Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-05-17
GREAT FIRE AT BOSTON.
TWENTY ACRES OF BUILDINGS DE-
STROYEO BY FLAMES

A f.ats of 81, 100000 the Result of the
Fire Fiend's ReveI-Claimcd to Have
Been the Work of IN Incendtary Who
Starts 1t in the Ball Park.
Boston, May l6.--By the torch of an in
cendiary last night over 81, 600, 900 worth of
property is in ashes, over 800 families Of
the medium or poorer classes, consisting of
over 1000 people, are homeless. and many
of them who had time to save portion of
their household furniture slept last night
in the open air. Women with babes i'll
their arms, ard little children huddled
close together, had only the sky for IA roof
and the mattresses saved from the burned
tenements for bed, and no prospects of a
breakfast in the morning After6 o'clock,
the time for the workshops and business
places to close, many pathetic scenes were
witnessed--fathers returning to find their
homes burned to the ground and no trace
of their wives and little ones Children
who had been Mt work as cash boys and
girls in the big dry goods and other stores
barred out from the streets where they re-
sided and could find no traces of their
parents
Grand Stand People Have to Hustle.
The fire covered space of twenty acres
and as far rs can be learned only six per
SONS have been injured and none fatally.
The fire started in the Boston League
park in pile of lumber which was ly-
ing under the right field bleachers, direct
ly back Of first base. In a moment it had
leaped out to the seats and famed by a
brisk breeze swept towards the grand
stand. So rapidly did the flames spread
that before the occupants of the grand
stand realized it the fire was upon them
aud they were forced to flee. 1t was sew
eral minutes before the firemen were at
work. The left field bleachers We're next
ignited.
Flames Spread to the Houses.
Meanwhile the sparks had fallen upon
the houses on Berlin street and the flames
surged on towards fremont street. reach
ing out to the right and left until the en-
tire square between the ball grounds and
fremont street and extending north from
Walpole street was mass of burning
buildings The Shorwin kindergarten
school house, brick structure, checked
the progress of the fire for only moment,
and that too was quickly numbered
among the structures consumed. The
buildings on the south side of Walpole
street were soon burned. The flames then
shot down towards Coventry street on
that side of fremont nearest the ball
grounds; they swept on in this direction
for three squares: as far as Burke street,
devouring the homes SO rapidly that moth
ing was saved.
Barely Escaped with Their Lives.
In n short time the entire block along the
west side of fremont street, from Walpole
to Burke, was a brilliant mass of flames,
which swept across to the opposite side and
soon engulfed the buildings for four
blocks. BY this time the residents of the
tenements for nearly half mile around
had become alarmed and We're moving all
their property into the streets and seeking
for places of safety. So rapidly did the fire
eat its way, however that those in the
blocks adjoining fremont street did not
have time to save their household effects
NM la, ,,,,l, 81 81 ,.,t.