Introduction
Captain Felix E. Bendzyn
FELIX BENDZYN was born on May 30, 1899 in Camden, New Jersey to Louis and Anna Bendzyn. His family had lived in Philadelphia before he was born. The Bendzyns were at 829 Sycamore Street at the time of the 1900 Census. Louis Bendzyn worked as a day laborer to support his family, which then included four children older than baby Felix. They were Helen, Louis, Paul, and Mary. Two other children had died, an all but too infrequent event in those times. By 1906 the family had moved to 1041 Diamond Street.
When he registered for the draft in September of 1918 Felix Bendzyn was working at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyard. The census taken in January of 1920 shows that Felix Bendzyn was still working at the shipyard and living with his parents, older sister Helen, and younger siblings Frank, Alexander, and Anna at 1041 Diamond Street.
By 1924 the Bendzyn family had moved to 1247 Thurman Street and stayed there as late as 1927. Brothers Paul and Louis had also moved back in with the family. Felix Bendzyn remained with the shipyard until the spring of 1928.
Felix Bendzyn was appointed to the Camden Fire Department on April 28, 1928 and assigned Engine Company 7 as a hoseman. The 1929 Camden City Directory shows him living at 926 Howe Street with his wife, the former Martha Kokocha. This would be his address for the rest of his days. During the 1930s Martha Bendzyn was an active member of the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association. In October of 1943 Martha’s brother, Peter Kokocha, was appointed to the Camden Fire Department.
On June 16, 1951 Felix Bendzyn was promoted to Captain and transferred to Engine Company 8.
Felix Bendzyn was still serving with Engine Company 8 when he died on June 4, 1961. He was replaced on the Fire Department by James Stewart, who reported for duty on August 1, 1961. Felix Bendzyn was survived by his wife Martha, who joined him in 1986.
World War I Draft Card
World War I Draft Registration Card – Felix Edward Bendzyn, 1041 Diamond St., Camden, N.J. Occupation: Tester, N.Y. Ship.
Promoted Firemen Take Posts Today
Camden Courier-Post —
Lennox Deputy Chief; Eight Others Elevated as Captains Here
A new deputy chief, a battalion chief and eight new senior and junior captains will assume their posts today in the fire department. The men were promoted yesterday afternoon, along with the announcement of eleven new appointments of firemen, who will go into service April 15.
The new deputy chief, John H. Lennox, now is second in command when his platoon is on duty. He was acting deputy since the naming of Thomas Nicholas as chief two years ago.
The new battalion chief is Rollo Jones. Jones succeeds George B. Wade, who retired January 1.
Junior captains advanced to senior captains, with salaries increased to $2,400, are William H. Harring, Truck Company No. 1, Clarence Madden, Engine Company No. 6, and George Hunt, Engine Company No. 7. The new junior captains advanced from the ranks, with new salaries of $2,280 a year, are David Ellis, driver for Chief Nicholas for nine years, George Saunders, hoseman of Engine Company No. 9; Eli Hunt, driver of Engine Company No. 3, and William Van Pfefferle, hoseman, Engine Company No. 1.
All the promotions were from the civil service eligible list. The captains will be assigned tomorrow.
The new firemen, also civil service eligibles, will start with salaries of $1,500. Each year of service brings an increase, until five years in the department pays $2040 annually. The new men are Thomas F. Gibbons, Byron M. Davis, John S. Anderson, William H. Toy, Leo J. Tompkins, Horace T. Molan, Lawrence Bolton, George W. Garner, Felix E. Bendzyn, Harry H. Hess and Charles Jones.
Chief Lennox is one of the most popular firefighters in the organization. “Chappie” is the nickname by which he has been known for years. He was appointed a fireman January 1, 1908. He was promoted to a captainship October 1, 1915, and was assigned to Engine Company No. 8.
His promotion to deputy chief gives the department two men in that standing, one in command of each platoon on duty. His new salary will be $2,8[8]0 a year. He will be stationed at headquarters, Fifth and Arch streets. He lives at 633 Clinton street. William W. Patterson is the other deputy chief.
