The Portland daily press., 1893-03-11
A MIGHTY FIRE
Sweeps Away an Entire Square in
City Of Boston.
PROPERTY BY THE MILLION AND
SCORES OF LIVES PERILLED.


from High Buildings-Two Killed and
Twenty Crippled-Property Loss -Four
and a Half Millions.
BosToN, March 10.-One of the most
destructive fires in the history of Boston
nextin magnitude to the famous enc of
Thanksgiving day, 1889, and in the same
district, broke out shortly after 4 O'Clock
this afternoon.
Before it was placed under control,
three hours later, 1t burned over more
than square and reduced to ashes sew
eral magnificent new buildings recently
completed ON the territory burned over
three and half years ago, and consumed
property valued by conservative estimate
at 81, SOC, 600. 1t was attended by scenes
of panic and distress never before equal
led in the memory OF citizens now living
1t destroyed several, perhaps many, hui
man lives, and mangled or manned at
least 80 persons, some of whom will die
from their injuries.
At 425 there was an alarm from box
81, which was soon followed by second,
and then a general alarm. The flames
broke out in the toy department of Hor-
aen Partridge & Co. who occupied the
fifth and sixth floors Of the seyen-storied
building on the corner of Essex and Lin
coin streets, owned by F. L. Ames. The
cause is at present unknown. The start
OF the fire is described by those nearest
as resembling the bursting of fire
cracker The flames snread with incred-
ihle raniditv and in yerv few minutes
the entire interior of the building was
burning.
Manv emnloves of the PARTRIDGE Co.
were at work at tbe time and other floors
of the huildino were snrinkled with hu-
man beings. The rsuaf avenues of escape
were were at once cut off. Then began a
scramble for life which sickened behold
ers. The nanic-stricken inmates fed to
tbe windows and roof. Some escaped by
shinning down telegraph poles. Others by
leaning inf blankets. Several iumped
to The navement six or eight stories. and
were terribly mangled. Others, how
many cannot, now he told. fell back into
the cauIdron ~ flames or were overcome
by the dense black smoke which suffo-
Gated all who did not speedily escape.
The entire fire department Of the
CITY was speedily on the scene. The de-
partments of Somerville. Cam bridge,
Newton. Quincy and Brockton arrived
later by train and aid was ordered to be
in readiness from more distant cities.
= Fortunately Torate further ofl1 % help was not
needed. Vasts crowds of people began
at once to flock to the scene and as a,
matter of precaution Gov. Russell speed
ily ordered two companies of militia,
nnder arms. He nroceeded at once to
the fire in person. where he was soon
ioined by Mayor Matthews. The com
mittee OF the CITY council appointed to
investigate the causes of the recent large
fires in session at CITY hall Immediately
adionrned to the scene of the confagra-
tion.
The fire spraad rapidly from building
to building. Despite the heroic efforts
of the entire fire systems of Suffolk
county. it was not controlled until the
whole square bounded by Essex street,
Lincoln. Tufts. and Kingston streets was
leyeled. also one building north of Essex
street. extending along Columbia street,
three more on east side of Lincoln street
snd one corner of United States hotel
south Of Tufts street, which corner, con-
tanned the emergency hospital.
as follows: Ames building. seven stories,
CORNER ESSEX duU LluCOlu StI6Gb, WucIc
the fire started; Lincoln building, five
stories, opposite corner site of the old
CRYSTAL Palace. occupied by the Singer
Manufacturing Company and a large
number of other concerns; Ludlow
building. six stories. 1855 Essex street;
Brown-Dnrell building. seven stories.
cnrner of Essex and kingston streets,
burned from roof to fourth floor, (fire
nrO0f walls OF this DullOlQO SL6mm0Q Ufl0
hr;ok @ ~ h'1;ld;n@ at at +be 20 corner M o9 Columbia
and Essex streets, occupied by Walter s.
Barnes, paper box manufacturer and
otners: oniteo oea'es nIsei ,si,d;nns strSnels h
,r tween t, The "A Ames bu ding and United
States Hotel. occupied as dwellings in
upper story. small traders below.
The confagration as viewed from a
distance was grand. A dense pail of
black smoke covered that section of the
city. AS darkness came on this was
lighted up by fame, while occasional
tongues Of fire and glowing embers
showed. yolcano-like. in the ebon mass.
Nearer to. The scene was awful, While
+he Amas buildinor was burning there