The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-26
BURNED TO THE GROUND
A Bad Fire In Philiipsdale Early
f. This Morning.
Large Boarding House Destroyed-ln-
mates Had Narrow Escape,

Last night at midnight occrred the
most disastrous fro that has visited the
town OF East Providence for years, and
as the result the fine structure built for a
boarding house for employees OF the Amt-
rica Electrical Works, and situated on
Robin Lane, at Phillipsdale, is now a
thing of the past, and nothing remains
but the two tall chimneys and the cellar
walls. The fire was discovered by Mr..
william j.. Mcfarland, keeper of the
boarding house, by accident. There,were
% boarders IN the house, and all but one
OF them, together with Mr.. Mcfarland
and the domestics employed, had retired
and were sound asleep. Joseph O'Neal,
the other boarder, had been TO Pawtuek-
ct to spend the evening and returned
home at 12:30 He was obliged to arouse
Mr.. Mcfarland TO let him In, which was
done, and O'Neal went directly 10 his
room and prepared to retire. Before MIR.
Mcfarland retired again he thought he
smelled smoke. and at once began 10 in
vestigate. When he opened the kitchen
door the room was full Of smoke and the
wood work OF the room near the large
kitchen range was found 10 be on fire.
Nc. Farland at once gave the alarm
through the house, and he with several
boarders attempted 10 extinguish the fire.
but il made such rapid headway that
IL was with the utmost difficulty that
the inmates could escape with their
lives. A few boarders threw their
trunks out of the windows and
so saved a few articles of clothing, but
nearly all OF them coulu only partially
dress themselves and escape as soon as
possible.
Mcfarland ran at once to the Phillips
dale Mill, and telephoned 10 the police
station, and officer Adams, who is in at
tendance nights, sounded the alarm from
box 80, near the town hall. The .firemen
were on hand promptly, but by this time
the fire had gained such headway that
the entire town was brilliantly illumin-
ated. Captain Mullen sent out n second
alarm, and the authorities at the mill had
telephoned to Providence for assistance.
When the Watchemoket fire company ar
rived at the fire. it was evident that the
building was doomed. The Rumford
Hose company had already reached the
scene. but found difficulty in procuring
water.
Captain Mullen OF the Watchemokets
found a hydrant directly in front of the
house and proceeded to take water from
it, but was unable TO get force enough to
reach the top of the fret story windows,
and found the hydrant was only fed by q
two-inch pipe from the Phillipsdale Mill.
Hose was then extended TO the mill, a
distance of at least a 1000 feet, but moth
ing could be done to save the building.
About O'Clock, steamer from the city
arrived, and then began another wild
chase for water. At last the steamer
backed up TO the side of Omega pond, on
Roger Williams avenue, laid its hose, and
that Is all II did do; il could do no good.
Later on, Narragansett hose company
from Riverside, and Silver Spring hose
fEeps Pawtueket avenue arrived, but were
not needed.
The building destroyed was wooden
structure, two and a half stories high.
The main building was about 120x40 feet,
with large ell on the east side. 1t con-
tanned 36 rooms, all furnished. and the
house ana contents were entirely destroy
ed. 1t was'the property of thesAmerican
Electrical Works, except the furniture in
two rooms, which was owned MIR. McFar-
land. the keeper. Mcfarland could not
state his loss -this morning, but said it
was insured I'm the Pawtucket Mutual
Company.
The building was built about IA years
since at an expense of Sl2 900, and was in
sured for $1,000. There was upwards or
$1,000 worth OF furniture in the house.
owned by the Electrical Company, upon
which there was no insurance.