The Portland daily press., 1894-01-25
People Fled from Burning Houses
in Broekton Last Night.
AT ONE TINE MANY BUSINESS
BLOCKS WERE THREATENED,


RapidIy-The Total Loss About $71, 900
An Old and Historic Church Among
the Burned Buildings.
Brockton, Mass, January PA fire
started in the City rink just after the
polo team left it tonight and a general
alarm was sounded. A strong wind was
The building was directly in the heart of
the city, and it was. early seen that all
the blocks between Centre street and
Green street to the north of the rink
were in great danger. These buildings
included the Perkins block, occupied by
Thomas and Packard, crockery, ETC., Fl.
P. Sullivan, clothing, H.. n. Robinson &
Co., dry goods. and Swift's pharmacy;
the First Congregational church and
residences on Green street. By 1920 the
fire had spread to Robinson & Co. IS dry
goods store and the intervening property
and is still spreading. At 1910 pm,
the residences of Harry Marston, chief of
the fire department. DR.. F. L. Wier. Mrs.
Daniel Tolman, Walter Bradforde, Misses
Lena and Johanna Wadleigh, and
Mayor j. J. Whlpple, with the Brown
church were all ahlaze and the flremen
seemed powerless to stop the advance of
the flames.
Later-Almost simultaneously with the
first alarm, a terrible wave of fame burst
from the rink, which was a wooden
structure. The fire apparatus was quick
ly at the scene, but the rear of the build
ing was in flames The wind was blow
ing from the southwest and the rear of
two handsome residences on Green street,
owned by Col. Whipple and occupied by
DIR. Weir, Mrs. Daniel Tolman and Chief
Harry Marston of the fire department
were soon in flames. Directly adjoining
these residences was the magnificent
wooden residence of Mayor Whipple. The
department worked hard to prevent The
loss of this dwelling. The First Congre-
gational church caught fire. 1t was a
handsome wooden structure. 1t was
quickly in flames. The firemen worked
hard to save the edifice, but in vain.
The burning church lighted up the city
and country for miles around. At one,
the tall steeple fell toward the front Of
nately no one was injured. Sparks and
| large cinders fell in showers on the
wooden buildings on the opposite side
of the street. The residence OF N. M.
Price, next to the church was likely to go
and one on the opposite corner, owned by
Daniels. Howard seemed in danger. Aid
has been sent from Boston, Taunton and
der control. Steamers arrived from Bos-
ton soon after midnight making the trip
in twenty minutes. AT midnight, the
Avon steamer was put to work on the
savings bank block which had caught
fire. The flames burned through the
roof. but the building was saved. The
Porter church caught fire in the belfry,
but it was quickly extinguised. BY
tremendous efforts the fire was gotten
under control. No estimate of losses can
be obtained tonight. The following
buildings were burned:
The, tenement house next to the
mayors residence on Green street, occu-
pied by Fire Chief Harry Marston, John
Barbour and DR.. Weir, the house being
valued atssS10,000.
The house adjoining the above, owned
and occupied by Mrs. Daniel Tolman, the
principal part of the contents being to-
tally destroyed, we'll insured.
The residence adjoining the above,
owned by George Tolman and occupied
by Mr.. Dyer as boarding house.
The house and contents are total loss.
The skating rink, total loss The
building cost $4,000, with no insurance
on it.
The Brown church, Congregationalist,
burned to the ground. It contained an
old historic organ. The building was an
old landmark of the city.
The Whipple-Freeeman block, Just
erected, directly opposite the Brown
church, did not take fire, but the large
plate glass windows, costing about $135,
were broken by the heat.
Many occupants of houses barely es-
capped with the clothes they mad on.
Many had retired for the night and
escaped in their night clothes. Mayor
Whipple's family escaped with but little
inconvenience, but only few articles
were removed from the house. Horses
and carriages were taken to safe quarters
from stables. With the wind in the
opposite direction many of the large
business blocks on Main street must have
succum bed to the flames. The total loss
will undoubtedly reach 81, 1000. The
Brown church was built in 1862 and cost
$500 The rink was owned by John
Jackson.