The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-22
Exploding Lamp Causes
Early Morning Fire.
Gilbane Brothers Woodwork
ing Plant Destroyed.
Fortunate Discovery of Blaze by Mr..
Kelly Loss $4,000.

The explosion Of a lamp caused tho de-
struction by fire of the large planning mill
of Gilbane Bros at the corner OF Calais,
Centre aud Promenade streets this morn
ing. The loss is about $40, 600 and the in
surancc about 5000. The mill and some
valuable work that was oil ready To be de-
livered 10 the Blackstone Bank and the
new cafe at Roger Williams Park were
totally destroyed
At $40 o'clock this morning John >.
Kelly who is teamster and who resides
at rs Calais was awakened in some manner
that ne cannot account for, and getting
up saw that the tilbane plant which Is
but few feet from his own home was on
fire the flames being in the western end
He got on little clothing and shouted To
the family of George W. Dickens who
occupied the house with him.
MIR. Kelly then ran 20 the Rhode Island
Nitriol Works which is just across Prone
made street from the scene OF the flre.
The Waterman there, James McPartlin,
saw the fire lust as Kelly was running 10
warn him and sent in an alarm from box
172 which is private one located on the
Nitriol Works promises. The alarm was
sent i'm at gust 3:i6 O'Clock.
The fire department came quickly but
the flames bad made great headway in the
meanwhile and second alarm was sent
in at 4 a. m. The flames made by the
burning lumber caused big illumina-
tion. The reflection of the fire on the sky
could be seen for miles down the river
and there was perfect shower of sparks
carried by the wind as far as Pleasant
street TO the northeast
Dwelling House Ignited.
The flames soon had the building so
completely enveloped that the water for n
long tine seemed 20 have no effect on IL.
nj h.tt m
the house i'm which the Kelly and Dickens
family resided was soon grasped by the
flames and the attention of portion or
the firenen was directed To IL but the
flames left the exterior walls pretty black
and crisp ard the interior badly Quilted.
MIR. Kelly not only notified the Dickens
family but that of Arthur Gormley who
lives a little above him on Calais street
ard Mrs GorInley was soon at the scene
of the fire. Just after the first alarm was
sent in Kelly ana Mrs. Gormley removed
the four children of the former and Mr..
Dickens and his family also got out before
the flames reached their house.
The light material in the mill burnt
pretty quickly aud in n short time the
large mill and its contents were charred
material. The heat resulting from the
fire was intense and caused the members
of the fire department much suffering
1t was "A good many hours before the ser
dispensed with in extinguishing the
flames that hid I'm corners and under
iiles of debris The safe which was In
The Office and contained some valuable
Tapers was opened as soon AS possible ant
its contents found intact. All the othel
contents of the Office of the firm which
was at the mill were completely dc
stroyed
One Feature of the Loss.
~ H. ,
ielay II will necessarily cause them In
completing large contracts they had on
hand The machinery in the mill was o
the most modern kind in use by con
tractors engaged in general building
business Among the property destroyed
was large quantity of handsome interior
finish work for the Blackstone Bank and
for the new cafe at Roger Williams Park
The house i'm which the Kelly ano
Dickens families reside was owned by
Edward ID. Pcarce, who Is "a member o
the firm of Thomas Il. shepard u Co,
the owners OF the Vitrol Works IL Il
valued at $500 Mr.. Dickens and Mr.
fnrniture aud the former places his los
at $1,000, insured, and the latter at 500
and he mas no insurance.
Sparks Dropped Everywhere.
Though many houses within a radius
OF "A mile or two had sparks dropped upor
them, the only one reported to have beer
damaged to the extent of more than .
scorched shingle or two was that Of Josepl
Shine at 10 Spawnlut street The roof OF
that house was discovered by Officer
Curley bluzing in "A lively manner and h,
rang in an alarm from box l67. This wa
probably the reason so many people tolt
all about third alarm at the Gilban'
fire today.
The companies that responded soon h at
the Shawmut street roof I'm safe condition
and Mr. Shinc's loss will not exceed $40
The watchman at the mill was al
Armenian and according to the storie
told by some parties he did not under
stand lamps very we'll but the Armenian
claims The lamp was apparently all righ
few minutes heore it exploded and h,
had 20 run for his life. Fred Randall th,
regular watchman, was taking week