Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-14
Statement of the Chief Engineer
Meeting of Citizens in fremont Temple
OTHER INTERESTING DETAILS

been made to-day in clearing debris, recovering
sales, and leYeing walls in the burnt district.
The military guard will be continued until the
buried vaults and safes containing yaluableS are
mostly recovered. The city police who worked
hard during the lire are needed on their regular
duty. All bar rooms remain closed.
The temperance Of gasiight after two nights
of darkness gives the city a more cheerful APP
pearance, and is appreciated particularly by the
newspaper offices.
STATEMENT OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER.
The following contains the substance Of
statement regarding the fire, made by Chief En-
gIneer Damrell to a reporter Yesterday:
In consideration of the numerous theories
advanced as to the management of the fire, and
the measures taken to check the same, it will be
OF interest to learn the views Of Chief Engineer
Damrel, and this morning, at the request OF a
reporter Of the journal, he stated in brief the
following facts in relation thereto:
Within a short time after the fire broke out,
he saws he was confident that it was beyond the
bounds of possibility for tine department of this
city to arrest its progress, and within twenty
five minutes after the alarm was sounded, he
telegraphed to the several towns and cities with
in fifty miles of Boston for help, and in eases
where telegraphic communication was without
avail he lad special trains sent out on the sew
eral railroads TO bring the desired aid. NOtwith-
standing tie fact that many of the horses were
paralyzed by the recent disease, yet steamers
and Z aud several hose carriages aud other APP
the arrival of hosemen were Immediately set to
work.
It NAV not be generally understood that the
hosemen do not constitute the permanently paid
members of the department, and that almost
ALWAYS upOn an alarm of fire, the engines will
arrive upon the scene ready for action before the
hOSemen who are summoned from their homes
can reach the spot. No unnecessary delay,
however, was OccaSiOned Saturday night, and
the men used all their energies 10 check the vol
ume of flame which enveoped the burning
building, and a general alarm brought to the
spot the entire force of the city, these alarms
being given in rapid succession. The chief early
comprehended the situation, and knowing well
the character of the buildings, their great hight,
many of them being surmOunted with ManSard
roofs and filled with goods, together with the
narrowness Of the streets, he became satisfied
that large portion of the business section was
doomed.
A year since, a complete examination of this
territory was made, and the board of under
writers were then Informed that should fire
break out under adverse circumstances, they
might expect a very serious contiagratiOn. No
sooner had the fire attained Roadway, than the
chief at once conferred with his assistants, who
were assigned TO different points, with directions
to check the flames at their respective stations
if it was within the bounds of possibility so to
do. These orders were obeyed TO the letter, until
the immense volume Of flame forced the tiremen
to retreat to other quarters. When it became
evident that Franklin street was devastated, the
cniel nao cIhsHato Mi'n tn1 noyU al, ="
80 oa - 10 a;t,r 52,,or,,r,ont VIC onnrl,,sd
~ " III - ,t tio ,,;o,,e If liz hoorj
of engineers.
AS the confagration swept onward, crossing
~ 49, 81 i i'll -, n IN, - ~ ~
ulUW up an '"T na-,e,, ~ straot e. J
SUN oil 49,, O o, ,io 5riI1i,rs
tliiVuu i 4ioI tV P"1e' I ~ 'n ,yi'tii1
