The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-19
IN ASHES.


Freemasonry according to ancient usage
and customs"
The oration was delivered by Rev.
Brother George McClelland Fiske, rector
of st. Stephens Church.
On the evening OF the same Gay tnere
was grand reception ana 5000 people in
spected the new building.
The music was furnished by Reeves
Orchestra and Organist Charles L. Ken
yon.
The mem bers Of the building committee
were: Hon. George M. Carpenter, Nicho-
las Van slyck, George III. Burnham, Da-
rius B. Davis and John p. Walker.
The building covered an area OF 1000
feet and the contractors were N. Il.
Horton and Sons, masons, and Wilmarth
and Mackillop,, carpenters.
Architect Walker says that the boiler
room, where the fire is supposed to have
originated, was covered with rolled iron
beams and brick arches and encased in
brick walls.
The freight elevator we'll, extending to
the second story and through which the
flames made their way from the base
ment, was not put in when the hall was
built, but has been since added for the
convenien ce of the occupants.
Com ISIS ioner of Public Works Smith
has given orders to remove the front wall.
All Sorts Of Stories.
Soon after 10 O'Clock this forenoon the
story was spread that incendiarism must
have been the cause of the lire, and the
report lost nothing in SAVIOR by "Dick"
Chadwick, the janitor OF the Temple, in
sisting that he banked the fires at o
o'clock last night and was practically the
he admits that "somebody else" left 1t
after he left at 1880 p. m. TO go
home to Pawtucket. He is sure that
when the ruins are clear the boiler room
will be found to be intact, even TO the
brick arch overhead. Fire Marshall Win
sor, however, has thoroughly investigated
the incendiary rumor, ana is satisfied
the fire originated in the basement
IL not in the boiler room. for In the base
ment nay have been found inflammable
material, such as he has found In many
Easements and which he has had TO re-
port to the fire commissioners almost
daily. These gentlemen, by the way,
give credence TO the belief that the tire
may have originated on the third or
fourth floor, because they understand
that the fire was hottest in that region
and especially around the elevator well.
and they also heard that when Captain
"Tom" McNeal of Hose arrived on
the scene he found the back door on
Eddy street unlocked, but did not go
in that way because the fire was too
hot He went to the front door
instead and "somebody' unlocked
tx from the inside. Ihat "someDody'
has not yet been found, however.
"Somebody else," il Is stated, being a
prominent member of st. John's, Is said
to have entered the building about 3 a. m.
and found a fire in the hallway, which he
extinguished. Commissioner Luther says
nobody can tell him that the fire smould-
cred and after hours time first show d
itself. lie is satisfied that as early as 3
O'Clock, even, there was no fire in the
building.
II seems that Allen & Jonassohn, the
jewelers., had about $1,000 worth of prec-
ious stones arrive yesterday, which were
not expected until today, and on which
there was no insurance. Mr.. Allen is in
Europe IL is thought, however, that
their safe is injured very little, as the
corner in which Ii stood was not burned,
but fell into the cellar.
Owing to the weakening of the building
occupied by the What Cheer Printing
Company and the Troy Laundry at "a
Pine street, when the falling wall crashed
into it, the inspector of buildings stated
that ii would be unsafe to run the
machinery, so it will take some time be-
tore they will be able to start up again.
q. A. Carleton runs the printing estsb-
lishment and he said that smoke and
water caused him considerable damage.
His stock and machinery ere insured in
the Liverpool, London and Globe, and
the agencies covered by Starkweather Il
Shepley, Beach x Sweet and Landers.
Isaac I. Goff's agency also has policy
for $1,000 on his property.
Continued on Page g.