Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-12-05
A GREAT FIRE in BOSTON
MANY FINE BUsIHEsS BUILDINGS
DE5TRUFRD.
The Most Disastrous CnnE,agration
Since the Great .Jtianiity 0t 1872.
The Ihcart of the sgusiness Secs
tiOn of the City Burncd 0ut-The
Losses.

-
BosToN, Nov. 28-k disaster second to
only one in its history is what Thanks
Swing day brought Boston, and, as a
coincidence, the siHrpl which announced
to-dey'B FIRE was given within square of
the box rupg in on the fatal 9th of No
vember, 1872, whilc the present FIRE con-
sumed the buildings erected in the heart
Of the old burned district. All lest night
heavy sought-east gale ragged along the
New England coast, With ram and snow,
and in Boston the raft OF electric light
wires got badly mixed.
Onc OF these deadly coptrivances fur
nished light to the big six story ware
house on the southeast corner of King
nton and Bedford streets, which, from
cellar to roof. was jsmmed full of inilau-
mable material. The FIRST two hoo,s
were occupied by the big wholesale dry
goods firm of Brown, Durreli a. Co.,
while up stairs the Woouacoket Rubner
Company, and Jordan, Marsh " Co., dry
goods dealers, had heavy surplus stock
stored.
The electric light wire entered Brown,
Durrell ~ GOA portion, and being
crossed outside by some others became
surcharged and set fire to the ceiling.
II was over an hour before II was discov-
cred, and then an alarm was promptly
turned in from Box So. This WIS at 8, 15
O'Clock, and despite deluging rain the
entire city department, consisting OF
twenty Eight steam and Ten chemical en-
gines, and fifteen engine companies from
outside tOwns BY noon the fire had
spread between two and three sqrarea
in each direction, obliterating over sew
enty of the finest warehouscA in Boston.
ALI this section was occupied by ysupposed
fire-proot buildings, hut cardboard could
not have burned more quickly.
While the firemen were working upon
the big brownstone furnace of Brown,
Durreil q Co., the castle. like structure of
Taylor & Bros, and the hve.story build
ing OF Lamson & Hubbard suddenly
started off with roar, and the firemen
found themselves caught in trap.
Hastily dropping their hose pice the men
OF engines % and rs, truck l3, aud the
big water tower deserted their apparatus
and literally crawled ont OF the hell rag
ing around them, while three streams
playing on them was all that saved them
from roasting. Five minutes later tho
deserted apparatus was buried beneath
the falling walls, along with two I'M
happy members of the truck company,
The fire was now master, and in less
tban 15 minutes the solid brownstone
b ocks east and west on Bedford street
for a square on each side the Durreil
building were roaring. The United
States Expross Company early in the day
rightly guessed the extent of the fire, and
the manager at onos ordered ont 4O
wagons, and aided by the Adams Com.
pany, hurried TO the threatened ware.
houses and carted off TO places OF safety
the books and thousands Of dollars worth
III valuable goods, saving nv this means,
K it is estimated, over $500, 600.
ifa Chief Webher of the fire department
carly saw only two alternatives for VIC
tory-holp from other cities or a change
Of wind. The soutb east gale showed nc
signs OF failing, and hurried calls TO,
~ help met with g prompt rasnopse tram
all suburban towns, even afflicted Lynn
BENDING m engine, while cities as far dis.
tant as Lowell and Providence hurried OF
aid, the railroads giving them a cleai
truck ard express speed.
3Nf The fire had now reached within Q
square of Washington street, where were
located tho great dry Roois houses o.
Jordan, Marsh u Co., II. II. White 4
Co., besides several hotels, including tn;
K Adams House ana the fire principal the
Attes--B Boston, Globe, Park, Biinu anG
fremont. The "Oclah" Company nt tn,
Globe were panic-stricken, and hurriedly
got thei- effects out Of tho threatened
theatre.
The streets we're dark with smoke and
the mir qniyering with the thunder o
falling walls, when Providence inter
posed. In an instant, almost, tho gale
ceased and the wind backed euddenlj
around to the west, and Washington
street was saved. The little thorough
fare in tho rear, known Rs Harrison
z avenue extension, was blazing on the eRs
side, hut tne wind beat back the heat, tn
firomen invaded the west side buildings
and, sheltered by the windows, sent
deluge of water directly into the face o
2 the ooEiiapration, and il hSited-repuIsec
--sputtered and snbgided, and at nool
MSyor Hart isFfully announced to tn
assembled aldermen thst the fire wa
under control.
9 On the east the fire had been halted a
Lincoln street just in time to prevent th
rising west wind starting it up egaip, bu
it WIS g o'clock tonight before all dangs
was over.
Most of the buildings destroyed Her
business houses, and very few privat
uNeIilIRb huHGRtu, except On lno bOut
eide.
1t being holiday, the business houses
many of them employing large force :
workmGn and girls, were empty, an
there was no renic; ard consequently
besides the two firemen killed and yhre
others badly injured by falling walls, n
casualties occurred.
THE Loss ESTIMATED AT s1O, COO, 600.
To.day's coniagratior, which VIZ
stopped in the store of Farley, Harvey
Co.,, ragged for six hours, burned over tw
acres of territory covered by magni6cer
structures, and ontaileI o loss estimate
at Si0,0O0,00 600, TIE Insurance is est
. mated ut $6 ON0, 900, E,catlg in tho cor
~ pnnies now sufferers Gy tho Lynn ir,
N Many OF the buildings were occupied b
the big woolen ard cotton mill oorpori
tions who had OF hand heavy stock fC
the winter; hsno9 the heavy loss.
The general alarm struck this mornin
on account of the fire WEB the hrst whic
had been rung in sincR the Boston "!lic
fire, In 1872 This was buiidin
hitherto thought to bo fire proof and r,
comfy built, but Notwithstanding
burned like tinder baS Gld tho FAM
rose hundreds OF feet into the air.
A soooud alarm was gsut in about g
and little after 8 o'clock q third slari
was sent out, aud in halt en- hoHr the
was issued general alarm which brou5l
apparatus from Cambridge, Somesvil
and Chelsea.
From the very start there was lit
a n...l l..,s., 81 L,A.