Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-02-06
HORRIBLE FIRE.
A Holocaust in Boston Tenement
House.
A Second Disastrous Fire in Boston
Great Blaze at Danbury, Conn
Also One at kenosha,

BosToN, Feb. 3.-By the fire in the
dwelling house 259 and 261 North street
occupied mostly by Italians, yesterday
morning, it is now known that ten per-
sons were burned to death, three others
fatally injured and six more seriously if
not mortally hurt.
There is diversity of accounts as to
the circumstances of the origin of the
fire, the alarm and the rescue. 1t is
believed that the fire started in the
clothing store of Maurice Ruhey
on the first floor and some minutes
before it was discovered it had
eaten through the partition wall of the
hallway, which contained the stairs
leading to the tenementS above. The
wooden stairway was like tallow candle
and the flames swept up it like flash.
In doing so it lighted up the hallwIy
and shot little flashes out through the
cracks of the doors and soon attracted
attention, but in moment it had taken
hold of the stairway ascending from the
same hallway and thus cut off all possi-
BILE passage to the street for the occu-
pants.
The scenes which occurred among the
inmates when they were awakened
were of the most exciting description.
There was no way for them to get down,
and as they ascended to the attic the
flames followed swiftly upon them.
Shrieks of terror, groans of agony and
cries for help filled the air. Men, wom-
en- and children filed the windows
and earnestly pleaded for help. Some
of the more venturesome even hung from
the windows by only slight hold on
the sills. Ladders were hurriedly
hoisted, lines of hose quickly run off
and pipe" from the chemical engine
was rushed into the flaming mass.
In ten minutes the fear of personal
safety had subsidized, those whom it was
possible having been taken from their
places where their injuries could be
cared for.
1t was not until the fire had been
practically eXtinguished that the inte-
rior of what was then but she'll could
be examined. Chief Webber, fol-
lowed by several firemen, went
into the building at a little after
one o'clock and with difficulty
ascended to the upper floor. The stair
ways from the street to the second
floors were completely burned away.
When the chief and his companions
reached the upper floor, under one of the
windows was found a human form,
burned to a crisp almost, the two palms
clasped together and the body kneeling
as though at prayer.
Further search showed in other parts
of the top floor seven other human
forms, covered with cinders and ashes,
naked, and disclosing limbs that had
been torn asunder by falling parts
of the building. Seeing their escape
from the flames below to the
street impossible, because the stairs
were raging masses of fire, the terrified
victims had evidently rushed to the up
per floor in their attempts to escape and
had there been roasted as though held
in furnace. Later two bodies of in
mates were found in other parts of the
building and the completed list of ten
human lives was made up. The injured
were removed to hospitals and the dead
bodies were taken to the mOrgue for
Identification.
BOSTON'S SECOND BLAZE
BosToN, Feb. 3.-Following close upon
the holocaust in North street Yesterday
morning, came fire in the forenoon
which in an hours time almost totally
destroyed the Sears building, a five
story marble structure, corner of Court
and Washington streets. owned by j.
Montgomery Sears, and which at the
time of it's erection was the finest busi-
ness building in Boston.
The walls of the building are about
all that is left of any value. The build
ing was valued at upwards of 500, 900, it
being assessed together with the engines
and boilers for S197, 400. There is an in
surance of S175,OOO, which will undoubt-
edly cover the loss.
FIRE AT DANBURY.
DANBURY, Conn, Feb. 3.-At 1890
o'clock yesterday morning fire was dis
covered in the basement of Samuel Har-
ris' clothing store at Liberty and Main
streets and before the flames could be
extinguished the furniture store of Hull
& Rogers was also burning.
The four story brick structure adjoin-
ing Hull & Rogers block was badly
damaged by fire and water. This build
ing was owned by Henry Beard and was
occupied on the first floor by clothing
firm, with Offices on the upper floors.
The total loss is estimated at $500, 900.
The insurance, so far as known, amounts
to 500, 900.
There were several narrow escapes
from death, many of the occupants of
the fats over the stores being taken
from their rooms almost suffOcated.
FIRE AT KENosHA.
KENOsHA, Wis, Feb. 3.-Fire yester-
day morning destroyed two of the six
story buildings of Allen & Sons tannery,
filed with stock. The flames rapidly
spread destroying also the DenOyer wa
ter cure and the German NJ. E. church
and parsonage. The loss will reach
Sl25, 900. At one time the entire north
western part of the city was threatened
with destruction and an engine was sent
from Racine.