Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-12-16
BOSTON'S LATEST CONTLA.
GRAFTON.
Great Devastation of Property
Loss ABOUT s7OO,OOO.OO.
Hundreds of Men Thrown Out Of EN-.
plOyment.
At the South End.

Boston, December Is. The fire alarms las
night and up to nearly o'clock this morning
were sufficiently frequent to awaken fears of
general confiagration. The first alarm SOUNDED
last night about II o'clock, fire being discovere,
| in large, fve-story brick building, Is and s
| Plympton street, occupied by Curry & Calvin, an,
| a large number of firms engaged in wood manu-
| facture. Building entirely destroyed. The flame
were driven by the wind across the street. burning
| the dry house Of Cressy & Noyes, carpenters
| loss $500. Loss on Curry & Galvns block wa
| $4,000; insured $4,000; loss to occupants So,
600.
second alarm was sounded later this morning
first, second and third alarms following each 9th
er in rapid succession, and before 5 o'clock the en-
tire department was called out. The flames com.
pletely Quilted every building between Plymptou
and Wareham streets. Crossing the latter the
large planning mill of Norton & Chesley, and l. j
McNutts extensive wood mandatory were de-
stroyed, leaving Emerson's piano mandatory
standing alone and unframed.
The wind blew burning brands across Albany
street, sweeping the lumber yards and all that
tract lying between Albany street and the water
The following are principal losses and amount
Morton 4 Chesley, building and stock, SIS, 900
insured S28,000.
F. Badger & Co., building, S35 900; stock, s25,.
900.
J. +. Marston, carpenter, $500; insurance,
$500.
Smith & Jacobs stair builders, $45 900; Jacobs,
on building, $4,000.
~. Hill, carpenter, $1,000; Henry Bartlett,
builder, $780,
Natl o. Hunt, carpenter and builder, building,
$4,000; stock, 200.
McNutt's loss on his building SEQ, 600; insured
only $1,000; also loss on stock 5000.
Pierce, futile & Gilman, table manufacture,
stock, $4,000.
Adolphus Sherman & Co, furniture, $4,000.
Bosom & Borsch cabinet makers $40 OOO
Thomas Chase buil1er Lose S30O0 ;psurapco
$500.
The lumber yard was entirely destroyed, involv-
ing loss to Geo. NJ Cook and E. G. Reed & Co.
of $4,000.
Reed & Co.'S planning mill, dry house and stable,
New England Organ Co. loses 5000 worth of
lumber.
Cyrus 7. Clark, stable, $4,000.
Willet Drake & Co., $1,000.
George w. Brown, carpenter, $1,000.
1t Is estimated that nearly 500 men are by this
most disastrous conhagration thrown out of en-
ployment.
The total loss by the Plympton street fire foots
up half million dollars.
At the North End.
just the efforts of the fire department seemed
to be rewarded with success, fresh alarm at 80
was sounded from box 81 Charlestown, caused by
fire in the frame building on Water street. oppo-
site the foot of Hudson street owned BY Jacob
Hittenger.
The combustible nature of the materials caused
the fire to spread rapidly, ind high winds drove
mandatory of Thos. Cunningham.
The second and third alarms brought as many
of the engines as could be spared from Pympton
street fire.
Cunningham's factory is two hundred feet long
and forty feet deep. The building was almost
wholly destroyed, with much valuable machinery
A train of cars on the track of the Fitchburg
Railroad, opposite, were burned
Large salt mandatory at the end of the wharf
was damaged $1,000.
Other buildings ignlted from sparks but the
flames were extinguished before gaining hardly q
foothold
The new ship Reporter, lying at Hittingen's
wharf caught fire among the rigging and was dam
During the progress of the fire, a large humble
of vessels lying along whsrves in the vicinity
were cut loose on discovering the ship Reporter
on fire.
High tide and unusually strong winds prevented
vessels from getting anchorage after getting into
the stream.
Four Of them drifted about until they collidec
with another and then, locked together, came
down with a terrific crash on the old Charlestowr
bridge near the draw. They stove up the fende,
the vessels struck the raikng demolishng it fol-
several rods. Some of the crafts were heavily
laden and in some instances were badly damaged.
After four hours hard work the fireman had
succeeded in their efforts to all appearances and
after inspection among the buildings by Chief En-
gneer Green and others, finding no indication OF
further danger the fremen "made up and re-
turned to their houses The freboat Flanders
continued its effolts to save the ship Reporter
which was still burning in its rigging.
Without q moments warning flames broke out
from the windows at the water end of the wooden
building which extends the entire length of the
northern side of IIittinger's wharf. SO rapidly
did the flames spread that the fremen working on
the wharves were obliged to flee for their lives
The flames worked their way to the west of the
wharf and swept drought to its north side and
along the length of the wharf
The extensive salt factory of Warner & Free
man was destroyed.
The ship Reporter was saved only after hare
struggle and the fire was at length subducd.
The aggregate loss by this fire is estimated al
from 100000 to $l50,00o.
The fire last night and this morning are though
to be ncendiary.