Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-20
TWO MILLIONS In ASHES.
A TERRIFIC BLAZE AT HAVER.
HILL.
The Business Centre Completely
Gutted-TWO ThOusaDd Men Out OF
WOrk-Fears That a score of Prom
inent Citizens Have PeRished-
Trade on the Rebound.

Boston, February 18.-A fire started In
the business portion Of Haverhin, Mass,
last night, and spread with great rapidity.
The small fire department was unable to cope
with the flames, which soon got beyond con-
troll, and assistance was telegraphed for to
Lawrence, Newburyport, and other towns
adjacent.
The first direct report from Haverhill
says: "The First National Bank, the Five
Cent Savings Bank, and all of the lower
part Of Washington street have been burn
ed, and there is no knowing where the fire
will stop" The operator at the depot says
the fire is getting uncomfortably close, and
he is afraid he will be forced to desert his
post. The fire, he says, covers at least ten
acres. pretty thiekly built upon. The Smith
block, the FinHey block, the Tilton
block, the Prescott building, the
Bishop building, the Union block on
Washington street, and the Pilling building
on Wingate street have been burned. The
loss will be several millions. Engines are
coming from Newburyport aud Dover. A
number of families on Wingate street have
been burned out.
This is the biggest fire that has ever oc-
Cured in this vicinity. The streets are
lined with merchandise and furniture, and
there is no doubt that number OF persons
sre rendered homeless, although owing to
the panicky feeling no really authentic re-
port can be got from any person in Haver-
hill. The main telegraph Office has been
burned, connection between the centre
of the city and the depot telegraph Office
being thus severed.
HAvERHILL, MASS, February 1S.-At 3:55
a. IN. the fire was got under control. But
one block remains on WiDgate street and
two at the upper end of Washington street.
All else in the square bounded by the Merri-
mac river on the south, Washington square
and Essex street on the east, and the north
side of Wingate on the west, is burned to
the ground. This territory embraces the
largest plant OF boot and shoe manutac-
tories. The loss cannot be estimated at
present.
What Yesterday was the finest street in
the city and the principal business mart is
to- day a smouldering, shapeless mass OF
ruins. Some eighty shoa firms are entirely
burned out, and others suffer more or less
damage. Men who were last night worth
thousands are this morning penniless, while
the losses of others are fully or partially
covered by ineuTanse. Two thousand peO-
pie are out of employment, and several
families homeless. The loss is estimated at
&, 600, 900.
The most dreadful feature OF the calamity
is the loss OF life and the awful uncertainty
caused TO many anxious hearts. IL is reared
that the bodies of score or more promi-
nent business men are buried in the ruins.
Thus far three are known to be dead. OF
the buildings burned most of them are
brick blocks. About sixty of them were
occupied by eighty-siX firms. About 2, 800
people are thrown out Of employment.
The loss will be fully up to the first esti-
mate, and will be most severely felt by the
manufacturers with small capital, who had
their all invested, and In many cases were
but partially Insured. Many firms have al
ready located IN new quarters, and will re-
sumo business Monday. The employees of
many Of the firms were paid off as usual
this afternoon. The banks which were
burned have procured funds for the use of
their depOsitOrs. Several Of their safes were
opened this afternoon, and the contents
were found to be but little injured. The
vaults of the banks will be reached by Mon
day. There were over one hundred and two
shoe manufacturers and over two hundred
other firms burned out. Owing to the eX-
cellent police regulations, the best Of order
prevailed during the day and night.
Mr.. Whittier, who was Injured, lies In
very preesrious condition.
The Directors of the First National Bank
today voted to rebuild at once, and the
Merrimac Bank will also be Immediately re-
built.
HAvERHILL, February 19.-The report that
twenty prominent men business were miss
ing, and that it was expected their bodies
would be found In the ruins, still lacks con-
firmatfOn