Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-11-12
THE BOSTON FIRE.
FULL EXTENT OF THE DISASTER.
GRAPHIC ACCOUNT OF The C0EFl AGRATIoN.
4 Grand but Appalling Scene,
Terrible Incidents of Saturday Night and
Sunday

by a soldier early in the morning while setting
IRE to building on Milk street. The Saturday
Evening Gazette was among the papers burned
out. The number of business houses burned
out Is 900, and 50 dwellings and lodging houses,
leaving $50 families homeless. At a meeting of
the citizens relief committee, Mayor CASTOR
read dispatches from Gov. Geary of Pennsyl-'|
vsnis, and the mayors Of Cincinnati, Chic ago,
Indianapolis, Providence, and other cities,
rendering sympathy and aid committee of
ladies has been formed to look after the thous-
ands Of sewing girls thrown out OF employment.
Propositions are being urged tor the making of
new street lines in the burned district, and for
the erection Of a merchants exchange building.
The committee of twenty citizens have re-
quested Gov. Washburn to call special session
OF the legislature to authorize the city to issue
sufficient amount of seven per cent. bonds to
AID the sufferers in rebuilding the burned dis
uict.
THE HUB IN THE DARK.
The city was in darkness last night, owing to
the disconnecton of the main gas pipes from the
burned district. The work in the newspaper
offices was being done by lamp and CANDLE
light. l.r.
MISSING MEN.
Joseph Burr, of Dorchester, and George
Smith, of NepOnset, went to Boston on Saturday
evening, and have not been seen since. 1t is
feared they have been killed by falling walls.
n. f.. Abbott, Charlestown fireman, Is missed
by bis friends, and fears for his safety are
REMOVAL OF THE POST OFFICE.
The post office is temporarily located in
Faneuil Hall. Postmaster Burt does eyery-
thing possible under the circumstances to expe-
dite the distribution of mail matter. Gilmore
has placed the Coliseum at the disposal of
parties wishing place to store goods. The
vaults OF the banks with all their contents. are
safe. The books of the Hide and Leather Bank
are, however, destroyed.
COEDITIoN OF BOSTON INSURANCE COMPANIES.
II Is impossible TO give anything like an accu-
rate, or even an approximate, report Of lnsnr
ance. Some Of the largest firms have had no
tim to look over their policies. AT an infor-
NAL meeting Of the leading insurance officers, a
statement was made that the losses will be
nearly paid in full. 1t is stated that only three
insurance companies in Boston have suspended,
namely: International, the Corn Exchange and
Humboldt. President Oakley, of the New York
Board Of Underwriters, estimates the total in
surance loss in Boston at not much over
S1C0, 600, 600. The Boylston must stop.
MANsARD ROOFS.
AT the relief meeting in New York yesterday,
resolutions were adopted disappearing OF the
construction of Mansard roofs on large and lofty
buildings, and calling for the appointment by
the fire Insurance companies OF board OF en-
gineers, who shall be invested with legal au.
thOrity TO blow up all buildings when they deem
it necessary to prevent the spread of fires. The
New York board OF aldermen, at a meeting,
forbade the erection of mansard roofs unless OF
fire proof materials.
MATERIAL AID FOR THE sUFFRRERs
Relief meetings of citizens were held yester-
day and to- day in New York, Pttsburg, Bslti
more, and Chicago, at the latter of which
speeches Of sympathy for the Boston sufferers
were made, and 800, 900 donated for their relief
The Cincinnati common council has appointed
a committee 10 communicate with the Boston
authorities and, If necessary, to visit that city
and ascertain what aid Cincinnati may be able
to render. large relief meeting was held in
st. Louis yesterday.
EFFECT OF THE FIRE ON BUSINESS IN NEW YORK
Wall street, New York, was more quiet yester-
day, and the pancky feeling was dying out.
There was but little business transacted in the
wool, hardware, leather, or dry goods trade.
Assistant Secretary Richardson, of the Treasury
Department, was in consultation with leading
bankers and merchants regarding the situation.
