The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-05

New DIRK, Dec. 4,--One OIL the most
destructive fires that have visited this
city for long time broke out shortly
before 10 o'clock tonight.
The fire started in the basement Of
the building occupied by Rogers, Peet
& Co.. on Broadway, about $50 o'clock.
Two policemen standing within half a
block of Warren street heard the sound
of a loud explosion, and a moment
later saw a thin line of smoke curling
up from along the side of that build
ing. At that time the rain was fall
ing in torrents and the wind blew a
gale. An alarm was sent in at once,
but before the first engine turned into
Broadway, the Rogers Poet basement
was a roaring furnace, with great
flames bursting through the floors
above, and rushing fercely to the roof.
Within ten minutes five alarms had
been sent in, bringing engine after en-
CINE to the scene.
BY 10 o'clock SO rapidly and fiercely
did the flames make progress, there
was nothing but the shell of the Rog
ers-Peet building left, with mountain
of flames roaring a hundred feet in tn
air and encircling the adjoining struc
ture, the Home Life Insurance Com
pany building
In the binding rain the firemen
worked, surrounding the block, stretch
ing the black and slippery lines of hose
through the building, fighting the flames
from every side. Soon a great wave of
fire swept across Warren street and
caught the United States Life Insur-
ance Com>any's building, at the north
west. corner of Broadway.
The woodwork on a dozen windows
was afire in moment, and from that
on several streams were played on the
building to save it from destruction.
When the Warren street wall of the
Rogers, Peet & Co. building fell, at
1890 o'clock, a dozen firemen were di-
rectly beneath the wall. Several of the
men were struck by bricks, but none
was more than slightly injured. Acting
Chief Perle fell, but was dragged to
safety by some of his men.
Just before II o'clock the Home Life
Insurance Company's building, a 10
story building, at 256 and 257 Broadway,
caught fire. The firemen already had
seventh floor. They were greatly han
dicapped by the many stories. The
flames had eaten their way through the
side wall in many places and the huge
white structure burned f1ercely.
The elevators made trips up and
down until the men running the cages
were compelled to flee for their lives.
and in this way many of the effects Of
the offices were saved.
The three top floors were on fire al
most simultaneously from the begin
ming. The smoke was dense. Flames
shot high above the roof and over the
massive brownstone postal building on
the corner below. All the operators of
the Postal building and everybody at
work in that structure had been or
dered out of this building long before.
Desperate efforts were being made to
save IL.
Within. the Home Life Insurance Co.
building was by this time furnace.
From the windows Of tbs six or eight
upper stories the flames We're pouring
in masses. Behind, nine stories We're
afire. and the fire department so far
as this portion of the building was con-
cerned, was absolutely poweruess.
AT Ills o'clock the Postal Telegraph
Company's building OF fourteen stories
caught. Chief Bonner, who had charge
of the fire in person, went to the roof
to give personal direction. At this
time there We're a few operators who
had ignored the orders &C the fire chief,
two or three clerks and a few boys, at
work in the building in the sitting
smoke, and messages were sent until
the flames came in and all We're forced
to rush for their lives. The unsent mes
sages were left at the telegraph keys.
Chief Bonner had under his direction
all engines stationed in fire houses be-
low 23d street. In addition, five
hook and ladder companies, including
water towers. were at the scene. Most
of the men worked in the lower parts
of the building, and to save adjoining
buildings. Only a few gangs were
with the fire chief on the top of the
Postal building. They fought with all
their strength to keep the flames. back
but not withstanding all their efforts,
at l o'clock three floors of this build
ing had been partly destroyed. The