The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-03-11
A FEARFUL FIRE IN BOSTON.
Terrible Scenes Of Death Many Eco
pie ManglGd and Burned.
FINE NEW BUILDINGS DESTROYED
A List of Principal Properties ana Firms
Suffering LOss-The Cause I'm
known.
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
Boston, Mass, March 10.One Of the
most destructive fires In the history Of
Boston, broke out shortly after Al
o'clock this afternoon, and before 1t
was placed under control, three hours
later, it burned over more than quar-
ter of a square, reducing to ashes sew
eral magnificent new buildings recent
ly completed on the territory burned
over three and half years ago. 1t con-
sumed property valued by conserva-
tive estimate at $4.50O,OOO and was at
tended by scenes of panic and distress
never before equalled here. 1t de-
stroyed several, perhapsmany, human
lives and mangled or MANNED at least
thirty persons, some Of whom will die
of their injuries.
The flames broke out in the toy de-
pany who occupied the fifth and sixth
floors of the seven-story building at
the corner of Essex and Lincoln streets
owned by F. L. Ames. The cause is at
present unknown, but the story is de-
scribed by those nearest it as resem-
bling the bursting of huge firecraeker.
The flames spread with incredible rap
idity and in very few minutes the en-
tire interior |of the buildings were
burning. There were many employees
at work at the time and the other
floors were sprinkled with human be-
ings. The usual avenues Of escape were
at once cut off by the flames and smoke
and then began a scramble for life
which sickened the beholders. The pam
10 stricken inmates fed to the windows
and roofs; some escaped by sliding
down telegraph poles; others by leaping
into blankets. Several jumped to the
pavement six or eight stories below,
and were terribly mangled, and others
how many cannot now be told, fell
back into the cauldron of flames or
were overcome by the dense black
smoke that suffocated all who did not
speedilf escape.
The entire fire department Of Sum-
merville, Cambridge, Newton, and
Brockton arrived later by train, and
aid was requested to be in readiness
from some more distant cities Fortu-
nately, 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
out two companies of militia.
Despite the efforts of the entire fire
department of Suffolk county, it was
not controlled until the whole square
was levelled and also five buildings
on another street.
The principal buildings burned and
the occupants thereof are as follows:
The Ames building. occupied by the
Wcbnsocket Rubber Company; Bar
bour Bros, Thread Company; A. Pack
ard G.. Company; Amazema Machine
Company; the Consolidated Glass Com
pany; Merrick Thread Company; r. w.
Appleton, Hanover Shoe Company;
Lariat Manufacturing Company; Claf-
lin, Larobe & Company; United States
Rubber Company; Redpath Bros, boots
and shoes; s. b. Thing & Company
Jacquitz Rubber Company; Tapley Ma
chine Company; Horace Partridge &
Company; Hathaway, Soule & Harris
on; Cape Cod Glass Company; Ameri-
can Wine Company, and many others
The Lincoln building, five stories, OPP
posite, occupied by the Singer Manu-
featuring Company and many others
The Ludlow building, six stories, on
Essex street. and the Brown-Durel
building seven stories high on Essex
in these two buildings were burned
and Kingston streets, all the concerns
out.
The five-story building on Columbia
and Essex streets was occupied by a
walter 8. Barles, paper box manufac-
turer. and others.
Hoseman O'Connor in relating the
story Of the fire, said he went to tht
second story Of the Ames building and
found a struggling mass Of men and
women trying to throw themselves out
of the windows. He beat them back
and opening window. took one at
time. dropping them into a net below
He succeeded In dropping thirty anc
says there were at least as many more
who never came out Of the buildlni
alive,
The manager Of the Lariat Manufac
turing Company. says six Of their EN-
ployes are missing.
The widest kind OF stories are II
circulation regarding the loss Of lif'
and the general extent Of the disaster
The greatest confusion and excitemen'
prevails. however. and 1t is impossipi'
to get authentic details tonight.
There were many intensely excitini
exciting scenes attending the fire. Tn
one hieh attracted the most attention