Battalion Chief Jones will receive $2,520 a year. He has been in command of Engine Company No. 9, Twenty-seventh and Federal streets. He will be sent to command Engine Company No. 3, Broadway and Ferry avenue.
He was a former senior captain of Engine Company No. 4. For a number of years he was an instructor in fire school methods of life saving. He lives at 536 York street.
22 Firemen Assigned to New Stations
Camden Courier-Post —
12 Rookies and 10 Promoted Men Go to Posts
Twelve new firemen and ten men promoted several weeks ago were assigned to their new stations yesterday by Chief Thomas J. Nicholas. With these appointments, the department complement of 200 men is completed.
John H. Lennox, newly named deputy chief, will make his headquarters at the Fifth and Arch streets station. Rollo Jones, promoted from senior captain to battalion chief, succeeding George Wade, recently retired on pension, will move to Engine Company No. 3, Broadway and Ferry avenue.
Three men were promoted from junior to senior captaincies. They are: William Heron [sic], who moved to Company No. 2; George Hunt, Company No. 8, and Clarence T. Madden, Company No. 5.
Taken from the ranks, the following will be stationed as junior captains: David R. Ellis, Company No. 7; Clarence Newton, Company No. 5; William Van Pfefferle, Truck Company No. 2; Eli Hunt, Company No. 9, and George Saunders, Company No. 6.
The new firefighters and their stations are: Lawrence Bolton [sic], Company No. 9; John S. Anderson, Company No. 4; Byron M. Davis, Company No. 1; George W. Garner, Company No. 4; Lawrence Milton, Company No. 5; Thomas Gibbons, Company No. 4; Leo J. Tompkins, Company No. 2; Felix Bendzyn, Company No. 7; Horace T. Molan, Company No. 7; William E. Toy, Company No. 9; Harry H. Hess, Company No. 11, and Edward Callahan, Truck Company No. 4.
23 Homeless After $300,000 Fire Destroys City Block in Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
C. B. Coles Mill Damaged and 7 Houses Burn
Six Overcome by Smoke, Two Sisters Saved From Dwelling
ALL BEREFT OF HOMES TO BE CARED FOR BY CITY
Firemen Called at 4 A. M. as Flames Burst From Smouldering Ruins
Fire Climaxes Troubles of Kaighn Point Widow
Yesterday’s disastrous fire was the climax to a series of tragedies which have visited Mrs. Margaret Dolson, of 1226 Knight street, during the last five months. Her mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Craig, 73, died about five months ago. A short time later, Mrs. Dolson’s husband, Robert, died, leaving her with three sons and a nephew. After that, a small fire broke out in her home and damaged some furniture.
Because of some difficulty with the insurance company over collecting money for damage, she allowed her fire insurance on her furniture to lapse and thus was fully unprotected when—
Yesterday the Kaighn’s Point fire razed the house, which she rented, and all of her personal effects were destroyed, leaving her with nothing. Through the kindness of friends, she and her brood have shelter and food today.
Camden’s most devastating conflagration in 18 years swept over an entire city block at Kaighn Point yesterday afternoon and left in its blackened wake damage unofficially estimated at $300,000.
Again at 4 a.m. today, fire broke out in the still smouldering ruins. A fire company from Sixth street and Kaighn avenue responded to the alarm and promptly extinguished the new blaze, leaving a guard there to immediately sound an alarm at any sign of another outbreak.
Yesterday’s hungry flames, fanned by a tricky, high wind, took the following toll:
Seven homes at Nos. 1218, 1226, 1228, 1230 and 1232 Knight street, and Nos. 1208 and 1210 South Front street.
Twenty-three persons, including eight children, eight women and seven men, were left homeless.
Six persons were overcome by smoke or injured by flying debris.
Three warehouses, an office building and a large shed owned by the C. B. Coles and Sons Lumber Company on the east side of Front street at Mechanic, were destroyed or damaged. The factory and warehouses on the west side of front street were untouched by the flames and were in operation today.
Eight automobile [sic] were completely destroyed and at least five others damaged.
