Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-04-15

BURNING OF THE GERRIsH MARKET AT one
o'clock on Saturday afternoon fire was discovered
in upper room of the large six story brick
building which stood on Friend, Portland, and
Sudbury Streets, in Boston, and was known as
the Gerrish Market. Shortly after two O'clock
the west wall of the building fell outwards, crush
ing down and setting fire to the three story brick
and wooden building, No. 81 Friend Street, oceu-
pied as a sash and blind factory. The upper part
of the wall fronting on Portland Street next top
pied down, giving the firemen and spectators be.
low just time to spring from under the mass of
brick and mortar. Immediately following, the
entire wall on the Sudbury Street side came
crashing into the street, completely filling it with
rubbish. The police had drawn ropes across the
streets about the burning building to keep out OF
danger all except the fremen but many specta-
tors had gained admission within the lines, and
it is wonder that none were killed by the fall.
ing walls.
About this time the ''Miles Greenwood" steam
fire engine arrived on the ground, and took its
position in Haymarket Square. The fire had full
possession, having reached a large quantity of
turpentine and varnish stored IN the building and
was blazing glandly, sending up in its huge vol
ume clouds OF flaming cinders, which were car
rled by the wind away towards the north part of
the city, The streets for several squares around
were hlled with choking volumes Of smoke which
had the effect of keeping back a portion of the
crowd. In about fifteen minutes after its arrival
the Miles Greenwood was at work, throwing two
immense streams into the midst of the burning
mass, 1t continued to work unremittinglv for
several hours, as long its services were needed
and was undoubtedly the means of saving LARGE
amount of property. Much more might have
been saved II this machine had been brought ont
when the alarm was first given.
The Market lsuilding was owned BY George w
Gerrish, OF Chelssa,was erected about three wears
ago, and was valued at Sl,000,000. 1t was insured
for only $40 900. The building was occupied by
large number of tenants, for great variety of
purposes. The principal occupants were Messrs
Sanborn, Carter, & Bazin, who used the two up
per stories and a portion of The attic for print.
ing office and bindery. They had recently put
the premises in complete order, and employed
about sixty hands, forty Of whom were girls
Their loss will probably be from 100000 to $780,.
600. They are insured for g24, 900 in all
The attic was occupied by Miss E. BOYLE, for
the manufacture of clothing for wholesale dealers
She had thirty sewing machines, and employed
about sixty seamstresses Miss Boyle had Just
completed three thousand pairs of pantaloons, all
OF which were waiting to be sent home. Miss B.
succeeded in removing portion of her sewing
machines.
The lower floor and intermediate stories, of the
building were occupied by sundry persons
The building on Friend Street adjoining the
market, also destroyed, was owned by A. ii. AL
! len, furniture dealer, and was valued at gl2 500
On Sudbury Street. corner of Friend Street. q
| four story brick building, occupied by Sargent
| Gunnlson, & Co, as a carriage depository, was
on FIRE, caused by the falling of the end wall Of
the market. Several carriages were burnt, and
the stock was badly damaged by fire and water
The total loss by this destructive fire cannot be
less than quarter of million of dollars Its
| origin is unknown
The only serious casualty during the fire was
occasioned by the fall of portion of chimney
on the Merrimaek House. Two little girls, EN-
ma Dyke, aged ten years, and Sarah Adams aged
thirteen, were standing on the sidewalk beneath
the chimney, and both were very seriously injured
the latter dangerously so, her skull being frac-
tured.