New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-06-23
From Boston Papers. June IS
Destructive Fire in Worcester, Mass.

The most destructive confagration that ever
occurred in Worcester county broke out about
ten minutes past twelve o'clock on Wednesday
the l4th instant, in the southwest wing of vii.
lam T. Merrifeld's machine shop, occupied by
some Of Tire largest maehinists in Worcester.
The buildings were o. DriGi, four stories nigh
situated upon Union, Exchange and Cypres:
streets. and occupied three sides Of whole
square.
Among the occupants were Samuel Flagg &
Co, and Daniel Tainter, machine mauulae
turers; George VI. Bliss, boot manufacturer
Jordan, horse ahoer; G. Hovey & Co., nay cut
ters; Hovey s. Lazeile, do ; D. Palmer. For
bush & Cronpton, machinsts j & l. 9. Brown:
Hood, Battelle & Co. s. 8, Reed. carriage
wheel manufacturer; P. E. Towpe 4 Co., per
forated paper manufacturers; Massachusetts
Sewing Machine Company; and a number Of
other firms.
The building was entirely consumed, and the
loss is immense. Very little Of the property is
covered by insurance.
The fire very soon crossed Union street The
large buildings occupied by Allen & Thurber,
pistol makers, we're next in flames, and were
entirely consumed, with nearly alL their con-
tents.
The basement story of Allen Il Thurbers
buildings we're occupied By Thayer, Houghtcn
s. Co, extensive manufacturers Of machinery
and from this nothing vas saved.
Several men jumped from the third story, and
the report is that william Carey is killed
Others are supposed to be among the ruins, but
in the confusion that prevails, nothing can be
known with certainty.
Several fremen, who dropped down from ex-
hausti0n, are in critical condition.
From Merrifield's and Allen l. Thurber's
buildings the fire spread in a northerly and
, easterly direction, consuming some fifteen adja-
cent buildings The loss cannot fall much
short of two hundred thousand dollars, and at
| least one-quarter Of the mechanical buildings
Of the city were swept away.
About three acres of the most thickly settled
portion of the city is swept clean. At this time
the fire is got under, and there is fear that it
will extend further More than four hundred
men are thrown out Of employment by this fire,
and many families are houseiess. /
AT 4 s'cock the fire was under suhiection, AT
that time it was confined principally to Exchange
street. The wind was not blowing hard at any
time during the day If there had been a south
west wind, the destruction would have been
much greater. The intense heat Of the weather
added to that of the flames caused great suffer.
ing among the firemen. Several lives were lost
A workman in Mnrryfcld's establishment, il
attempting to save his tools, was buried i'll tht
ruins.
One man jumped from the roof of Merryfe1ds
building, "A stories high) and was terribly mu
tilated, having his legs md hips completely
smashed. Itis reported that three iremen wert
on the third floor of the same building when tht
walls fell in. They are supposed to be killed
| Many limbs were broken, aud the doctors hai
their hands full Of work.
The area of ground burnt was over thr {
acres, and the amount of property destroyed wi
reach half a million OF dollars Merryfield hi
no insurance on his building, which exte udc
500 feet on three streets, ana was four stor les
height. His lass will be very heavy
The Nashua engine house and machine shG
were saved by tearing down she'd
At 4 o'clock great efforts had been made
save the stables of the American House, an
Bonney's livery stable, and these hui idings We
considered safe, as the fire had been mostly sui
! dued IN that direction At that tim it was 2,
pected that the fire would extend ortbwardl
towards Main street if it spread urther, bt
hopes were entertained that the dev curing, al,
ment was stayed.
The four Worcester engines were found to |
far inadequate to the emergency, and speci
trains were dispatched to Boy lston, Oak dale an
alillbury Tor engines and firemen. Tire hydran
from some cause would not work, our suifciel
water wars obtained