according to Camden Patrolman John Hale.
The fire was reported around 8:40 p.m. and the buildings of the lumber company were engulfed when firefighters arrived.
There were no serious injuries reported. One fireman, Robert Williams, 37, of the Eleventh Engine Co. suffered heat exhaustion and was taken from the scene by ambulance.
“It’s just too hot,” he said, his face bubbled with sweat.
The lumber company in the 1800 block of Federal Street is a division of the DiMedio Lime Co., which is the next property on Federal Street and was threatened by the fire. Officials of the firms could not be reached last night, and no estimates of damage were available.
Fire destroys lumber firm
All of Camden’s fire-fighting equipment was pressed into service, and off-duty firemen were called in. Fire equipment was called in from Oaklyn, Haddon Heights, Mount Ephraim, Brooklawn, Gloucester City, Woodlynne, Gloucester Township and Pennsauken to help fight the fire and cover the city.
Flames from the fire leaped more than a hundred feet in the air as an estimated 300 persons from the neighborhood watched. The intense heat blistered the siding of Pooch’s Pub across the street.
Gloria Plymire, 17, of 452 Stockton Station, Camden, said she saw smoke coming from the upper windows of the main building and ran into the pub to call the firemen. By the time her father, Nelson, 47, parked and locked the car, the building was engulfed in flames, she said. “Then it started to blow up.”
By the time the first fire engines arrived a few minutes later, the fire was through the roof, a Camden fireman said.
Explosions could be heard a block away and within minutes, only the outline of a building frame could be seen against the brilliant flames.
“It’s like the atom bomb,” said Donald Anderson, of 1426 Dayton St., Camden, who was shooting pool in Cherry Hill when he saw the orange flames searing the horizon.
As flames nibbled the roof of the adjacent Concrete Steel Co., firemen struggled to find a way to get an engine into the locked yard. They feared the intense heat might cause the steel beams of the building to buckle.
The fire came in the midst of a city work dispute over the planned layoff of 30 police officers and 17 firefighters. Some ambulances at the scene of the fire carried signs with a skull saying “Welcome to Fear City.” Among the spectators in the roped-off area across the street from the fire were several off-duty Camden firemen.
Camden firefighter William Kamman was at a birthday in Runnemede when he saw the flames and piled his family into the car to go watch.
“This is the group that’s going to be laid off that’s fighting this fire,” he said. “There’s a kid out there (pointing to a group spraying the flames from close in) that’s not even supposed to be here. He’s on his own time.”