A large garage housing a motorboat at 1215 Knight street, owned by George Tucker, was razed.
The stables of Charles Voll at 1216 Knight street were destroyed after 15 horses had been led to safety. Voll, a produce dealer at Second and Kaighn, also owned one of the houses destroyed and two automobile [sic] which were demolished.
Area Affected
The area affected by the fire was bounded by Kaighn avenue, Front, Second and Mechanic streets. However, the fire wreaked the worst damage on Front and Knights [sic] streets. Knight is a small street running south from Kaighn to Mechanic, parallel to Front and Second streets.
Not since the fire which destroyed the same lumber yard and the old Kaighn’s Point ferry on Jan. 3, 1915, has the city experienced such a destructive fire. Scarcely had smoke been sighted an an [sic] alarm sounded, then the flames were racing through the lumber yard. A shifting wind sent the fire scurrying in several directions so quickly that tenants of the houses which caught fire had very little opportunity to save any of their household effects.
A general alarm was sounded for the first time in years, bringing to the scene every available piece of fire apparatus, while Philadelphia fire boats stood by to render aid should the flames spread to the new $3,000,000 Reading Terminal less than a half block away.
Today, firemen were endeavoring to determine the origin of the fire, but the care of the homeless was the city’s major problem.
Those left without homes and even a change of clothing were sheltered by neighbors or relatives last night, but Dr. A. L. Stone, city relief administrator, was planning to give aid to them today.
One of the homeless women, Mrs. Marion Richards, of 1218 Knight street, went to Dr. Stone for aid at 10 a. m. today. As she was walking through the first floor at City Hall, she collapsed. Nurses from Dr. Stone’s offices revived her.
Ruins Searched by Homeless
Several of those whose homes were razed were searching in the ruins today for some of their valuables. They and firemen were the only ones permitted in the stricken area, which police had roped off. Additional patrolmen were on duty to prevent scavengers from robbing the debris of any valuables that may have been buried there.
Henry C. Coles, president of the lumber company, stated that his firm’s property was damaged to the extent of about $200,000. The entire lumber company property on the east side of Front street was either destroyed or made untenable by fire and water. However, he said the factory was in operation today, and as no trucks were damaged, the firm was conducting its usual business.
A horse known throughout the neighborhood as “Old Bob,” was burned to death in the lumber yard.
Of the houses burned, Voll owned the 1218 Knight street property; the Reading Railroad owned the house at 1226 Knight street, while the others were owned by John Bircher, of Bellmawr.
In addition to the places actually damaged, many other properties were in danger from ever-shifting winds and virtual clouds of sparks. Windows on other properties cracked from the heat, and streams of water were played on properties across the street from the burning area.
40 Lines of Hose
Chief John H. Lennox called every fire company and every fireman on duty. Every available policeman was called to handle the thousands of spectators.
Civilians aided the firemen. Employes of the lumber plant manned hose and the company’s turbines churned tons of water into the blaze. At one time the fire companies were pouring water from 40 lines of hose.
Water Chief James H. Long and his assistant, Harry Hertline, responded to the fire alarms and found plenty of water. The companies were pumping from 20-inch high pressure mains, with auxiliary wells on Ferry avenue and on Kaighn avenue.
Intense heat kept firemen a half a square from the blaze at times. They slowly struggled through blinding and suffocating smoke and when the blaze was under control two hours after it was discovered the firemen had managed to confine it to a city block.
Woman Discovers It
The first alarm was at 3 p. m., shortly after Mrs. Joseph Novack, whose husband is the proprietor of a cafe at 1208 South Front street, ran into the street, screaming “Fire!”
E. H. Stewart, general secretary of the Atlantic City Railroad Y. M. C. A., across the street at Front and Atlantic avenue, sent in the first alarm and later rescued two women.
Stewart said the wind was blowing from the east at the time and the Y. M. C. A., the planing mills of the Coles Company and the Camden Terminal Storage Company’s seven-story warehouse, at Front and Mechanic streets, were in danger.
But the wind suddenly shifted from east to west and a light breeze from the river carried the flames toward a row of five frame houses on Knight street, between Front and Second.
