The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-11
B0STOR'S GREAT BLAZE.
Fire Again Ravagos the Massa-
ohusetts Metropolis.
4 NUMBER OF LIVES SACRIFICED.

A Whole Block of Buildings in Ashes,
and the Fire Took In Several AdJoin-
ing struotures-The Loss Estimated at
-Four and u Half Millions.
BOSTON, March 11.-One Of the most de-
structive fires in the history of Boston,
next in magnitude to the famox~ one OF
Thanksgiving day, 1889, and In the same
district, broke out shortly after O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, and before 1t was
= placed under control, three hours later
had burned over more than square, had
reduced to ashes several Of the magniti-
cent new buildings recently completed in
the territory burned over three and half
a years ago, had consumed property valued
ut conservative estimate at S4,5900O0.
had destroyed several, perhaps many lives,
and mangled or mamed at least thirty
persons, some of whom will die of their in
5uries
At f:95 the alarm was rung from box SO.
Twas soon followed by second and then
ageneral alarm.
The flames broke out in the toy depart
Ment of Horace Partridge g. Co.. who oc-
cupied the fifth and sixth floors of the
seven story building corner of Essex and
Alincoln streets, owned by II. A. Ames.
The cause is at present unknown, but the
start is described by those nearest it as re-
eembiing the bursting of fire cracker.
The flames spread with incredible rapidity,
and in very few moments the entite in
terror OF the building was burning. Ihere
were manSs employees of the Partridge
coWpaHy at work at the time, and the
->bther floors OF the building were sprinkled
with human beings.
A Scramble for Life.
The usual avenues of escape were at once
sut off and then began n scramble for life
which sickened beholders. The panic
stricken inmates fled to the windows and
roof. Some escaped by sliding down tele-
graph poles, others by leapng into blan.
kets and nets. Several jumped to the pave
ment six or eight stories, and were terribly
mangled, and others, how. many cannot
bow be told fell back into the cauldron of
flames or were overcome by the dense black
smoke which suff0catcd all who did not
speedily escape.
The entire fire department of the city
wns speedily on the scene, the depart
ments of Somcrvile, Cambridge, Newton,
Quincy and BrocSton arrived there by
train, and help was requested to be in
readiness from more distant cities. For
tunatcly further help was not needed
Vast crowds OF people at once began to
poch w tie sCeue, anu rs u matter oil pre-
caution Governor Russell speedily ordered
two companies of militia under arms and
proceeded to the fire in person where he was
soon joined by Mayor Matthews. The fire
kpread rapidly from building to building,
sd, despite the heroic efforts of the entire
Pystcm of Sttffelka aeonnty, WINS not CON
frolled until the whole square bounded by
Essex street on the north, Lincoln on the
cast, Tufts on the south aud Kingston on
the west had been levcled besides one
bailding 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 Emer-
gency hospital
Tho Dead and Missing.
The full list Of the dead may never be
Known, and no attempt to ascertain it can
be made until the ruins have cooled off
Vhe dead so far known ure:
Unknown man, aged about 2s supposed
70 be Fred Meadowchafr, of As Chestnut
Ttfest; Robert J Resteau, esad e5, a iUyr-
ner man, of Charlestown girl, too badly
burned to be identiied Leondas II, Red
path, merchant, died at hospital
Miss Lillian Scott. Miss Avis Miss Per
tfas, Mis- Richard, Edward Lambey and
. boy named Howard, employees Of j. G.
Young, on the third floor OF the Ames
Building are missing
Among the thirty or more injured was
Kempton 1wess, driver OF hose 10 of
Routh Boston. who fractured his leg while
at work neui the United States hotel The
injury was caused by hose falling on
him. This Is the third time within n
short period THAI this unfortunate fireman
has been injured while on duty. II is re.
markable, also, that all his injuries have
been fracture or break of tho same leg.
Statements of Eye witnesses.
George NJ. MeCaller, bookkeeper at tho
burned out store of Horace Partridge g.
Co, said: II was standing at my desk bal.
ancing the day accounts when suddenly
was startled by tho cry of fire in the
building. had scarcely recovered from
my surprise when the engines arrived NV
arst impulse was to seize the books,-nud
calling two of the clerks standing nearme
got the most valuable down stairs safely.
AZ near as l can rccollect I've minutes
elapsed between the cry of fire and The ar
val of the engines, yet in that time the
whole building seemed to be in one seeth.
ing mass of flames In the rush from the
building many employees We're knocked
down and trampled upon The pitiful ap
peals of the young girls, mingled with the
shouts OF the men as they stfove to pilot
bhem TO place oil safety, wis one of the
most exciting incidents in my life hope
peyer to go through such u one again
have my doubts that many OF the lirm' en-
ployes who were on the fifth and sixth
hoors Of the building have met with se-
fions injuries, ii some Of them are not now
dead
w. S, Rumrill, of Deane. Chase & Co,
Said Il first saw man with his hair
literally sinScd of his head rushing up
the street TO the nearest lire alarn box
sprang TO the door and saw spectacle
that APPALLED, me. A torrent OF flame was
literally pouring out OF the windows In
khe center front on the second floor of the
Ames building Very soon upon the pa
rapet, way UP ablve the street, | saw four
men and one woman elinging to the stone
work, There was no such thing as getting
y ladder up to them, owing to the network
OF wires. We watched the quartette as
they chung for few minutes only, whilo
the crowd in tho street stood in breathless
silence. Then the four, one after another,
jumped off Down they came, a height OF
six stories, and struck soliily on the frozen
ground, Every one of the four were un-
conscious when reached, and all must be
terribly injured, There conld hardly be
whole bone in their bodies.n
-
Colonel French Indicted.