The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-12-11
A HURRICANE OF FLAMES.
The Business Portion of Lynn,
Mass. Laid i'm Ashes.
Twenty Acres Denuded Of Fac
tories and Dwellings,.

The city of Lynn, Mass, has been visited
by the worst fire III her history. and. indeed,
the worst in all New England history, with
two exceptions-Portland in 1866 and Boston
in 1872 The flames had almost undisputed
sway for nearly ten hours, some twenty
acres of the heart of the city are mass OF
ruins and the loss is estimated at about 81, O0O,-
600.
The loss of life happily, is small, only one
death being reported. with few injured. In
the ruins are the city's largest and finest
shoe factories.
A fire started little before noon directly
over the boiler in a. Mowers wooden fac
tory in Almont street and quickly assembled
by means of elevators to the roof. Fortu-
nately, nearly all of the two or three hun
dred men and women in the various portions
of this building had just left for dinner, and
but very few were on the upper floors so
quick were the flames that the proprietor
had but Just time to close his safe and leave.
One man was caught in the upper story, ana
was rescued by firemen by means OF lad
der.
The flames finished the wooden building,
in which were half dozen shoe manu-
facturers and the Beaudrey Machine Com
pany. The Mower brick building on Willow
street was the next to 60. Its walls fell mat
1890 with crash, and one man was reported
to be buried beneath. This building, five
stories high, 100 by 100, was totally destroyed.
The next building was large frame wooden
factory of Bennett d Barnard, manufac-
turers of the finest shoes in New England,
and employing $50 hands. This building was
q fve-story structure and about 200 feet
long.
Extending back to Almont street the great
structure yielded like pasteboard to the
march of the flames and, with its hundred
thousand dollars worth of fine shoes in all
stages of manufacture, was entirely swept
away.
The fire advanced with marvellous speed,
licking up the mass Of lime sheds and Shanties
in the rear of the lofty wooden structures on
Central avenue, and working along with such
rapidity that the great brick block just
erected by b. W. Currier on Union street was
imperiled before a stream had been turned on
from the hydrants and steamers. The people
turned out with will and lent hand in
emptying the numerous factories and stores
of their more valuable contents.
1t was recognized at once that the Lynn
Fire Department could not cope alone with
the enemy, and calls for help sent to Pea.
body, Salem, Beverly, Marblehead and Bos-
ton were promptly answered by steamers and
men.
The scene in fifteen minutes after the first
stroke of the alarm had sounded exceeded
anything ever before witnessed in Lynn.
Central square and all it's adjacent thorough
fares were filled with flying wagons and vans
and hurrying people bearing books, dry
goods, shoes and valuables Of every descrip-
tion to friendly shelter.
By o'clock the fire had cleared between
two and three acres, including the Western
Union Telegraph Company, the Lynn Morn
ing Nc,rs and Daily Press, and other I'M
portant local offices. By this time all travel
ON the Boston and Maine road east and west
of Lynn was wholly suspended, and in
short time the Central Station was gone.
By o'clock, in spite Of stout brick walls, the
great fire had burned its way into the heart
Of the business section Of the city.
The scene became thrilling aud the air re-
sounded with the crash of falling walls.
There was talk Of blowing up buildings to
check the flames, when the Boston Fire De-
partment detail arrived and was quickly put
at work. The heat was terrible.
The firemen fought behind shutters and
screens. and yielded inch by inch up Unish
street. The confagration swept on until it
reached the corner of Mulberry stS9at, where
the firemen had a vantage six steamers
were massed at this >e5int, and q grand fight
was made upon the historical old Sycamore
Hotsl. Q laeggge &c brick building four stories in
height; it was q hard contest, Many times
the building was on fire, but after stubborn
struggle the flames gave it bound, and a
boundary was thus established at this point.
On the opposite side of Central avenue and
Central square the flames made short work
of the fine Fuller block, four story brick
structure 200 feet long, in which was G.. w.
Pecker's model shoe factory, one of the finest
in Lynn, which was recently exhibited to
Southern visitors ms one of the best typcs of
the New England shoe factory to be found in
the section. This factory employed 200 hands.
Following the railroad track, the fire swept
eu. the entire square to Washington street,
destroying the Beverly House. the Salem
House and ..umberless small shonS,
~ me w nitecnapei district was cleaned
out entirely, and the fire moved toward Mar
ket street. BY this time from eight 10 ten
acres were burned over. The flames cor
tinued to spread, and, after reaching Broad
street, Travelled on with great fury down
Beach street, eating everything in their
path. The large and magnificent structure
of V. K. & A. F. Jones and S. N. Breed,
corner of Market and Andrew streets to-
gether with those of Luther S. johnson &
Co., William Porter and Frank W. Breed,
on Mount Vernon street, which are occupied
as shoe factories, and the Central Congrega-
totally destroyed, entailing heavy lssses.
The flames, in going through Beach, Suf-
folk, Amity, Sycamore and Tudor streets
burned q large number Of tenement houses
and hundreds Of families lost their homes
Finally powder and dynamite were used to
clear enough open space to stop the further
spread, but with little effect In spite of all
efforts the fire burned itself out. By 730 it
''"dNr control. and about ~