These two-story houses were enveloped in flames in a few minutes. So fast did the fire travel that little was saved. One family was absent, but the four others fled for their lives.
Clowns Save Cripple
Several members of the Camden Clown Club, a veteran New Year shooters’ organization, ran to the home of James Shay, 1228 Knight street, and one of them, Albert George, carried Shay’s invalid stepdaughter, Alice Williams, 25, from the blazing house. The girl, an infantile paralysis victim, was sitting helpless in a wheel chair when the flames ignited the home.
With her mother, Mrs. Alice Shay, and stepbrother, William Shay, 14, she watched the flames crumble the home in which they had lived 20 years.
Other members of the clown club—Stanley Berthelot, Henry Small and James Rice—carried brand new furniture of William Haines, 1232 Knight street, to safety.
Stewart carried two aged sisters, Mrs. Anna Parker and Mrs. Mary Numbers, from their blazing home at 1210 South Front street, next to the Novack cafe.
Twelve automobiles on a parking lot of Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Numbers on the south side of their home were either destroyed or damaged. Civilians were able to get six of them to safety after they had been partially damaged. The others were buried as walls collapsed.
Crumbling walls endangered 30 firemen on Front street at 5 p. m. About that time a ladder against a Coles garage slipped and Fireman William Hopkins, 39, of 730 Cedar street, attached to Engine Company No. 2, was thrown to the sidewalk. He suffered sprained ankles and was removed to Cooper Hospital.
Felix Benzyn, 33, of 926 Howe street, attached to Company No. 7, suffered burns of the face and hands and was taken to West Jersey Homeopathic Hospital.
First Aid Crews Sent
Dennis Block, 3, of 1123 South Second street, suffered burns of the right arm and left leg when he wandered too near the flames. He was taken to the West Jersey Hospital for treatment.
Cooper and West Jersey Hospitals sent ambulances with doctors and nurses who treated several firemen for cuts, burns and minor injuries. All of the city ambulances were on duty.
Camden and Philadelphia Second Alarmers served cool drinks to the firemen and police.
Several charitable organizations, including Wiley Mission, offered to house those left without homes.
Trainman Faints in Fright
Fully 20 trainmen were asleep on the second floor of the Y. M. C. A. Building when the fire broke out. Stewart awakened them. C. E. Wells, one of the trainmen, collapsed when he was suddenly awakened to see the conflagration so near. He was revived by doctors from West Jersey Hospital ambulance.
Firemen were hampered by the explosion of gasoline tanks of automobiles trapped in the parking yard of Mrs. Parker and her sister.
A horse in the lumber company’s stable just north of the Novack place perished.
The fire was at the main entrance of the $3,000,000 Reading terminal, which for a while was in danger. It was impossible to get vehicles into the ferry house. All cars coming from Philadelphia were forced to park at the entrance until the flames were under control.
The railroad kept several locomotives standing by at the terminal to remove coaches if necessary. The company lost several hundred coaches in the 1915 fire.
Heads Auxiliary
Camden Courier-Post —
Heads Auxiliary
MRS. ANNA GLEASON, who was elected president of the Ladies’ Auxiliary of the Camden Police and Firemen’s Association, 1175 Whitman Avenue. She is the widow of Lester A. Gleason. Other newly elected officers are Mrs. E. Schriver, vice president; Mrs. Ruth Baker, corresponding secretary; Mrs. Mable Batten, secretary, and Mrs. Martha Bendzyn, treasurer.
Captain Bendzyn at the C.B. Coles Fire, 1958
Captain Felix Bendzyn of Engine Company 8, encrusted in ice following the extinguishing of a fire on the pier at the foot of Clinton Street, winter of 1958. Photo by Bob Bartosz.
Fire Department Personnel Card
Camden Fire Department personnel card – Felix E. Bendzyn, Captain, Engine Co. 8. Born Camden, N.J., May 30, 1899. Appointed Apr. 2, 1928. Assignments: 4/16/28 Engine 7 hoseman; 6-16-51 Promoted Captain, Engine 8. Deceased June 4, 1961.