IN ut' rha otie ,,ortor,
ma,GiG' "il IVY nv, TIT .os Snteo tIyc
oCoiIot ~. Va III ~ c,,,an, ,,nr,inn IN
au az otO ti4,, c ,iyy n,,IJ 80 bo OH
i III " 10. Inc ",,d A lor,,,
Iateu N tI4 ~ d" Lilo ~ to
JOHNS ui'P"lNllCu Z" PC ~, iI " u 'o nc,
In 81 tt ort;nio VIII ooorG
o,. ta jred We e-
aDo pr pm P5 1872 ,', - I ,ii IN
h,oIS o,d ,ba Gaiaor soon ronortnJ haci,
1n,, t JIo,,;,,a NJ, Of hn;noy pn Waehinr,
"n0i 1 IU 7l tvtn,. to, ,a 49,,
toi, ~ ~ ~ oo.rgr ~ MIL 80
TeuIeu ~ toas t0 ;aot,o I'm . tI
W a.. 81 p'GS ~ , .o
" ny ,,o r
lllduo anu ~ P.o'Vu ~, ~
70 STOP us erosslug ottg sl'eeI anu sweeping
lile Section PI lnG GIs gdnS ' ,t ont
VI wv U s ,1 bo
slue Vi aI az oit ~
t"eeu W ~, tau - ,,iirJ 10 S1oI
extreme le"suLes WIZ ,d vi I1 uaeHeu
ele '; ~ "''''' ~ "'N " ''N >'''''
ger aVolueu; 1,..c
AZ au caily S'"sc Vi s,io o"'''iiSJ Ii!ol D.ti-
fcIi uls PatInoI " ioi "itI iuSIuetto1o
lor tle ott' LJlieu u tnG neipol 10
stG''h ny " tH i'l ~ ~ Vi tilO 'T'l
wlaISes' VIM Hau n.y. sueTuuIue" 10 In9
uaes, gnu 'aiS aiu u. "Pp,i'"Io igiuelcu
nus S eoioiu ~. ~ ~ = "a r = Wy -
ana preventing Tue hie nun laSIus III tual III
IeGtioh' ...-..-.., -, ~ .-,
me asss'4. engi!eels, ulluet rlc PERSONA tI
SUPERVISION Vi tile onlet' auIcessiuI3 siaSeu tto
liuG Oh Hales III tlat uHeGlloI,, anu lhG saIely
Oh tue uoltug'n sectioii vi tlo clS was tnyh rs
S SUI pGy oh1 a uouoe; AZ uo tlilie 9lu mI'
DaiilIell vi us aSsoGtates nPPlentuG tu't tIIe
ure MoGiu SlVss w "Snil- toH stieSt Ioiil sum
lher u hlth anu " Pio1 Elt suei Catastiu pig
ANY nu''lg0I VI SnSi9 "G,e .'"s EG
along lhat part Vi NasuluSiOu street. Inc
clllel legfets MAJ nc gtiueu 10 ' ne plGSs.S ue
llauuS 1l ptoihu ciIiAeIs III tne 9'oMlnS up
Oh pululnEs, as lne couIsc pursued III cOuse-
queHuc Vi mn ua -eIe Su.' e',i' VI a.
IcslnS Wy eoHs 1 1' ~ a. my suPposSu
Mouiu NC !he c9se, nau tle eilect ~ snatieT tue
Wii9o"s jn aulIceII warehouses; nleu WIN
Soous, anu lurnISneu auultlohai luel iof Tue
Ha II .,,....ct...
lie Juu- ,ilo " an II vi i;ie ASSISTANTS was
tIat squal1i vi ol''iotnsS 4ulIe distance III
auYailCe vi Wv nj sioulu pe ueoilsnea ana
mus oPeh saP "neio d I'I = ioicc Vi tue ue-
PaltLlent coug De tuiomm ana resist Iutther
w IA G may po tlo leeiinS al Tue
course puIsuel III tIe management OF the nre,
the cIlel uGSlIes 10 naye IL UNDERSTOOD nat ne
assumes az Iespolsio!ity' ana Is ready 10 ne
JuuSeu II. tne caSe Us !he CAIN ueiloeratloh OF
llG puoiie may eteIhiiue'
~ lIs Ieport ailer IiS return from inc scene
Oh the ChlcaSo uIe last year. ne aluded TO the
"oouen'pult na.,sa.u IooIs az one Vi tue great
CAUSES Vi NY ueatl VI lnS eastern part OF
GnicaSo' auu ulSeu anaI an Mansard roofs IN
lls clty W 30 iealler as 10 aliofd
pIo''0''o" " @n,<foI ,"i nT Si',uea9
- - oFlNioN VI A. EAfEhE'
Nen' onaler OIL tlie New ork hle department
Cohciuaes, from an lsspeeliou oi Tue burnt us
tflct, tnat inc great hIe was III consequence OF
we delay OF inc n[elnen III re9enlllg me scene,
lhe ilarroWness Vi ane sttge's "Ilc llade IL I'M
possible 10 work elnclenliy, anu tle great neat,
Wnlch III lne open SPACES PIgE I 'IG lretneh
apProacning tle DuIIhs ouui a ne agrees
WIN Ollel Ensllger Da,llcli vi tIt nosion ure
department lhat the uestluction 9l puldlgs ny
guuPoWuer tc'us u 'ie sPie"u Vi hie rather
'l'l otileI MlSe. ,..
~ khelAln i IN iI. sLD II 'oM TIE Ruins,
Ol sed II; ~ ,lle iu'tls oil 5ne slle Oh
itu"a M i!AOn i" - eiU'e' loielly Vi NO;
~ I' ,, i,,ls nioli5E, slha,l
Uul'ule vi mt." oo'les was discovered
NnosS lenalus NY "II ~ - it1Po9sloIo ~ nu9
OUT. NY ' ~, aie hHonn W nav 9 s ourne9
thefe' uh tle llolnIns Wuen tne nre reached
lhat spol 'IeIe WI pieI InetS nlel Insiue lne
store, ana deputy CnieI Qulhh stepped IN and
IL