New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-29
WIDE BUN IN BOSTON.
ACRES OF BUILDINGS BURNED.
LOSSES AMOUNTING TO EIGHT MILLIONS OF
DOLLARS.
ONE MAN HURT-T1tE PROGRESS OF THE FLAMES
STOPPED BY THE ONLY BUILDING WHICH
HAD IRON sHUTTERS-A GALE ALMOST
CONQUERED TIE FIREMEN-AID OBJ

HAD IRON sHUTTERs-A GALE ALMOST
CONQUERED TIE FIREMEN-AID OBJ
TANNED FROM OTHER CITIES
tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TKmUSE.1
Boston, Mass, Nov 28.-Boston is a sufferer by
ilre to-day to the estimated amount of $4,000 COO
or SlOOO0,000 Twcnty-odd business concerns
nave been burned out end the insurance companies
are hard hit. The fir discovered about
O'CLOCK this morning in the upper floor OF the
large block on the corner of Bedford and Kingston
sts., owned by Jordan, Marsh & Co., and occupied
in part by Brown, Durrcll g. Co., fancy goods.
This was magnificent sandstone building cover
ing large area, and was supposed to be as nearly
fre-proof as 1t was possible 10 make it. The fire
had good start before it was discovered by a
letter-carrIer, who gave the alarm, and by the
time the first engine arrived the entire building
was IN flames. After a few minutes unsuccessful
struggle with the flames, Chief Weber ordered a
general alarm sounded. The flames spread from
this new building across Bedford-st., setting fire
to the scaifolding in front of unfinished build
ing. Famed by high wind, the flames swept
TO the eastward and in a few minutes the five
story freestone block Nos ~, &c and so ChOun-
cey-st. was in flames. Number "a was occupied
on the two lower floors by Sanborn d Ham,
pei dealers, and the two upper floors by William
kahle, dealer in jewelry and silverware; No. 76
was occupied by the Boston Comfort Company,
Hiram Emery, lumber dealer, and B. S. Luther
clothing manufacturer; No. 50 was occupied by
Ewing, Brothers d Co.. commission merchants, and
the Byteld Woollen Mills. Adjoining that building
to the eastward is No. -, thlee-story brick
building, occupied by Wight Brothers, dealers in
furs and skins. The fire spread from the larger
building into this smaller one and in few mo-
mentS the latter structure and its contents were
mass Of ruins. At the same time the fire also
worked to the westward into the iive-stOry French
roof brown granite building occupied on the lower
door by Bridgeham dt Co. and Samuel Willis
and the rear portion of that building was soon
mass Of flames Seeing that the fire in
danger of crossing Chauncey-st.. the firemen con-
centrated their energies at that point. In spite
of their efforts the flames leaped across the street.
communicating with the four-story granite build
ing Nos. II, 73 and 10. occupied by Thomas n.
Christian, dealer in hosiery, laces and small wares
1t became evident that the entire fire depart
ment Of Boston was insufficient to quell the flames.
and aid was asked from other places Before 1 0
o'clock there were about sixty-fve pieces of APP
paratus at work, including engines from Chelsea,
Waltham, Lawrence, Lowell, Newton, Cambridge,
Haverhill, Brockton, Maiden, Salem, Newbury-
port, Taunton and Providence. For a time it
seemed as il the flames would reach Washington
st. on the west and Harrison-ave. on the east Had
they done so, the loss would have been enormous.
R. H. Whites great retail store, extending from
Washington-st. back to Harrison-ave., was seri-
oisly threatened at one time, and several firms in
Washington and other adjacent streets removed
some of their more valuable goods in anticipation
,affoc Lo,,.
the part of the firemen, directed by cool and
intelligent head. the fire was confined to portions
of Bedford. Kingston, Chauncey and Columbia
sts. and Rowe Place
A thrilling rescue from a terrible death was
made by Officer Charles MayneS of Division ,;
Onicer Benlamin, of Division l6, and Sleepy
the colOred attache of City Hall. 1t occurred
about 40 a. m in the building at No. so Chaun-
cey-st Edward f. Whiting, a veteran fireman,
who resided at No 40 Crescent-st., Roxbury Dis
uict, volunteered his services. He helped the
liremen with the hose on the building mentioned.
1t grew terribly hot and the walls threatened to
fall. The cry was raised to get back as the roof
was caving in. A desperate rush was made to
get out Of reach of the tumbling bricks, and all
escaped save Whiting lie was knocked down
and Immediately covered by heated debris. The
possible chance could he be alive Officers Naynes
and Benjamin, however, thought differently, and
taking desperate chances. braved the furnace-like
heat and the risk of falling walls, and tried TO
find the buried man. my God, can no one help
me? was the cry they heard This directed
them to a pile of truck and timber under which
they found Whiting imprisoned. Frantically they
pulled and hauled Every moment they expected
TO be killed by falling stones or burned by the
flames, which darted out in every direction They
kept at work, however. got hold of Writings arms,
and tried to pull him out They shuddered as
they saw the burned skin and flesh come off in
their hands. Once more they dug away the de-
bris to free the burned and injured man. They
finally got him out 1t was found that his right
leg was broken, that he was frightfully burned
about the head arms and body, and otherwise
injured. He was driven with all speed TO the
City Hospital 1t is believed that his injuries
will prove fatal
Several firms feel that honorable mention should
be made Of the kindness of \. Cheney, genera.
superintendent of the United States and Canada
Express Company who gratuitously furnished men
and teams to remove stock from their threatened
buildings. BY this means the papers ol the
Booth, Massachusetts, Everett and York Mills
were saved from the safes OF Smith, HosS ~
Gardner, corner of Chauncey and Bedford-StS.
$4,000 in valuable furs, principally sealsuns,
were removed from Freeman Whites store, and
81 1000 in seal gloves were saved from Coleman
d Mead'S establishment in Chaunccy-St
If it had not been for the heavy rainstorm which
prevailed during the entire forenoon,
the calamity would have been Inevitably
much greater The air was filled with
flying cinders driven by n strong wind, and great
flakes of burning paper. wood and other com
bustibles landed on roofs many blocks distant
and but for the rain would have set fire to many
postal card which escaped the
lames was carried from the burned district over to
more than three miles distant II was
addressed TO n New-York house and contained an
,rder for goods
The area burned over to-day was small in pro-
,ortion TO the loss. The territory is estimated as