James H. Stewart
James H. Stewart
JAMES H. STEWART was born in Camden, New Jersey on June 28, 1914, the son of James and Grace Stewart. He was appointed to the Camden Division of Fire on March 2, 1948 and reported for duty the following day. He was promoted to Captain on August 1, 1961 and to Battalion Chief on January 1, 1969. He retired on November 1, 1972. James H. Stewart died on July 17, 1998.
Engine Company 6 — Front & Linden Streets, circa 1948
Engine 6 Wagon and Pumper, Front & Linden Streets, circa 1948. Left column, from left: Captain William Deitz, Firemen Robert Dukes, Harrison Pike, Mario Fattore, Edwin Callahan. Right column, from left: Firemen Thomas McParland, Philip Farrow, Thomas Winstanley, James Stewart, Ernest Tartaglia, John “Shorty” Prucella
2 Firemen Given Merit Awards
Camden Courier-Post —
Two Camden firemen today were presented with Merit Board certificates of special mention for outstanding service, by Chief William V. Pfefferle.
They are Capt. Frank A. Oberman, acting district fire chief, of 947 Elm st., and Chief’s Aide James Stewart, of 532 Elm st.
On March 6 Capt. Oberman and his aide were the first arrivals at a fire at 418 N. 7th st. Smoke and flames were shooting from the house when they reached the scene and neighbors told them a woman was on the second floor of the house.
Oberman and Stewart, running through dense smoke and flames, found Miss Mary Lee, 52, unconscious in her second-floor rear apartment. They carried her to safety. Miss Lee required treatment at Cooper Hospital for burns on her face and hands.
Firemen Here Get Advanced First Aid Course
Camden Courier-Post —
More than 40 members of the Camden Fire Department have completed the Red Cross course in advanced first aid according to announcement today by Howard F. Keller, Collingswood, chairman of the Camden County Chapter’s first aid committee.
Instruction sessions were under the direction of Fire Chief William V. Pfefferle, Drillmaster Anthony Dzinski, a member of the local chapter first aid group, assisted by Nicholas E. George, were instructors. Dzinski is a member of the Red Cross faculty at the National Aquatic School held in this area each year for instruction in advance safety techniques. Dick Harris, director of Red Cross safety services, supervised.
All members of the graduating class are personnel of several units housed at fire department headquarters here. These include the Headquarters Company, Engine Company 2, Rescue Squad 1 and truck company 1. these groups include:
Rescue Squad: Captains Arthur Batten, Philip A. Stinger and Albert Weller; Edward Brendlinger, Harrison MacNeir, Robert Olesiewicz and James W. Smith.
Headquarters Company: Raymond Banford, John K. Voll and John W. Yates.
Truck Company 1: Captains Daniel Jiannetto, Robert E. Dukes and Otto V. Kaiser; William Watkin, Chester Gedrich, George Baxter, John Mogck, George C. Hennessy, Charles Devlin, Ambrose W. Faust, Joseph McTaggart, Howard R. Taggart, William G. Winstanley and Elmer Johnson Jr.
Engine Company 2: Captains James R. Asher, Thomas Winstanley; Carl Wirtz, James McGrory, Edwin V. Decker, James Stewart, Francis X. McTaggart, Anthony T. Orme, Mario D. Fattore, James O. Jones, Francis P. Stibi, William Hopkins, Robert E. Briggs, John Giuliano, Casper Martelli, Harold H. Pike, John J. Vane, William Stibi, John DiMaggio and Harry Kleinfelder.
Engine Company 2 — 5th & Arch Streets, 1960
Engine Company 2 with new pumper in front of quarters, 5th & Arch Streets, 1960. Bottom row, from left: Fireman Harrison MacNeir, Chief Edward MacDowell, Fireman James Troutman, Captain Albert Weller, Fireman Charles Devlin, Fireman William Hopkins, Fireman George Hennessey; Top row, left to right: Fireman Francis Stibi, Fireman Robert Briggs, Fireman Bertram Dahl, Fireman Erwin Brennan, Captain Thomas Winstanley, Fireman Anthony Orme
25 Firemen Finish Training
Camden Courier-Post —
In a move aimed at staffing the Camden Fire Department for a new 42-hour work week, 25 probationary firemen will be graduated from the city fire academy Monday and 10 fire officers will be given promotions Tuesday.
Heading the list of fire officer promotions will be the selection of Battalion Chief Anthony C. Saponare, 51, of 117 S. 27th Street, Camden, as deputy fire chief. The new deputy chief is a 26-year veteran on the city fire force.
