The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-05-30
A Big BLAZE IN BOSTON.
THE HEART OF THE CITY
SWEPT BY FLAMES.

Inc Fire Started py BOYS OnoeE Iho
Seats in the Baseball Grounds
Acres of Houses Destroyed and
1000 People Made Homeless-The
Loss Over One Million Dollars.
By the torch of an incendiary over mill
ion dollars worth of property in Boston,
Mass, was laid in ashes. over five hundred
families of the medium and poorer classes,
consisting of over 1000 people, were mode
homeless, and many OF them who had timeto
save O. portion of their household furni-
ture slept that night in the open air, guard
ing all that they had IN the world, on Iadi-
son Park and In open. lots, which were lit
orally piled six feet high with furniture OF
every description. Women with babes in
their arms and little children huddled close
together had only the sky for roof and the
few mattresses saved from the burned tene-
ments for . bed. and no prospects OF break
fast in the morning.
In less than three hours twelve acres of
territory were burned over. The baseball
grand stand and blcachers, large school
house, an engine house and 164 wooden and
twelve brick buildings were DESTROYED
The second OF the series OF ball games be-
tween the Bostons and Baltimores had begun
before $500 spectators Nettled by the de-
feat Of the previous day, the champions were
playinc ball for oil they were worth, and
running bases in o way that threatened to
carry everything before them.
Only ~ innings had been played and the
Baltimores were to take their turn at
bat in the last part OF the third inning,
when the contest was interrupted by
flames that could be seen ris-
ing from the right field bleachers.
The GAUGE of this was that some small boys
from Roxbury saw pile Of chips and shay
ines under the baseball structure, applied
match and then left to watch the effect OF
their work.
moment afterward the fire had spread
to such an extent that the boys became
frightened at the unexpected result OF their
folly and run away.
The occupants OF the bleachers, feeling the
warmth under them, jumped from their seats
and tried to extinguish the flames BY tearing
the rubbish and scattering It, but the blaze
refused to be eXtinguished.
Excitement on the ball ground was i'm
mense, for the flames were beyond control
before the $500 spectators had time to realize
their peril. At first 1t was regarded as
,oke. The spectators began to, get impatient
that such little flame should stop play, and
impatiently cried, "Play ball! Play ball =
With the rapidity Of prairie fire. the
flames rushed along, taking in everything
OF an inflammable nature they encountered.
The ball players run out toward the scene,
but it was not long before they were forced
back. The heat was 80 intense that the
spectators who had been driven into the left
field corner began to make their way out OF
the grounds through hole In the centre
field fence.
Those who managed to get view outside
OF the fence saw magnificent sight as the
massive towers tottered and fell.
The ball players little dreaming that there
would be anything more than brief inter-
ruption. found that it was a case OF hustle
10 get their belongings out in time. Captain
Nash was one Of the last to leave, and 1t had
got pretty hot before he had made his exit
Captain Robinson, OF the Baltimores, was
also slow to get out
A number OF women fell on the street from
sheer exhaustion and had to be carried into
the various houses In the vicinity. Some OF
these women are in delicate condition, and
physicians were summoned from oil parts OF
the city to assist should their services be re-
quired. The streets were full Of carts carry
ing off furniture, and confusion reigned su-
preme.
A few minutes past o'clock woman was
seen coming from house on Cabot street,
with her clothes all on fire. She made
frantic rush from the streettowardther ropes,
when Patrolmen Green and Lewis, Of Sta
ton No. 1, caught her4n their arms, rolled
her in the street and thereby saved her life,
as she escaped with only few slight burns.
woman on Burke street, wringing her
hands. shrie ked Where are my chill
dren?'
Near at hand were Charles W. Eaton and
q Mr.. Cusick. OF Brookline, who had been
attending the ball game.
They instantly sprang to the rescue OF the
little ones in a burning building. MIR.
Cusicil brought out three and Mr.. Eaton
saved TWO. They went through clouds OF
smoke la order to do this and with peril to
their lives. The children were turned over
10 the woman in the street, who took care OF
them.
Michael Welsh. entered his home to save
some personal effects, but the building had
ignitec and the flames spread so rapidly
that his escape was completely cut of.
He rushed to the roof OF the building, and
when enveloped in flames jumped to the
ground, about thirty feet. He landed on his
feet. but was severely injured internally,
and was picked up in semi-conscious con-
dition and taken 10 the City Hospital, where
1t was discovered that in addition to internal
injuries, one of the small bones o. his leg
was broken.
One man was seized with paroxysms Of
fear when the fire ignited his home, and the
result of the attack was complete prostra-
tion. He was rendered inSenSible and was
taken to the hospital.
By o'clock the fire had crossed fremont
to Cabot street, and was beyond the control
of the flremen. Again and again the gallant
fire fighters made stand and poured thou
sands of gallons Of water upon the flames,
but still they swept on, and 1t seemed as
If nothing could stop them. Shortly nj
ter 6 o'clock several steamers arrived
from Lynn, Salem, Beverly, Brook
line and Lawrence, and every effort was
made to stop the fire at Cabot street But 1t
could not be checked, and not until il had
burned from Cabot half way through to
Warwick street and north to Burke street.
was the limit OF the burned district on the
southwest side of the ball grounds reached
While the fremen were at work on this
side the fire was spreading f-om Walpole
street toward Milford place on the south
west side of the ball grounds, and In half an
hour all the buildings on this block were In
ruins. 1t burned on until it reached Rug
giles street at one point. consumed the
houses on both sides of Chapel street AMI
laid low the structures on Sudbury street.
At Ruggles street on the west and Cabot
street on the southeast the fire was practi-
cally stopped, and at 7.30 it was under con-
troll and In no danger of spreading further.
On the northwest side ofthe ball grounds
the tracks of the Old Colony Railroad pre-
vented the conaagration from spreading In
that direction.
The fire was an unusually hot one and one
of tha hardest TO flcht in the history OF the
Boston department. Three engines had to
be abandoned because Of the heat.
After the confagration was under control