The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-11-14
FIRE IN
BOSTON!

ONE HUNDRED ACRES BURNED OVER !
IMMENSE DESTRUCTION OF
PROPERTY!
At 7.30 O'Clock Saturday night fire broke out
at No. 81 Summer street, near its foot and ada
cent to the Boston, Hartford and Erie Railroad
depot, which spread with fearful rapidity. Owing
to the lack of horses, caused by the distemper.
the fire department was slow in responding to
the alarm, and in the brief time before the
engines could reach the scene the flames were
beyond control. They rapidly swept up Sum-
mer street, taking both sides for time, then
leaving the south side swept onward up the
street nearly to Washington street, The flames
then turned northward, and the solid mass of
fire, which then extended from Broad to within
block of Washington street moved forward in
solid line of battle as it were. moving down
everything in its way.
The heat was scorching, and the wind which
blew a gale, filled the air with cloud of burn.
ing fragments. Scores of engines PLAYED upon
the burning mass with no apparent effect. W hole
blocks that were considered nvulnerable to fire
were swept away like the merest finder boxes.
The storehouses were filled with immense
quantities of goods which added to the intensity
of the unbearable heat.
While the fire was rushing up Summer street
it also crept towards the north into Winthrop
square and Franklin street, making much more
rapid progress on that side than on the western
side. In couple of hours. Franklin, Pearl,
Milk, Federal, Congress, High and the shorter
| streets that intersect these were one roaring
mass of fire. In these streets were nearly all
| the wholesale wooden, dry goods, fancy goods,
| hide and leather stores, and the immense granite
| buildings which had been erected within the
| past few Years were both As elegant and sub
| stantial as could be found in this country. To-
ward State street. through Devonshre. Kilby
| and other streets, the buildings kept giving way
| TO the fire one after another. while at daybreak
| the whole territory bounded on the south by
Sherman street, in width extending from BROAD
| to the rear of the blocks on the east side of
Washington street, as far north as Milk street,
| was all covered with burning ruins. North of
Milk the buildings from the new Post office east
| to Broad street were in flames close up to the
row of blocks on the south side of State street.
| In the meantime the fire had crept south of
sherman street as far as the east end of Bedford
street, and southeast to brakes wharf, a few
minutes walk south of where the fire originated.
| On the western side the fire crept in the new
| Transcript building and the marble front build
| ing of Macullar, Williams and Parker. on Wash
| ington street, and from what we can gather
| from the vague dispatches, we should indge
| that the buildings on Washington street from
| Milk to Summer have all been swept away.
All through the day buildings in the vicinity
| of State street were being blown up to stop the
| progress OF the flames, the Onl; ones definitely
| mentioned, however, in the dispatches, were
| those at the corner OF klby and state streets.
| At l o'clock last night the limits of the fire
appeared to be included in the territory mem
| TONED ABOVE; anu II appeared Setlied That The
| progress OF the names mad at last been stayed
but at l."o rumors were current the ilre had
| broken out alresh al the corner OF Washington
| anu summer streets. mad taken Jordan ~
| MarSh'S extensive dry goods house, and was
| rushing on towards the Common. At that time
the gas was cut off, which rendered the trans
MISSION OF dispatches impossible, so That we
| are lelt wholly IN DOUBT IN regard TO what mas
| tfh>plreu ialef. IL Is very eNident, however,
| that the northern limits OF the colHlagration is
at Llndall street. Just IN the rear OF the ol foFl
| office.
| The burned district takes out The very heart
| OF the business OF Boston, embracing As 1t did
| large proportion OF the wholesale establish
| ments OF the city. On Franklin. Chanry
| summer and other streets III that neighborhood
| were the great establishments that have made
| Boston the leading market OF the country fol
| American dry goods, wooens and wool. Pear
| street was also the greatest boot and shoe
market in the world, the whole length of thai
street being devoted to that business. ~ well rs
the shorter streets, branching from 1t. Within
| this now devastated section were also congre
| gated the most OF the wholesale dealers IN non
| groceries, clothing, paper, fancy goods anI
| stationery. The upper stories of many Of the
| magnificent blocks now leveied to the earth
| were teeming wi 18th mechanical industries. AL
| the type fOundries, a large portion of the iol
printers, book binders and fine machine works
of various kinds were here, which gave employ
| ment 10 thousands OF men and women who are
| now thrown out Of employment. Many cloth
| ing, hoop skirt, corset, and like establishments
which helped to make Boston great hive o
| industry. were also gathered in this section.
The majority of the buildings included IN the
| limits of Milk, Summer, and Broad streets
| were massive granite structures, those in Win
thrOp square and on Franklin street being
especially grand in their eXeriors. The new
| Transcript building which was completed only
| n few months ago, was a very fine structure on
| Washington street, just south of Milk. 1t wa
a granite front building, four stories in height
with double French roof above, and admirably
adapted for the business to which IT was devoted
The magnificent marble structure ON Washing
ton street. occupied by MesSrS. Macullar
| Williams IL Parker which was also sweep
| away, was building that attracted universe
attention. 1t was built by the trustees OF tho
Sears estate few years ago, and was the fines
building of the kind in the city. 1t extended
| back to Hawley street two hundred and fifty
feet and was five stories high. The abundance
of light and air in this establishment caused the
State Board of Health to make il special note OF
the regard paid IN these respects 20 the health
Of the men and women employed. 1t wa
| thought at last accounts that the new Post office
and Sub-treasury building was safe 1t is ye
incomplete, but it was TO be the finest public
building in New England. 1t occupied The
whole square between Milk and Water streets
me corner stone was iaid WIN great soiem M
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