Morning journal and courier., 1890-10-25
A DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

East PeppereII, Mass, Nearly Wiped
Out-A Scene of Desolation-Narroy
Escape OF Several People-Explo.ion
OF Drugs-Four Hundred People
Thrown Out OF Employment.
EAST PEPPERELL, Mass, Oct. 24,-Thii
village received the most disastrous blow
in its history this morning when fire de
stroyed one of its most extensive manufac.
turing establishments, three business
buildings and some smaller ones. The
south side of Main street from Denham's
drug store west to Foster street presents
tonight q scene of desolation. The fire
broke out about Q Am. on the second floor
of the main building of Leighton Brothers
shoe establishment. This consists of q
main building five stories high, 75x15C
feet, four-story ell 75x50 feet, story
and half storage shed in the rear about
25x40 feet, a two-story box factory 30x5C
feet and the lumber yard. These were all
totally destroyed. together with several
hundred thousand feet of lumber. The
flames burned fiercely and the entire com.
munity was soon aroused. The local fire
department fought valiantly and Nashus
was called upon for assistance, Niagara No.
2 of that city responding and contributing
greatly to the saving of property.
The heavy northeast rain storm which
soon set in also did its part toward pre-
venting further destruction. The flames
from the immense shoe factory lighted up
the sky for miles, and were easily seen
from Nashua, eight miles distant. The
buildings on either side of the factory were
soon ignited. On the east, across q drive.
way, stood a two-story wooden building
owned by William A. Ames and occupied
by G. S. Denham as a residence. -Denham
cape with their lives, but lost all theiI
goods. The contents of the two stores
were also consumed and the noise of ex-
ploding drugs mingled with the roar of the
flames.
In the west of the factory stood two.
story brick building, which was also
speedily consumed, together with Mr..
Weston's stables adjoining. Weston lost
nearly all his stock and household furni-
ture and his horses were only saved by
breaking in the walls of his stable and
dragging the animals out blindfolded. The
flames swept on westward next, licking uI
a small wooden block. Most of the con-
tents of this building were saved. The
next building was Pepperen hall, two sto-
ries, also owned by William A. Ames. This
building was burned to the ground. The
orders saved most of their effects. A
building owned and occupied by @. B.
Parker as meat market, dining saloon
owned by G. T. Green, caught fire and was
burned.
A small dwelling house of William A.
Ames, located behind the shoe factory, a
stable near by and the apparatus house of
Hook and Ladder company No. 1, like
wise ignited and were consumed. The
flames were stayed at Foster street, al
though Goss' photograph gallery on the
southwest corner was somewhat scorched.
The household goods of tho families
burned out, such of it as was saved, was
stacked up in the steeets and neighbours
yards, and suffered thorough soaking
from the storm. The area burned over
was about two acres. Besides the several
families rendered homeless nearly four
hundred people are thrown out of employ
ment by the burning of the factory.
Leighton Brothers loss will be in the
vicinity of 5000, 900, which is insured with
Fitchburg parties for less than 500, 900.
VALLoJo, Cal, Oct. PA fire in the
steam engineering storehouse of the Mare
Island navy yard this afternoon did 800,
600 damage. Chief Engineer Moore and
others in tine building had narrow escapes.
The value of stores was probably a million
dollars. The valuable drawings and maps
which have been accommodating for years
were entirely ruined.