Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1872-11-18

blocks in the city. Arch street, Otis
street, and Summer street from Hawley |
street to Church Green were one great
mass of fame. The fire did not move
so fast down Kingston street. A huge
force of steamers was put to work IN
Avon place, Bedford street and the
streets further east, and thus opposed, a
great check was applied to the southerly
course of the confagration, although it
was hours afterwards before the firemen
felt sure that at last they had won a
foothold against the flames. The huge
mass of fame which rose from the acres
of roofing now ablaze illuminated up the
heavens until every tower and steeple
glowed with lurid and unearthly beau
ty. A vast cloud of cinders that rose
from the great caldron of fire was car
ried out upon the waters of the bay, COW
ering all the intermediate property be-
tween Otis street and the Hartford and
Erie wharves. The great pillars of
flame which loomed far above the burn
ing buildings admonished the inhabitants
of that large and thickly-settled section
known as the South Cove that their
household goods were in danger, and a
general movement of furniture and all
portable property into the streets and
southwark began. The fact that many
of the people in this section are very
poor did not prevent them from engag-
ing with such means as they could get
in the effort to save their goods and chat
tells A wooden building on the corner
of Summer and Lincoln streets was con-
sumed like veritable tinder- box, which
indeed it was. Gathering vehemence as
they progressed, the flames now began
to run down High street, having envel-
oped the splendid block of granite stores
on the site of Daniel Webster late resi-
dence. At the same time the Hartford
and Erie Railroad buildings caught fire
from the sparks which descended upon
them, and being of wood they were
speedily afame. Then all the buildings
on Federal street from High street to
Broad were burning, and as the great
torrent of flame swept out from the doom
ed territory, and cast shining radiance
over the water, dull, angry roar was
heard to issue from them, which fairly
struck terror to stout hearts. All the
vessels at the contiguous wharves, on
whose decks the sparks now began to
fall in showers were pushed out of the
reach of the conhagration. About mid
night the flames, which continued tt
gather energy as they rushed on, hao
enveloped the buildings on both side:
Of High street, down to the corner o.
Congress street. The astounding rapid
ity with which the new brick and gran
ite blocks in that vicinity were Quilted BY
the fire convinced all who saw them tina
Pearl street as we'll as Congress stree
were doomed to quick destruction. |
i, was truly terrible to witness such sub
{ stantial and costly blocks, as the grant
, buildings occupied by VIM. B. Spoone
& Company on Congress street, succum
to the flames The fire seemed to at
: tack these structures with equal readi
ness at every point, and whether tt
horrid touch of fire was first in front, Q
| in the rear, or on the roof, they appear
e ed to fade away before it. There wa
t something tigerish in the rush of tn
S flames through and over the great she
' and leather stores. and when it reache
: the wool stores, their force was accele
t ated seven fold. At one o'clock, it b,
: came evident to those who were on tl
v side of the fire that solid mass of fan
4 quarter of a mile in width was movin
a up toward State street, and parallel wit
n it. What the result was to be no OF
G could tell, and it was plain to see thi
S the last stand against the northwal
It course of the flames must be made alor
o State street. There, if ever, could the
progress be stayed, although it hight
hours before the critical moment arrive
Long before midnight the tongues of Fl
Y from the burning buildings on Ar
Il street had leaped across Hawley sire
le and attacked the handsome semicircul
D block of dry goods warehouses on Fran
VI lin street in the rear center The Fl
- cut its way through this block with wo
y derful celerity. From that time t
= : destruction of the remainder of the bio
=, " to the corner Of Winthrop square was
i0 the matter of half an hour, and then t
= = beautiful cathedral pile on the easter
y y side of Winthrop square was quick
9 follow. The fire took first on tho re
! = and speedily eat its way down to t
=, n basement. From the point on Frank
"e street above, where it had cut throu
~ " from Hawley street, it soon caught
~ n, the opposite side, and the fremen We
~ % driven out into Devonshire street and
y into Washington street, like so ma
- mice escaping from flood. From G
~ ~ to two o'clock the fire was at its heig
w. w. While it had progressed so rapidly
AZ AZ the direction of State street on the G
90 side and Washington street on the 9th
~ " it had continued its course up Sunni
IL nI street, taking in the Mercantile buildil
- - and then grand old Trinity Chur
~ while also burning with less energy
Wy, Wv buildings on the other side of the sire
49, =. Then it began to be feared that the lc
-. line of steamers in Washington str
- 100 even could not stem the tide of fire. g
- if they could not then fremont str
- " and all the buildings between Sch
- street and Winter street were doom
W " and Heaven only could know where {
e when the devastation would stop
va
ck As the hour of midnight approac
ex. and the great light which now cast
the mighty glare over the whole city and
me scores of miles OF the country aro1
grew constantly brighter, strange
sudden change began to come over
centre of the city. The first hours of
eet confagration its progress was watched
fd- thousands of spectators who thronged
av- streets between fremont and WASH
'ng ton, and gathered in great crowds on
end Common and wherever there was a v
)m- of it. A very large DrODOrtIon of I'll