Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-03-24
A LIVELY BLAZE:
Caused Excitement in Leicester
Wednesday Afternoon.
Fire in House on Paxton Street, Owned
by Andrew Gibson, Occasions Loss of
sIooo-cause a Mystery.

Leicester, March ga fire this after
noon in a house on Paxton street owned
by Andrew Gibson, caused great excite
ment In the neighborhood, and loss OF
about $1,000 by fire and water. While the
building was assessed for $1400, the in
surance on the building through the
agency Of C. A. Denny, was $1,000. in the
Worcester Mutual Fire Insurance Com
pany. This will fully cover the loss.
The building was occupied by II. j.
Emory, who was coachmAn for Col. 5.
E. Winslow until short time ago. The
family were getting ready to move to
Worcester and the carpets were up, 30
that the loss was not SO great on the
furniture.
Mr. and Mrs Emory took q car for
Worcester about 2.30 O'clock and left the
house unoccupied, with the exception of
a bull terrier dog. At 4.20 the alarm was
Wung in, as flames were seen shooting
through the roof by neighbors-
Hose Company No. responded
promptly, and the fire was soaked out,
after having run along between paru-
tions in all directions, from the hre-
place in the sitdngroom, where 1t Is
supposed to have started.
When the firemen burst in the tont
door, the smoke was so dense that they
could see nothing; but the furniture was
taken out as soon as possible, and the
flames got under control.
The fire had obtained such headway
that It appeared to have been shoulder
ing for some time.
The woodwork near the open fire
place in the sittingroom was badly
charred, showing that the blaze or1gt-
mated there. There is no clear explain
alton of its origin Some say there was
a hot fire in the boiler, which Is just I'M
der the fireplace. Others say that 1t
started from a hot fire in the open
CRATE; while others say the family
would not be apt to go off and leave
hot fire.
Within few feet OF the fireplace was
heap of oharred paper, showing where
a pile of carpet lining had been, 1t Is
supposed. A spark may have caught In
the lining and worked its way along
unnoticed.
AS there is so much uncertainty about
the origin of the blaze, it was said that
an assistant of the fire marshal at Wor-
cester would be UP tomorrow morning;
although members Of the department
would say nothing about 1t. At any rate.
| the charred paper and charred wood in
the fireplace have been left as they We're
| found.
The occupants had not returned at
dark, and, although it Is said there was
some insurance on the furniture, the re-
| port is not verified.
The house Is in bad condition, as the
second floor seems to have been badly
burned between partitions. ALI the plas-
tering is ruined by the water, and q.
small hole had been burned in the roof;
the flames running up by the chimney.
The furniture has been stored in ]. P.
Ashey's barn. After the fire, the bull
terrier Max was found On the second
story, shaking with fright.
| John Gagen had a narrow escape
while standing ON an extension ladder
with the hose The upper part of the
ladder was not properly fastened, and
! the unlucky fireman fell down, manag
| ing to escape injury.
| One line of hose was laid across the
electric car tracks, although the hy-
drant was on the same side of the street
| as the house, and the railroad men were
very mad, as the cars were tied up.
HOLY CROSS ALUMNI.
| The officers Of the Holy Cross Col
| lege Alumni Association and the execu-
| tive committee will meet with Rev. John
f. Redican at his home at St Joseph's
| Church tomorrow afternoon, for the
purpose of drawing up a new constitu-
tion and bylaws. The association is
newly formed and its membership is
limited to Worcester county.
TOWN TOPICS.
The young people Of st. Joseph's
Church are planning to give the drama,
1.-The Shamrock and the Rose" immedi-
ately after Easter. The cast of charac-
ters is not yet complete.
Rev D. f. McGillicuddy of Worcester
preached the lenten discourse at st.
Joseph's on Wednesday evening.
J. Gosford of New York has been en-
gagged as coachman by Col. S. E.
Winslow.
H. r. starbird, w. W. Grimes and
G.. f. Maynard, engineers employed by
the state highway commission, are In
town surveying the proposed section OF
state highway on Mount Pleasant
Henry o. Smith commenced work to-
day leveling off the ground in front OF
the old White card clothing factory.
Andrew Gibson of Pittsfleld is expect
ed to be in town tomorrow morning 30
look after his house, which was daIn-
INV .aTn