The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-03
A DISASTER.
Boiler Explosion
in Danbury.
Town Nearly Wiped Out
by a Fire.
Loss of Life and Widespread
CONSERVATION.
Thrilling Rescue of Many Persons in
Fearful Peril.
Horses Roasted Alive and Buildings Melted
Before the Fire.
Loss of Life and Widespread
CONSERVATION.
Thrilling Rescue of Many Persons in
Fearful Peril.
Horses Roasted Alive and Buildings Melted
Before the Fire.

DANBURy, Conn.,, March 8. BY a boiler
explosion In Parks Brothers fur cutting
establishment on Maiden Lane. this morn
ign, a fire was caused, which did damage
amounting to fully 600, 900. resulted in
probably fatal injuries to two men and
practically ruined several firms.
At about o'clock this morning the
boiler in the engine room of Parks Broth
ers exploded and tore the roof from the
building. The structure was a small
wooden affair of two stories and was To-
Gated on Maiden Lane, near the corner Of
White streret. Edward Parks, one of the
proprietors, was thrown down by the ex-
plosion and was frightfully burned. One
of the employees in the building rushed to
the nearest alarm box and attempted to
ring in an alarm. The system failed to
work in spite of the iact that it was test
ed yesterday. In few seconds, how
ever, a large crowd attracted by the ex-
plosion gathered and messengers hurried
TO the various fire engine houses. In the
space OF few minutes the fur cutting
building was mass of flames and in an
incredibly short time 1t was In ruins.
Adjoining was what was known az the
Rocl<ery, in the shape of Darius Stevens
blind and sash factory. The flames leaped
to this and devoured the material like
tinder. The wooden buildings on Maiden
Lane and White street, furnished great
material for the fire, and famed bya wind
which was blowing a gale the flames
leapeo from building to building, COM
pietely nonplussing the firemen.
Next to the rash factory was the Barn
um building. This was devoured in a
few minutes and the fire spread to the
Dexter property in The rear. This went
up in smoke and with it went the fruit
fnrn ~ vfalf
From Maiden Lane, the IRE swept to
White street and took hold Of the fine
block of George b. Sherman, located at
the corner of White street and Maple
avenue This block was in ruins in a
few moments and the original fire had
OF been in progress more than quarter
of au hour. Several tenements in Maiden
Lane were burned and in many instances
the occupants had narrow escapes. In
one house half a dozen colored wcmen
were penned in on the third floor and
were compelled to jump to the ground.
One of them, Sadie Carpenter, broke her
right thigh aud was taken to the hospi-
tai. BY this time the fire had Jumped
across the street and communicated to
the Ely block. After this mad been con-
sumed the cornice work on the handsome
five story brick block OF Oscar III. Meeker
caught fire, and ins15 minutes this build
ing was in ruins. 1t was occupied on the
in -four, grain and feed. The upper fioo's
were used as tenements. The members of
the various families, with the possible
exception of two children, who it is fear
ed have been suffocated, were rescued.
This building was guttedin less than half
an hour. At Q O'Clock the walls of the
block fell and cries OF horror Grose when
it was seen that three tiremen had been
carried down with the debris The men
were pulled out as quickly as possible.
Two of them escaped serious injuries,
but Frank Eastwood of engine company
number 1 was probably fatally injured.
He was taken to the Standard pharmacy
now in a critical condition. To the east
of the Meeker block was the BARLEY block,
a wooden structure. This vas gutted.
The situation was becoming decidedly
alarming, the firemen being apparently
unable TO combat the flames on account
of the gale. The fire next took hold of
the livery stable of Charles Reed and this
was burned to the. ground. Hero five
horses were roasted TO death, one of the
animals being noted racer, valued at
$1,000. Other places more or less damaged
are:
..::sieman:&..Mabie's hat factory; Mastin g.
Co., grocers; Grey's bakery; Michael
Myers meat market.
In every building which WIGS destroyed
oil OF the contents were also ruined, being
impossible to save anything because Of
the remarkable rapidlty with which the
fire spread. IL Is impossible TO give an
accurate schedule of the losses. The Sher-
man block was valued at $4,000 and was
fully insured. The loss on the Meeker
block. was $50, 600 and the loss on the
stock Is total. Siemen AZ Mabeie lose 5000,
Mastin q Company, 5000; Grey, the
taker, 5000; Fongi, the Italian, $500;
Myers, meat mercl ant, $1,000; Weed, the
liveryman, $1,000; tenements, $50, COO. This
does not include the loss occasioned by
the burning OF household furniture and
the stock of many firms. At noon the
fire was practically under control and no
further spread is feared.
While the big fire was In progress a sec
ond fire in another part of the town broke
out. This occasioned much excitement,
but one engine succeeded i'm extinguish-
ing the flames with but trifling loss.
. Edward Parks, proprietor of the factory
where the boiler explosion occurred, Is
at the hospital I'm n critical condition and
may die. The cause OF the explosion is
not known. The scene OF the fire was I'm
the business center ana thousands of per-
sons were on the scene.
AT o'clock this afternoon Il was
learned that the two children who II was
feared had been lost In the tire had turned
up alive and we'll. They ran from the
building before II caught fre.
Ida Walker, IL years old, is missing
from her home. ll2 Randall street. since