Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-14
LIFE CRUSHED OUT.
Fourteen Firemen Buried I'm
< der Falling Walls at Lynn.
Five Dead When Taken Out, or Died
Within a Few Minutes.
Property Loss, ,OO0--Most Terrible
Disaster in Lynn for Years.

| Lynn, Mass, Feb. 1i.--At 8 last nighte
fire was discovered in the basement Of q o
hardware store OF W. II. Hutchinson,
| Munroe street. The building was wooden
and four stories high. Three-quartors of
an hour later the flames suddenly appear Il
| through the roof and almost simulta-
neously the building collapsed like an egg
| shell. The Monroe street front fell into
the street and the side fell into the alley
way.
A dozen 1iremen We're buried in the
debris in the alleyway. Willing volun-
teers sprang to the rescue. The flames
were dangerously near the spot where the
men lay buried, and all the available
| streams OF water were brought to bear on
| that point.
In half an hour or more, IL flrcmen
We're taken out. Three were dead or died
in few minutes after being taken out.
Their names were Captain Henry l.. Skin
| ner, Chemical No 1 +; Thomas Murray,
| Engine 81 John Donlan, Steamer 3. -
A general alarm was sounded ms soon
as the building collapsed, as the flames
then Shot high in the air, the location be-
ing the most dangerous in the city. Fol
lowing the general alarm call for help
was sent to Salem and u steamer was sent
over Swampscott also sent steamer and
hose companies.
The flames communicated to the three
story wooden building adjoining occu-
pied on the ground floor by Peter Don
nelly, wholesale and retail shoe store,
and several smaller firms in the upper
stories. This building was soon doomed.
In the rear Of Hutchinsons
store was "a three story fro
proof brick building used as u storehousc.
This storebouse backs up to the Boston a.
Maine tracks and served as check to the
flames, keeping them from crossing the
tracks and communicating with the nest
OF wooden buildings on Harrison court.
The buildings ON Munroc street oppo-
site the point where the fire started at
one time were thought to be in danger,
but u stream of water was directed on
them.
After cutting the Donnelly building,
the flames jumped across the narrow
alleyway to the wooden building occupied
by Thomas J. Reed, dealer in new and
second hand furniture, and in 10 minutes
this building was doomed The Ready
building was four stories high.
AT 10 10 the fire was under control, the
wooden building, three stories in height,
adjoining the Ready building, being
partly burned but the fire was checked
there. This building was occupied on the
ground floor by Jesse L. Atwill, dealer In
pictures and picture frames.
At 10 the police and firemen were still
digging in the ruins for more bodies. 1t
was then reported that IL had been taken
out and of this number five had died or
were taken out dead.
The total loss is about 800, 900.
William Henry Hutchinson owned the
building he occupied. and his loss on
building and stick will be about $50, 0O0
fairly well insured. Peter Donnelly, shce
dealer, loss, about SEQ, 900; insured fer
about 500, 900. Thomas j. Ready furni-
ture dealer, loss about Sl2, 1000; insured
for $4,000 Three of the four wooden build
ings were owned by G. G. Clark estate,
and were worth about $4,000.
Some Of the injured and dead firemcn
were On ladder ut the time the building
collapsed, and others were on their knees
directing streams into the basement OF
the Hutchinapn building. Captain Skin
ner is survived by q wife and one child.
Thomas Murray was unmarried. John
Donlan had wife and several children.
Trains ON tlcfBoston q Maine Railroad
were held over three hours, as lines of
hose ran along the tracks.
At Midnight several hydrant streams
were playing on the ruins. There are
nine injured, instead Of seven. sAll the
1rcinen are accounted for but one: Fisher
CONTINUED on 8th page