The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-22
Broke Out Early Today, and
Spread Rapidly.
Eight Persons Seriously Hurt While
Escaping.
Report that Others Were Buried Under
Debris Not Credited.

Lawrence, Mass, March 22.-The first
serious fire this city has known since the
burning of the Washington Mills six years
ago, completely gutted the Gleason build
ing one of the best business blocks in
Lawrence, early this morning and resulted
in the injury of eight persons and the loss
of property valued at sloo 600. Those in
jured are
-Jnhn BoMering. a tenant of tho Gleason
building, left leg injured, severe burns.
Mrs. John Bowering, left sios- injured
Miss Mckenzie, milliner head injured,
serious burns.
William Gallagher, badly burned.
Bernard Gallagher, overcome by smoke
| and seriously burned.
| A. ;. Huntress, slight burns.
W. X. Robinson, wrist fractured and
| burns
Leon Desaultiers, face and nose cut,
| burns.
Most of those hurt arc now in the hos
| pital, but it is not expected that any
| deaths will result.
The Gleason building was six-story
| stone and brick building located on tho
north side of Essex street, in the middle
| of the block bounded by Lawrence street
on the east and Amesbury street on the
west. The Central House. one of the
| leading hotels of the city adjoined it on
one side and the Pedrick and Closson
building, in which is Walsh's Hotel, on
the other. The five and ten cents store of
Abbott " Company, occupied the base
ment and first floor of the building. The
Glover Club and George Il. Porter's insur-
ance agency were located on the second
| floor and the rest of the block was taken
up with offices, drcss-making and milli-
merry rooms and a photograph gallery on
| the top floor. There were also several
rooms occupied by dodgers.
A Loud Explosion.
! 1t was a few minutes after 3 O'Clock
when Policeman Vosc, who happened to
be- at the rear of the building, discovered
| the fire. He says he saw a great shaft of
| fire rush up through the elevator well and
| out at the top and mt the same instant
there was an explosion which blew out all
the windows at the rear of the building
and filled the air with flying glass. He
hurried to ring the alarm, but before he
reached the box the bells were calling the
firemen to box H. The fire had been seen
| from the electric light station and the
alarm had been given from there. In the
| few minutes that elapsed before the fire.
| men arrive the flames had seemingly
| spread throughout the Gleason building
and it was evident that the entire fire
| department of the city would be necessary
| 10 subdue them. A general alarm was
therefore sent in at once and soon every
| engine in Lawrence was at work. Most
| of the police department was also called
| To preserve order in the crowds that had
gathered ut the scene. The cry went up
| that there were many persons In the
| building and the greatest excitement pre-
vailed Several people appeared at the
windows and fire escapes and the firemen
and police hurried To the rescue All the
guests of the Central House were aroused
by Proprietor jackson, and most of them
in mt pff IN lnH IN lfp prfh
sought refuge in nearby houses and at
police headquarters. In less than 20
| minutes after the fire was discovered, it
had spread to every part of the building
| and the inmates were given but little time
| To escape. Those on the upper floors were
unable to get down by the stairs and
| several were only deferred from jumping
| by the warning cries of those below.
Jumped Into a Coat.
Mr. and Mrs. John Boworing, who lived
! ON the fifth floor appeared at a window at
| the rear and prepared To jump. Captain
1 Murphy and Policemen Chard, Donovan
! and Madin held a coat for them and their
| fall was broken, but both wero seriously
| injured. Miss Mckenzie, a millincr. whose
| rooms were on the third floor, jumped TO
| the roof of Walshs Hotel adjoining the
| Gleason building and escaped serious In
| jurics. She was, however, badly burned
| and severely hurt about the head.
William and Bernard Gallagher, who
roomed on the fourth floor were given
| but short time to escape. When they
| were aroused by the explosion they found
| the hallway filled with smoke and could
hear the cracking of the flames below
them. They ran down two floors when
| Bernard was overcome by the smoke and
was carried the rest of the way by his
brother. Amidst the shower Of sparks they
reached the street and got out with moth
ing more serious than numerous severe
burns. "A. :. Huntress, n draughtman,
and W. X Robinson a bill collector, on
the fourth floor made their way through
the smoke to the fire escape. Robinson
fractured his left wrist and was severely
burned. Huntrcss escaped with burns.
Leon Dcsaultlers. an electrician, who had
room on the second floor got down the
stairs nc the front OF tho building and
suffered only n few had cuts about the face