Two fire captains to be promoted to battalion chief are Matthew J. Davies, Jr., 36, of 2819 Carman Street, Camden, and James H. Stewart, 54, of 317 Garden Avenue, Camden.
Seven firemen to be named captains include William D. Hillman, 29, of 11 Crestfair Apartments, Camden; Joseph H. Arensberg, 32, of 1041 N. 32nd Street, Camden; Robert E. Briggs, 48, of 2861 Congress Road, Camden; and John Brzozowski, 28, 371 N. 34th Street, Camden.
Also to be named captains are Edmund F. Gorczynski, 36, of 272 N. 33rd Street, Camden; Anthony T. Orme, 44, 3317 River Road, Camden; and William B. Young, 29, of 1126 N. 33rd Street, Camden.
The new firemen include Richard E. Johnson, Thomas H. Eckel, Ronald C. Crowder, John A. DeLuca, Peter P. Carbone, Robert P. Hand, Robert M. Lapp, Jerome A. Kee, Thomas V. Kane, Charles E. Mayo, James C. Peterson and George S. Szychulski, all of Camden.
Other slated fire school graduates are Ronald Angemi, Robert C. Welch, Robert G. Boyle, Glenn H. Moore, Marvin W. Bendy, Thomas J. DiBiaso, Arthur J. Gibson, Daniel J. Galasso, Samuel Battle Jr., Ronald J. Boyle, Jerome J. Watson, George R. Abbey, 3rd., and William H. Huelas, all of Camden.
The appointments of all 35 men become effective Jan. 1, 1969.
Fire Rakes Paper Firm In Camden
Camden Courier-Post —
A three-alarm fire, fed by tons of waste paper, blazed out of control this morning in the Abbey Paper Stock Co. warehouse in the 1300 block of Pine Street, Camden.
Two-thirds of the city fire-fighting equipment was at the scene as firemen, hampered at times by failing water pressure from a leaky hydrant, fought to contain the blaze. Cinders and pieces of burning tar paper fell throughout the area starting small fires in brush and grass.
The first alarm was sounded at 10:32 shortly after the fire started in the 96-year-old three-story brick warehouse used to house waste paper. Batallion fire chief James Stewart said that when he arrived on the scene the fire was already burning through the roof and the west wall of the brick building had collapsed onto a one-story structure beside it, also owned by the paper company.
Stewart said he sounded the second alarm at 10:35 a.m. and the third at 10:40 a.m. Fire chief Edward V. Michalak Sr. arrived on the scene after the third alarm had sounded.
The fire was the second blaze in the complex of warehouses in five months. No one from the company was at the scene this morning, and firemen reported no injuries. Employes of the Allied Chemical Co., across Pine Street from the blazing warehouse, stood guard behind a high wire fence with fire-fighting equipment as burning embers drifted over the fence.
View a 3-minute video of the May 8, 1972 warehouse fire on YouTube.
Warehouse Blaze Cause Under Probe
Camden Courier-Post —
An investigation was continuing today into the cause of a three-alarm fire yesterday that destroyed the warehouse of a Camden waste paper packing firm.
The first alarm was sounded shortly after 10 a.m. when the fire broke out in the warehouse of the Pon-Pas Paper Stock Co. in the 1300 block Pine Street. The 96-year-old building was used to store bales of waste paper which was later recycled.
Two-thirds of the city’s fire-fighting equipment was at the scene as firemen, hampered at times by failing water pressure from a leaky hydrant, fought to contain the blaze. Cinders and pieces of burning tarpaper fell throughout the area starting small fires in brush and grass. The fire was reported under control at noon.
According to Al Fabel, general manager for the firm, no estimate of damage has been made. He said no one from the company was at the warehouse yesterday when the fire started. Firemen reported no injuries.
Fabel couldn’t estimate how many fires have been started at the warehouse, but did say there have been several in past years. “One of the problems we have at the warehouse,” Fabel said, “is vandalism. We check that warehouse every day, and three out of five times a week we find the door open and paper all over the place.”
Firemen did not indicate they suspect arson at the warehouse, formerly owned by Abbey Paper Stock Co.
The second alarm was sounded at 10:35 a.m., Batallion Chief James Stewart said yesterday, and the third at 10:40 a.m.
BROKEN HYDRANT wasn’t much help to firemen yesterday at the blaze. Charles DiBartolomeo, superintendent of Camden’s Water Department, said the hydrant apparently was struck by a heavy vehicle and broken off at the bottom.
Camden Division of Fire Personnel Record
Camden Division of Fire personnel record — James H. Stewart, appointed March 2, 1948; Citation: Special mention for 418 N. 7th