The sun., 1889-11-29
GREAT FIRE in BOSTON.
Another COnAagratiOn in the Heart
of the City.
THE LOSS ABOUT S6,OOO,OOO.
Some of the Finest Business Houses
Consumed.

NA1
First Alarm was Rune from the Same
Ro1-Tho Fire Well Under Way Before n
was Discovered - Flames LeaPinx in
Waves Across che Streets, the Fierce
Heat Crumbling Solid Walls OF Brick
aad etons-FIreproor Buildings Burned
Like TInder-Ths Fire Raging for six
Hours, sad Burning Over Two Acres
or Territory. Covered with Magninoent
Business Buildings - The Retail Dry
Goods District tSavod-Five Firemen and
Two women Missing and Believed to
be Buried Undcr the Fallen Walls.
BosroN, Nov. 2s.-It was Boston's turn to
fight Ere to-day and 1t was fight for very ex-
istence. For four hours seventy engines. gath
cred from all parts Of eastern Massachusetts.
struggled against q mighty wall Of fire that
was surging through the business district.
'lsvelling stone and brick buildings as though
they were built Of straw. 1t was on the same
territory visited by the great FIRE Of 1879. and
the same box, No. 50, that sounded the alarm
for that terrible visitation, was rung for to-
days peril. 1t has been an awful experience.
and when the report was sent around at noon
that the advance OF the flames had been
stayed, there was season OF more genuine
thanksgiving than Boston has known in many
JedIo- WOEo tudu bWeuty uOplO uuHulukS,
reared with q view to making them as nreproof
as modern invention could devise. which were
filed with valuable merchandise last night, are
tonight heaps Of ruins. their contents having
gone up in smoke The loss, according to the
best information obtainable tonight. will be in
the neighborhood OF $12 100000. Two and q half
acres Of the most valuable business property
were wiped out Of existence. and that is not the
worst feature Of the calamity. Several hremen
and employee OF ruined firms are missing.
and 1t is feared that the loss OF half dozen
lives will be added to the horror OF the stua-
tion.
To-day's fire was counterpart OF the his
toric blaze OF seventeen years ago. but 1t was
handled so successfully that the flames were
choked of Just as they were apparently about
to sweep through the whole city. Chief Webber
is the hero Of the hour. Only the possession OF
an abundance OF water saved the business
portion of the city. The present heavy tax rate
was created by the extensive system OF water
mains laid after the big fire. and there have
been many who scoffed at the expenditure
Tonight the seotrers are blessing the
foresight OF the City Fathers. The insurance
companies are tottering under the weight
OF obligations entailed by this FIRE. coming. as
1t does. SO soon after Lynn's visitation. and it
Is more than probable that some will go under
The situation is grave one, aud the worst
will not be known until the wheels OF business
are set In motion tomorrow II the insurance
companies fail TO meet their obligations. sew
eral business firms will probably be forced into
insolvency and. as some OF the largest houses
are involved the effect upon the general trade
will be serious.
1t was about s1s o'clock this morning when
q letter carrier saw flames burst from top
story window OF Brown, Durell 4 Co. 8 massive
building. st the corner of Bedford and Kings
ton streets. A violent storm was raging at
the time. and but few people were upon the
streets. These had no umbrellas, had their
coat collars turned up. and their hats pulled
down over their eyes. They thought only OF
obtaining protection from the storm. The
rain was falling in torrents. and the wind was
blowing q gale or course those who had
umbrellas couldn't see the tops Of the build
inGs. any way. This explanation is necessary
10 show how the fire obtained such headway
before being discovered. There was no watch
man in the building The letter carrier noti-
fed policeman and kept on distributing let
ters. The policeman rushed to box So. the
same which called attention to the big
fire In 1872. but now located one block
from whore it was then. and in a minute En-
Rine was on the ground. The rest OF the ap-
paratus that answered that call thun6ered up.
and before line OF hose could be laid tho
uhuI0o uuESb iIOm oNoLy WiuOOh Ou ouCu VI tu0
Ave floors. The heat was intense, but the fire.
mon pluckily held their ground. while Chief
Webber ordered second and third alarms to be
runG In at once. Fourteen engines and other
apparatus responded. but the men could do |
nothing with the awful furnace which covered |
an area OF 25.00O square feet. for such it was |
when they reached the place. The gale lifted |
solid body OF flame fifty feet, into the air and |
then hung it down upon the buildings on all |
sides. The very air seemed ablaze. Long |
flaming streamers leaped out OF the windows |
structures. until 1t looked as though the, street
was iestoonod with fire. The burnt distriet
SS UWed BsdHrd sssP BIT Es SaS5as S
on the southI side OF Bedford street. from
S5 to %. were burned; On the north side of
20 to ~; Chauncey and Kingston streets cross
Bedford. On the west side OF Chauncey street,
on on the east east side from Nos. IS TO 81 inclusive.
On Kingston street. west side, the buildings
elusive, on the east side, were burned, On
Columbia street. which runs out Of Bedford,
numbering rospeOtively i to and TO fi iS
The water which was thrown upon the build.
to steam an T BY % the terrible @ heat With seoreEsd
faces and smoking garments tho fire laddtes
the walls warned them OF danger. This was
only fifteen minutes, after the alarm was
burning within the great building for several
hours The warning notes were followed IN
mediately by a swaying OF the walls. and thon
the tall structure Of brick and stone fell with
crash INTO the street, letting the ROOT and floors
tumble Into the cellar. There was no time or
the hremen to save anything but their lives
Two steamers, 20 and 90. a Hayes truck and
ladder. and the water tower were stationed
Around the building and when tho walls iell
they were buried beneath a pile OF bricks.
Fortunately the men escaped without injury.
-. imnediately after the walls Of Brown. D9;
directions, No. human being could stand
within block OF the awful furnace The fire
vas in supreme control. and jumped across
btdio and Kingston streets in waves of
sold fame. which surRed against the solid
walls OF Frederick l. Ames's big brown-B;one
Structure, For a few minutes there was no
sneet and then with. a roar the flames burst
into tho magniacent building and began to re-
ouce II 10 ashes- ItWas supposed TO be fire.
In ruins.
Chief WsbbeE had sent out general alarm.
tnd 1.-The entire Fire Department was soon moY-
ing toward the centre OF the city. Ordinarily
seme oi the engines would have been stationed
Gpolnts TO guard against other fires. but the
ssIla,ion was so critical that Chief Webber or