The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1889-12-05
sosToN's MISFORTUNE.

BoSToN's MISFORTUNE.
Visited on Thanksgiving Dav by > Fire
Which, Lays Waste to Two Acres Gov.
cred with Fine Business structures-Tbe
Loss Estimated at "a. .OOO, ,OOO-six Per-
SONS Missins-Several Badly Hurt.
EosTos. Nov. o9.-The most disas.
frous fire from which Boston has suf.
fcred since 1872 broke out about 500
Thursday morning in tho six-story
granite building owned by Jordan,
Marsh & Co., and occupied by Brown,
Durrcll & Co., dealers In dry
goods, on Bedford street, corner
of Kingston. The great fre Of 1872
broke out at the corner Of Kingston and
Summer streets, and the alarm Of Thurs
days fire was rung in from the same box
that did similar duty at that time, when
nearly sl00.O00,OO worth of property
was consumed. The first alarm rung IN
was Immediately followed by the firs:
general alarm in Boston since 1872.
Tho burnt area covers only about two
and onc-half acres, and embraces por-
tions Of Bedford, Kingston, Chaunccy
and Columbia streets, tho section where
are massed the large wholesale dry and
fancy goods establishments. Some
twenty large granite and brick blocks
We're destroyed. These with their con-
tents will involve loss OF $1,000, 900.
Six persons are reported missing.
The fro was discovered by letter
carrier, who noticed flames bursting
from the top Of the Brown building over
the elevator shaft. in which it evidently
originated. As soon as Chief Webber OF
the protective department arrived 1t
became apparent that long,
hard fight was before the de-
partment and general alarm was
sent out, and this was soon fol-
lowed by calls upon all neighboring
cities and towns for assistance. The
flames were soon pouring from all the
windows and the roof of the Brown-Dur.
rell building. At s:l5 they had spread
to the Shoe and Leather Exchange
building. another large granite struct-
ure adjoining on Bedford street
From both buildings the flames swept
In great masses across Bedford street to
tho opposite corner, thence across
Kingston street, along Bedford to
Chauncey, where 1t was stopped in
tho store of Farley. Harvey &
Co., the upper stories Of which
were burned. Three stores along
Channcey street toward Summer were
burned. On the south side of Bedford
street the flames jumped across Kingston
street to a big sandstone building owned
by i. L. Ames and occupied by Taylor
brothers, and this was consumed The
great granite building known as
Neyin.s block, at tho corner of
Chaunccy street, was tho next victim for
the flames, and tine entire block, clear
around Rowe place to Kingston street.
was consumed. Crossing Chaunccy
street. the fire next attacked the stores
which are incloscd In Exeter place. a
small street running from Harrison
avenue to Chauncey street Here tho
firemen got control. At Rowe place
the fire was partially checked from
going toward Essex street, but quickly
moved toward the opposite side Of the
immense Allen and Larrabee buildings,
occupying the square between Bedford
street, Harrison avenue extension and
Exeter place, at which point their
further progress was checked.
The scenes about the firc were rcplete
with excitement and activity. The
police were prompt in roping on the
streets and keeping back the crowds.
On every corner engines emitted tor
rents Of black smoke, while hose lines
by the score lay in a tangled web up and
down the streets for blocks on all sides.
The territory bounded by Kingston,
Bedford and Channcey streets was
the principal theatcr OF destruction.
Here the confagration lcveled every
thing. Within an hour after tho first
alarm sounded tho whole structure of
Brown, Durrell & Co.'S building col
lapsed with . tremendous crash. So
unexpected was the fall of the building
that several pieces of fro apparatus
had to bc abandoned as they were
placed. They are imbeddcd now in .
mass of brick, stone and iron fully six
feet deep.
Directly opposite, the towering Ames
block, occupied by Taylor Brothers, was
ablaze from roof to basement. For q
timo 1t looked as though 1t, too. would
fall. Floors fell in with stunning noise,
leaving but mere shell. The
immense stone and iron block co
cupied by Samuel Williams and
Brigham 4 Co., on the corner Of Chaun-
cey street and Rowe court, marked
the farthest progress OF the fire in
that direction. Although apparently
fire-proof as the Alps, 1t was completely
gutted. On the cornor of Chauncey and
bedford streets the large block occupied
by Smith. Hogg & Gardner and others
was in almost as bad plight, and the
buildings between these two were utter
ly destroyed. The leaping flames sue
ceeded in crossing Chauncey street to the
upper stories Of the huge Allen block,
largely occupied by Farley, Harvey 4
Co., and those adjacent as far as Essex
place. It was hard to direct streams OF
water effectively, and for . time it
yet be reached. The fremen here made
grand rally, and finally tho further
progress OF the fire was staid.
thrilling rescue from immediate
death was made by Officers Charles
Maynes and Benjamin and SLEEPY
the colored attache Of the city hall, in
tho building 50 Chauncey street.
Edward +. Whiting, veteran dre-
man. helped with the hose on
the building. 1t grow terribly hot,
the walls threatened to fall, and
the cry was raised to get back, as the
roof was caving in. A desperate rush
was made BY all hands to get out, and all
escaped save Whiting. He was struck,
knocked down and Immediately covered
by the heated debris. The fremen
said that he must be killed.
Officers Maynes and Benjamin, how
ever, taking desperate chances,
bravcd tho furnace-like heat and the
risk OF falling walls and tried to find
the buried man. my God, can no one
help me-. was tho cry they heard. This
directed them to . pile of truck and
timber, under which they found Witt
tuO i'm oriSana6 E,.o n %ica llv fbay ho =, oil