The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-07
Silly Season Sketches No. 9.

II { H.. '
About this time occupy your summer cottage.
in the armory. From all sides the water
was poured in torrents into the very
victory was assured. After time the
effect OF the volumes OF water began
TO be noticed and finally, after battle OF
nearly four hours, the fire succumbed.
The Water Tower.
The water tower made its first appear
| ance for actual service and proved It's use
| fulness To everyone's sat tisfaction, and but
| for the powerful streams of water which
| could be thrown by IL, the loss on both
building and stock must have been
| much greater. The machine was In
charge of Lieutenant Dawley, who
had with him the members OF the tele-
| graph corps aud Foreman Butts with the
| Hose 13 men. The power was supplied by
| Steamer II and was necessarily curtailed
| by the fact that the engine was doing
| double duty i'm supplying another line OF
hose to the roof. James r. wakeman, the
agent who delivered the water tower TO
the city, was present and said that the
men did magnificent work in operating IT
and showed as much proficiency
in its handling as the trained companies
ofother cities where water towers have
been in use for much longer time.
The Occupants.
The top floor, where the fire originated,
was an open space from Westminster
steeet 10 Exchange place, and used as
storerooHi for furniture.
All of the fourth floor was occupied by
Companies l., and III of the Second
Regiment, ana comprised a large drill
hall, officers quarters and company
rooms.
The occupants OF the third floor were
Gately Il O'Gorman, publishers; King
Philip Lodge, Order OF Red Men; the John
Reynold Worsted Company; Marion Print
ing Company, Balstone Mills Co.; l.. A.
Webster and w. III. Phillips, hats and
caps: Buck Brothers, brokers; John
OConner, mortgage broker, and Fred
Elsbree and Company, millinery.
The second floor was occupied by {. >.
Horton, millinery; Cobb AZ Browning,
millinery, and Bernier & Herbert, hair
dressers.
The Explosion.
Immediately following the falling of
the roof into the armory there was a ter
rifle explosion. A shower of burning
debris was hurled on high and several
of the figemen were thrown forcibly sew
eral feet by the shock. 1t was not known
and there was considerable speculation
as to the origin on the street. Rumors Of
kegs of gunpowder being stored in the
armory were rife and the timid sought
safe points in the distance.
The fact of the explosion was explained
by one of the I'd Regiment officers who
said that 1000 rounds OF ball cartrides used
by the men in target practice had been
stored on the top floor.
EJsbrce,e Storx
Fred Elsbree is the only occupant who
was in the building when the fire started
and the only one with a story to tell. He
was on the elevator at z o'clock
with Barney Peck, and had just
come down from the store room
floor with some fixtures. AT the third
floor he stepped from the car, the old
elevator man yelled fire, and Immediately
sent his elevator up to the top only
To be severely burned. The two men
however saw enough to satisfy them that
the fire started in the Exchange street
end OF the building and swept through TO
the elevator well, which was situated
about midway and then stopped.
Previous Fires on This Square.
This particular square i'm the heart of
the city has been the scene OF two large
fires previous to this one. The Howard
block, next adjoining the Phenix block,
the largest and finest business block i'm
the city. 1t caught fire at midnight,
October 26, 1858, and with the large
new museum on the next lot
east, now the Phenix block, and
several other buildings, was consumed.
Toe property belonged to Mr.. George II.
Howard, whose loss was about 100000.
So great was the light from the burning
that the residents OF Pawtucket believed
that the whole city was being consumed
and Pawtucket hastily sent aid.
IL is related that the noise OF the falling |
walls and floors was heard all over the |
city.
The Howard block and the Museum
were rebuilt only to be again de- |
stroyed by fire November Is, 1853. The |
loss at the second fire was considerably |
less than at the first fire. Mr.. Howards |
loss was estimated at $50 900, with an in |
sS5rn'' snG $4,000 81 'oo Sa on the the mussSG. s'oss
The fire started at o'clock and |
despite the efforts OF the fremen the |
block burned to the ground. The Muse |
um building caught, and its walls In fall |
ing crushed small building belonging |
to Walter r. Danforth and occupied
Henry Whiteman & Co., clothiers. How
ard block then contained the finest hall |
in the city. The theatre building, bat re- |
Gently repaired and repainted, was not
occupied.
Again the Howard block was rebuilt. |
Phenix- like from the ashes OF phe theatre |
the Phenix building arose. For many |
years IL was the principal amusement re- |
sort in the city, and some OF the worlds |
greatest actors have been seen in the old |
Academy Of Music"
The Injured.
Several OF the firemen were overcome by |
the thick smoke and had to be carried out /
into the open air. Firemen Fisher OF |
Hose 2 succumbed while working in the |
armory and was taken OUT.
Henry Charlwood, boseman of Hose is. |
sustained an ugly cash on the ankle by |
stepping ON piece OF broken glass. He \
was attended by physician. :
When the roof fell Assistant Foreman
Frank Il. Tsber OF Steamer s was i'm tho /
armorv. He attempted TO get out OF |
the way but was unsucoc ocssful, and
was caught by the burning
debris. As soon as possible he was dragged
out and was sent home 10 Harrison street
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