Connecticut western news., 1895-10-10
BIG MILLS BURNED.
OVER s1, ,ooo, 900 GOES UP IN SMOKE
 AT WARREN, R. |.

Warehouses, Loaded Freight Cars Lumber
 and Houses of workingmen Licked Up
 by F1smss-Sirs Apparatus From Ad- joining Citiep s,s,moned.
 WARREN, II. q, Oct 4.-.One ot the largest fires that has ever occurred in southeastern New England broke out in one of the three mills of the Warren Man. ufacturing company, situated about an eighth of mile from the center of this town, and before 1t was got under con, trol 1t had swept through three large cot ton mills, two warehouses, small sheds, freight cars and other property, causing a loss which is estimated at more than $1, 900, 900.
 The fire started in the washroom near the engine room of No. 1 mill and spread with great rapidity through the building and threatening adjoining property. Within an hour after the blaze was discov- cred the flames wore roaring through all three mills.
 The magnitude of the fro at once be- came apparent to the local department, and help was immediately summoned from Bristol, Fall River and Providence. An engine from Bristol one from Fall River and two steamers, two hose oarts and three companies from Providence re sponded, arriving on special trains.
 The scene when these cut of town com. panies arrived was appalling. The whole of the southern part of the little town seemed to be roaring mass of flames, threatening not only the tenement houses of the manufacturing company near by, but even endangering the business part of the town some distance off.
 Almost immediately after the additional force had set at work the water supply be- gan to give out, and the combined depart ment consequently worked under heavy disadvantage, and, although the automat- 10 sprinklers were turned on in all of tho three mills and six inches of water stood upon all of the foors very little progress was made.
 Flames Fed by Tar and Cotton
 A carload of tar and another of cotton, standing on a track in the mill yard, bo- coming ignited, furnished admirable food for the fro in its onward sweep through the great plant. The heat was insuffera- ble, and soon 1t was impossible to get within 200 feet of the buildings.
 At 10 clock last night the flames were threatening two warehouses containing together s400. 900 worth of Sea island cot ton and completed sheetings, and at 10:s0 they caught and in a few moments had become roaring furnace.
 A few minutes later the flames jumped from these buildings to the adjoining lum- Der yard of Ezra Martin, and his entire stock of coal, wood and dressed lumber became food for the fire monster.
 Shortly before II o'clock the walls oi two of the mills fell in and the dwelling houses occupied by the operatives also caught fire, so that 1t seemed to be spread ing in two directions.
 By most persistent and arduous efforts, however, the firemen gained control oi the conflagration at midnight, but all that was left of the big factories, washhouse and tenements was blazing pile of ruins The entire contents of the plant were de stroyed with the exception of 50 bales ol cotton from the warehouses, which, after taking fire, dropped into the water and were carried down the bay, a blazing mass, endangering vessels at anchor.
 Several persons in the crowd of speota tors were injured by flying bricks wher the walls fs,l, but none were seriously hurt. When the roof of the warehous, fell, four Providence firemen were caught They escaped by crawling down the water pipe and then jumping distance of II feet Two were slightly injured.
 The losses are estimated as follows Warehouses and factories, $500, 900; ma terial, $500, 900; lumber yard, sf5, 900 tenements, $1o 1000; total, s1, 1s5, 900.