Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-05-16
Workingmen's Families
the Principal Sufferers.
NO LOSS OF LIFE REPORTED.
1t Is Quite Probable That the Loss Will
Reach a Million Dollars.

Boston, May 1G-Somebody blundered.
That's why Boston had fire which con-
sumed perhaps 81, 100000 worth OF prop
erty yesterday afternoon, burning ovei
about Is acres of ground and rendering
close on to 1000 persons homeless.
1t may have been that there was loss
of life, but this probability cannot be
verified; neither could it be positively
disputed
just who the blunderer was will prob
ably never be ascertained. Present in
dications are that he Is sort of composite
picture of several individuals who will
probably shift the responsibility from one
shoulder To another.
As near AS can be learned the authors
OF the trouble were some youngsters who
were playing under the "bleachinR
boards" on the right-feld side Of the
baseball grounds.
Some repairs had recently been made in
that vicinity, and under the bleachers
was lot of rubbish, consisting of old
boards, chips and the like. To this one of
the boys is supposed to have touched a
match in IA spirit of fun, aud from the
tiny blaze thus originated sprung the
conhagration. This was blunder No 1.
Blunder No. 2 began when the specta-
tors in the bleachers discovered the fire
and tried to put it out themselves by
pulling the pile OF rubbish apart, a job
in which they were assisted by several
attaches OF the place, when an alarm of
fire should have been given The firemrn
were not officially notified Of the trouble
until IL was
Beyond Their Power to Check It.
The high wind which was blowing at
the time carried the fire over the fence.
and into the tinder- box dwellings which
adjoln the baseball grounds.
From these it jumped to others, until
nearly every structure in the district
bounded by Burke street on the north,
the tracks of the Providence division on
| the west, Sarsheld street on the south and
Cabot street OH the east, had been razed
to the ground. That is a rough state
| ment OF the case.
There are some few buildings standing,
but many of these are injured to greater
| or less extent. but :hey only serve to en-
| phasize the general scene of disaster.
When darkness had set in last night
the right hand side of fremont street,
looking toward Rpxbury, was picture
for painter. Beginning at Burke street
and ending below Wslpole street. and
then extending westward to the railroad
| tracks, the vast plain which but few
hours before was covered by the homes OF
| hundreds of inha abitants was
One Mass oe smoldering Ruins,
with nothing to mark the homes which
had existed there but the naked chin
| news, around the bases Of which the little
flames still ftfully played.
1t was u tough battle for the firemen.
| A strong northwest wind was blowing at
| the time and this was the principal en-
| envy which they had to encounter. II
was that which carried the little blaze
| which, under ordinary conditions, prob
ably would not have burned more than a
| few bleaching boards, over into the nest
of dwelling houses, and then urged IL
| forward with such rapidity that 1t seemed
as II nothing could check it.
| Started Among Old Lumber.
The fire started in pile of lumber
which was lying under the right-feld
| bleachers. A group OF boys were seen
near the place few minutes before, and
| at the same time that the fire was dis
| covered they were seen TO run away Be-
| fore any of the spectators had a chance to
| follow them IL was evident that the fire
| needed all their attention. In n moment
| IL had leaped up to the seats, and, famed
| by a brisk breeze, swept toward the grand
stand.
The woodwork was as dry as punk. No
rain has fallen for long time, and as 1t
was several minutes before the streams
were in effective shape. there was a roar
and nothing was left but ashes, as the
flames swept on through the rafters Of the
structure. The left-field bleachers were
next ignited.
| Meanwhile the sparks had fallen upon
the house across Berlin street. a narrow
thoroughfare which bounds the baseball
| grounds. These buildings were all OF
wood. and they burned as freely az those
within the enclosure.
The wind, which seemed to have In
creased, drove the fire directly into the
heart of these bIildings, and II rushed on
toward fremont street, reaching out to
! the right and left until the entire square
between the ball grounds and fremont
street. and extending north from Wal
pole street, was burning hercely. The
schoolhouse, which stool at the corner OF
walpole and fremont streets, brick
structure. checked the progress OF the
fire only for moment, and that, too, was
| mum bered among those consumed.
| swim work OF Flamss
| fremont street at this point 10 90 feet