The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-05-16
UNDER THE SKIES.
People Made Homeless by
Fire.
ONLY THE POOR SUFFER.
Boston's Evil Luck Once More
Made Manifest.
OVER A MILLION DOLLARS LOST.
The Blaze Started in the Baseball
Park and Spread With Great
Rapidity.
OVER A MILLION DOLLARS LOST.

Boston, May 15-By the torch of an in-
cendiary tonight over $1,000 600 worth of
property is in ashes, over 500 families of
the medium and poor classes, consisting of
over 1000 people, are homeless, and many
Of them who had little time to save pOr-
ton of their household goods are tonight
sleeping in the open air. There are women
with babes in their arms and little children
huddled close together having only the sky
for roof and the few mattresses saved
from the burning tenements for bed. ana
no prospects for breakfast in the morn
ing.
The fire covered a space of twenty
acres, and as far as can be learned six
persons were injured, none fatally. The
FIRE started in the Boston League Park in
q pile of lumber, which was lying under
the right field bleachers. directly back of
first base. In a moment it had leaped ont
to the seats and. famed By brisk breeze.
swept toward the grand stand. So rapidly
did the flames spread that before the oe-
cupants of the grand stand realized it the
fire was upon them and they were forced to
fee. It was several minutes before the
fremen were at work.
The left field bleachers were next ig-
fallen upon the houses Of Berlin street.
and the flames surged on toward fremont
street, reaching out to the right and left
until the entire square between the ball
grounds and fremont street. and extend
ing north from Walpole street to Burke,
was mass OF burning buildings. The
Sherwin kindergarten schoolhouse, brick
structure, checked the progress of the fire
for nnl ant nd hat
quickly numbered among the structures
consumed.
The buildings on the south side of Wal
pole street were soon burned and the
flames shot down toward Coventry street,
on that side of fremont near the ball
grounds. They swept on ia this direction
for three squares, as far as Burke street.
At 3 o'clock the entire Block along the
west side of fremont street, from Walpole
TO Burke, was a mass of flames, which
swept across TO the oD osRe side and soon
engulfed the buildings for four blocks.
By this time the residents of renements
for nearly half mile around had become
alarmed and were moving their property
into the streets and seeking places OF safety.
So rapidly did the fire eat It's way, how
ever. that those in the block adjoining
fremont street did not have time TO save
their household effects and barely escaped
with their lives. By O'Clock the con-
fagTation had crossed fremont street to
Cabol.
Shortly after 6 o'clock several steamers
arrived from Lynn, Salem, Beverly,
BroO Okline and other places and every effort
was made to stop the fire at Cabol street,
but il could not be checked, and not until
il had burned Cabol street half way
through to Warwick and north 20 Burke
was the limit OF the burned districts on
the southeast side of the ball grounds
reached
While the fremen were fighting on this
side the fire was spreading from Walpole
toward Milford place, on the southwest
side of the ball grounds. and in half an
hour all the buildings 10 these blocks we're
in ruins. The fire burned on until it
reached Ruggles street at one point. and
consumed the houses on both sides of
Chapel street. and laid low the structures
oO Sunburn street. At Ruggles street on
the west and Cabol On the southeast, the
fire was practically stopped. and at z 80
o'clock was under control and in no dan
ger Of spreading further.
1t is estimated that about 100 buildings
Ladder Company II and Hose Company
on fremont street was destroyed. Alder
man Bryant's residence on Walpole street
and his store on fremont street are also
destroyed. Among other business places
leveled were: J. J. Mcnamara, wines
aud liquors. Cabol street; Daniel Bernhart
q Co., fremont street, liquors; Sterling
Provision Store, Sterling street; Gray's
photograph establishment, fremont street
Giimore's block of offices, fremont street;
S. c. McEttrick, provisions, fremont
street. Councilman Connors lost his house
On fremont street and many Of his effects
Especial meeting of the Board of Alder
men was called this evening to take action
on the exigencles of the case and it was
concluded to use the surplus OF $4,000 now
heId by the Trustees of the JOhnstown
food fund. and which was collected for the
relief of the 1000 people made homeless By
the fire. The meeting was adjourned until
tomorrow. when some further means will
be devised to aid those in distress
Prominent Insurance men place the loss
at 81, 600, 900 and Insurance at two-thirds Of
the loss.