The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-19
PROVIDENCE BLAZE.
Masonic Building Destroyed
Other Structures Saved
With Difficulty.

I1OViDENC II. Il, 9Marcn ~, loy5.-
This city was visited by another disas-
trous confagration at an early hour this
morning, fire breaking out in the Ma
sonic Building on Pine street, shortly af-
ter four o'clock, and totally destroying
that edifiee, beside causing considerable
damage to adjacent buildings III the rear
of the structure. An alarm from box
245, at the corner of Pine and Dorrance
streets, gave the first signal Of the fire,
and this was followed by an alarm from
box 242, corner Of Page and Pin streets,
and again by a general alarm from the
second box.
The first detachment Of fremen arriy-
ing on the scene found a. heavy volume
of smoke ascending from the roof Of
the Masonic Building, and before the gem
eral alarm had sounded, the signs of a
confagration were in plain evidence to
the few who We're aroused by the early
alarm. The fire had gained q big start,
and before any streams could be directed
upon the structure, the tiames were
pouring from the upper part of the build
ing in great volume. The repetitions of
the alarm quickly called the entire APP
paratus of the department. and IN a short
LIZ ~ was OtlilS 1OQSHl dS DtSl
it could. The heaviest part of the blaze
was in the central portion of the build
ing. Being bounded by three streets
Torrance, Pins and Eddy-it would have
been a comparatively easy task to COM
bat the flames, but the firemen were
handicapped by the progress already
made by the flames. and the fire had
efforts of the department counted for
anything at all. The hydrant streams
We're weak and almost useless, to begin
with, and the few streams which were
futile.
This combination of circumstances gave
promise at first OF a spreading fire, but
fortunately the blaze was confined within
a comparatively small area. The centre
OF the building became a veritable fur
mace in a short time, and it vas soon
evldent that the Temple Of the Masonic
street side the sfiremen played numerous
streams from the fire escapes n roof
of the Providence Opera building.
able victim of the obstinate blaze across
the street, and the clouds of sparks
which foated toward Westminster street
tinuously. With the arrival of other por-
tons OF apparatus, more men were sta
toned ON the roofs of the Opera House
and the hotel. but the streams which
were directed from the fire escapes of
the Opera House did little service at the
beginning of the fire. The water tower
was at first stationed on the Dorrance
street side of the building, but as it was
found that two engines would be required
to operate a stream from 1t, and that the
engines were more useful in pumping for
separate streams, that piece Of apparatus
stood IN the roadway of nc earthly
use in fighting the fierce flames In
the meantime the blaze in the central
part Of the building was producing a per-
feet furnace.
The interior woodwork and stock of
the stores on the first and second floors
and the elaborate furnishings of the
Masonic halls were but finder to the
increasing blaze
In less than half an hour from the time
the blaze was discovered the central and
rear portions Of the building, composing
the halls and lodge rooms of the Masonic
lodges, We're enveloped in flames, and the
bare walls formed a perfect chimney for
the column of flames. 1t was an inn
posing spectacle. but of serious import
to the near-lying buildings.
The water tower was ordered to be re-
moved but a few minutes before the
Torrance street wall fell. From the time
of the crashing of the side and rear
walls the work of the firenen was simpli-
fed and the at first menacing blaze was
under control about $50 o'clock. The loss
is estimated at $500, 0OU.