- hot 10 all t,on
the Withdrawal from the banks OF the green
backs deposited some time since to relieve the
market
The following graphic story of the fire is told
by cOrresI Ondent of the New York Times.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The flames which commenced the awful work
of destruction were first discovered about tx
O'Clock Saturday night in the engine-roOm OF
the large four-story granite store, situated at
the corner OF Summer and Kingston streets,
occupied by Tebbets, Baldwin * Davis, whole
sale dry goods dealers. The fire must have been
smOldering for some time, as when il was first
discovered the flames had gained such volume
as doomed the entire building. There was
scarcely any wind stirring when the first alarm
was given, and though the light OF the lire was
soon bright one, nobody imagined that ii
would prove TO be so appalling disaster. When
the iiremen arrived on the ground they found
that the flames had reached the fourth story of
the building, and before they got to work with
their engines every window vomited forth smoke
and flame, the heat being so intense that, for
the moment. they had 10 retreat Still the fire-
men Dersevered and get several large streams
Of water playing on the burning building before
any OF the adjoining stores caught fire.
THE FIRE RUNNING ALONG MANsARD ROOFS
The buildings in the vicinity we're all of
granite, four stories high, each surmounted with
a Mansard root. The detached spIinters few
readily, as the air was heated by the terrible
heat, and the flames be gan licking the Manssrd
roof on the opposite side, far above the reach
of the streams directed toward it from ali quar-
tiers. The fire was constantly I'm the air and
one building after another csught on the root,
and the names n skipped lightly along from one
window sill TO another, 80 that in less than thirty
minutes 1t became evident that the whole city
III one direction was at the mercy OF the flames.
GRAND BUT APPALLING SEINE.
The scene at 10 O'Clock was q grand one de-
spite the destruction visible on every hand The
cutters were full of water that had been thrown
upon the burning houses only TO fall impotent
and disappear in the cuiyerts. The heat was SO
great that the blocks of granite composing the
walls OF the stores already on fire actually began
to explode, the fragments being scattered in
every direction. Roofs fell in with a crash
every moment, carrying with them the floors
beneath, heavily frelghted as they we're with
large stocks OF valuable goods. AS the interiors
thus fell prey to the element, walls began TO
bulge and culver, finally sinking TO the pave.
ment III huge mssses of heated and blstered
stone. The wind, hitherto high one, having
gradually grown il strength the fire pro-
crossed, became at length a gale, the flames
seemingly having the effect to create currents of
their own. Words tail me in describing the ap-
palling scene AT this stage OF the ire. Building
after building fell passively before the flames,
and il seemed an almost impossible task to at
tempt to check their progress. Whole blocks
were on fire, and the very streets were full ..
flames. as immense stacks OF g05Is had been
there piled up in readiness for removal, only to
fall into the grasp of the element that was surg
ing forward toward the water front in resistlee
fury.
NEW TRRRoRs.
The Babel of confusion assumed a new phase
about IL O'Clock, for the tenement houses at the
upper end OF Federal street began to catch fire,
and the scenes were intensified by the affrightcd
actions and loud cries of the inmates of those
crowded edihces. Flying hither and thther in
their frenZied terror, men, women and children
only added to the confusion without in the least
helping themselves. Under ordinary circum-
stances, many of the incidents witnessed at that
point would have been deemed ludicrous, but
the intense excitement prevailing among all
classes prevented any such impression. Furni-
ture as carried into the streets only to be bro
ken and abandoned. From every window were
thrown perishable articles, causing new dangers
for those on the payements. Pale faces, rem
dered more CHASTITY by the glare of blazing
buildings, peeped from high windows in abiect
terror at the pro- pect. Loud cries for help were
frequently heard, and it il quite certain that
many of these piteous appeals were wholly In
vain, for many lives were undoubtedly lost all
traces OF the missing persons having utterly dis
appeared. =
BLOWING Up THE CONTIGUOUS STREETS.