The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-03-13
1t Was the Most Destructive Blaze
Since the Memorable Thanks
giving Day, 1883.
Nearly Five Million Dollars Worth
of Property Now Only Mass
of Ruins.
The Dead Estimated Mt TWENTY-FIVE
and Many Others Were Severely
Injured.

Obstructive both to property and life of
any since the memorable Thanksgiving
day Of 1883, when the same terriotory
was burned over The property loss is
estimated at between $4,0OO,0O0 and
$1,000, 900. and is probably nearer the
latter sum. The fire was attended by
Scenes OF Panic and Distress
never before equalled in the memory of
citizens now living and had destroyed
probably % human lives and mangled
or mained at least 80 persons, some OF
whom will die Of their injuries. Only
four bodies have so far been recovered
They are:
UNKsowN MAN, aged 20, supposed to be Fred
Neadowcraft.
ROBERT REsrAUx. aged s5. a ladder man. of
Charlestown.
UNKNOWN GIRI, too badly burned to be
identified.
LEoNIDAs III. REDPATH, merchant.
AT 4:25 o'clock the alarm was sent i'm
from box 52. 1t was soon followed by
a second and then general alarm. The
flames broke out in TIE toy department
of Horace Partridge & Co.. who occu-
pied the fifth and sixth floors of the
7-story building at the corner of Essex
and Lincoln streets, owned by f. L.
Ames. The cause is at present un-
known, but the start is described by
those nearest it as resembling the burst
ing of firecracker The flames spread
with To- shlo Il
and in very few moments the entire
interior of the building was burning.
There Were many employees of the Part
ridge company at work at the time
and the other floors of the building
We're sprinkled with human beings.
The usual avenues of escape were cut
off and then began scramble for life
which sickened beholders. The panic
stricken inmates few to windows and
roofs. Some escaped by shining down
telegraph poles, others by leaping into
blankets and nets. Several jumped to
the pavement six and seven stories and
were terribly mangled, and others. how
many cannot be told now, fell into the
Canldron Of Flames
or were overcome by the dense black
smoke, which suffocated all who did
not speedily escape. The entire fire de-
partment of the city was quickly ON the
scene. The departments Of Somerville,
Cambridge, Newton, Quincy and Brock
ton arrived later by train and aid was
requested to be in readiness from more
distant cities. Fortunately further help
was not needed. Vast crowds of people
began at once to flock to the scene and
as matter of precaution Governor
Russell ordered two companies of mill
tia under arms and proceeded to the
fire in person, where he was soon joined
by Mayor Matthews. The fire spread
from building to building and
Despite the Heroic Effects
Of theentire fire system of Suffolk county
was not controlled until the whole
square bounded by Essex street on the
north, Lincoln on the east, Tufts on the
south and Kingston on the west had
been levelled, also one building north of
Essex street extending along Columbia
street, three more on the east side of
Lincoln street and one corner of the
United States hotel, south of Tufts
street, which corner contained the
emergency hospital. The confagration
as viewed from distance was grand.
Near the scene it was awful. While
the Ames building was burning there
were
Echoed Explosions
like fireworks mingled with the hoarce
shouts of firemen, the changing and
putting of engines, the crashing Of
walls, the rumble from hurrying teams
and thu surging of the vast crowd
which soon gathered. -.-..
The employees OF many large stores in
the vicinity were ON duty until the FIRE
was under control, ready to move out
goods If necessary. Jordan, Marsh 81
Co., kept 1900 men for that purpose.
The three largest buildings burned-the
Ames, Lincoln, Brown & Durrell-were
Of modern structure and built in the
most non n-combustible style possible for
mercantile use. The Brown-Durrell
had front walls OF sandstone and rear
walls of brick.
A Horrible Situation.
The big Ames building was nearly all
leased to Horace Partridge & Co. This
was their wholesale department and the
floors were packed to the roof with toys
OF all kinds. In one room was a big lot
OF fireworks and they went off with a
rush. Before even the employees ON the
floor could reach the stairs the flames
had preceded them. The horror OF the
situation cannot be adequately told. In
two minutes the firemen had spread
their fire nets and
RescnesI . scorc or People.
In Ave minutes the flames were spread
ing from every window Of the great
Lstory building and the fitemen wera