Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-27

The Esusinesp Part OF tho Town
Communications Rnis a'milli0n or
NlOte-I.OOO Ilcu Our Of work.

-
Tho ssusinssp ParS Of tho Town
Communications nis a'Rrilii0n or
GiOEe--I, 900 ucu Ont of work.
BosroR, DSc. 25.-Shortiv before 0
O'Clock stove or defective fue set fire
to the Eastern depot at Marblshesd. Tho
town, due TO the deadlock In thu board OF
Bele jtfnen, is without light at night, so
the Ere spread In all directions before
any attempt was made to fight il. Up to
IL O'Clock 35 buildings, all largs..factorieS,
10 of them shoe worka, were In ruins
and the entire population Of the town
with aid from surrounding towns and
cities were fighting flames for their lives.
The telephone and telegraph offices have
gone and no later details are possible.
This report Ia that the loss ia over
8 900, 600 and that thousand workmen
will be thrown out of employment with
their tools destroyed. The residence Sec
tion 10 threatened, but exact details are
impossible. Here in Boston, 20 miles
away, the entire northeastern horizon ap-
pesrH q mass of golden fire, making o
grand scene. At midnight there are signs
OF the flames abating and 1t is hoped the
town will be saved. Its bankrupt treasury
crippled its fire department badly, adding
to the difficulties in coping with the
flames.
Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires.
MABDLEHEAD, MAS, Dec. 26.-This
town was visited by oohhsgration last
night that devoured the entire business
portion Of the town--about IL acres.
The fire was first discovered in the house
furnishing store of d. b. II. Powers on
Pleasant street at about 10 O'Clock. The
direct cause of the fire 10 not known.
The first warning was announced by o
loud explosion Of naphtha in the store.
The--alarm was quickly rung in, and i'm
mediately followed by q second and third.
When the firemen reached the burning
building il fell with mighty crash. II
was a wooden structure. The tirsmen
did their best to hold the flames in check,
but their efforts amounted to nothing.
| The buildings surrounding the structure
were nothing but mere shells and Il
seemed Oh If everywhere spark fell q
| FIRE started.
In Is minutes from the time the first
alarm was rung, the entire business por-
ton WAS q sea Of flame. The two COM
Assistance was summoned from Lynn,
| NAa0 ohACAu hh0 bhhWlcCpttg hAO tACho
towns quickly responded. 1t is estimated
that tho loss is between $500, 600 and
| 5000, 900.
The entire shoe manufacturing district,
tho principal business of the town, was
burned to the ground. The people were
frantic and rushed to and fro, as though
crazed. The flames spread with such
rapidity that scarcely anything was saved.
| nNta .auflsxx. IL, hn ltuFa1lss,n.
houses were completely cleaned out, aud
sume they presented a pitiable sight.
After demolishing the building In
which it started, the fire swept across Ia
Reichabite Hall, which is totally burned.
From there 1t swept over toward W. +.
Browns house, which marked the limit
Of the fire on the western side. The wind
was most fortunately light, but the roar
ing MACS OF flames swept over to r. W. q
j. W. Monroe's shoe factory on the oppo-
site side OF Pleasant street. The building
was wooden structure, four stories high
and was soon burned to the ground.
In the midst, the shoe factory of Charles
Reed, to the wet, caught and was burned
to the ground The progress Of the 1re
was checked upon this side at that point,
but IL swept unit ontrolled to the eastward,
and the flames soon reduced faine's ex-
press Office to mass Of ruins. Thus IL
continued. Sheds, fruit stands and small
tenement-houses were consumed with
rapidity. It seemed as if the entire
town was doomed. By this time help
from Salem, Lynn and Swampscott ar.
rived, and this response put new life into
the oheerless workers. The city was
flooded with strangers from all the sur
rounding towns.
On Pleasant street the dwelling houses
Of Nathan Pitman, Asa Blsney, the Bos-
ton Il Maine depot, Cole Brothers shoe
factory, the horse-oar station, Stacy's
drug store, Jonathan Bournes wooden
factory, large structure four stories
high and numerous small buildings were
reduced to ashes. On the opposite side
Joseph Lefsvre's dwelling house, II. o.
symonds' hardware store, the G. A. Il.
Hall and the fire department head.quar
tors, magnificent brick building, the
Rialto Block, O. Gregory's drug store,
the Boston branch grocery store and the
dry goods store of George Graves were
destroyed.
On Essex street the flames destroyed
Allerton Hall and the immense wooden
factory Of Il. Il. Woodbury., shoe manu-
fscturor. Allerton Hall is occupied as
shoe factory by Jonathan Orne. The
factory OF jacob Il. Oropley d Bro, on
Essex street, Peaches shoe factory and
the houses of Dennis and Jacob Pine
were reduced 20 smouldering ruins. On
Spring street the fire swept on destroying
the residence and factory Of William q.
Lefavre. Its progress was checked at
the Sewel grammar school building.
Sweeping aoross Spring street the
flames consumed tho handsome dwelling
OF MIR. Whittemore. Here the flames
changed their course and sweeping Oh to
Sewell street completely destroyed every
thing In the rear Of Pleasant street taking
everything clean up ON both sides Of the
railroad track. The residences Of Mr..
Chambsriin and the late Thomas f.
Orossmsn, Psine's livery stables, Thomas
Rix's fruit stand and numerous small
buildings were burned to the ground. Ats
O'Clock the fire wss under control, though
yet burning feroely.
This stolid old burg In June 1877 was
visited by fire which swept over nearly
the same district. During the progress
Of the present Gre several explosions were
heard. Fully 1000 workmen are thrown
out of employment. Tho number OF
buildings consumed is estimated between
SO and 60.