The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-09
SCENE OF THE FIRE.

apparatus rolled mp In response to the
three alarms and the small army Of fire
lighters took up tho hard work tefors
them with marvellous spsei and pre-
cision. Right on their heels came the
police and in twinklipg order came
ont Of confusion. the great crowd of
citizens attracted to the spot ry the quick
following alarms were put back of the
ropes and the great struggle with ths
most dangerous energy In city was
begun.
The fire was in what Is considered .by
fra officials to do one of the most dan
gerous spots In the whols city. A minute
had hardly elapsed from the first sound OF
warming before water was being thrown
on the ire. Even in this brief space of
time the IRE had made such headway in
the infiammable material that the
building was enveloped In dense smoke.
This thick stiflinR smoke made the work
extremely difficult and hazardous for the
firemen, but they went at IL AS though 1t
was of no consequences.
Yhe fire started In the cellar of the
east side OF the building, and IL was not
allowed to get beyond that place. The
space is anout l20 feet long and 30 feet
wide. 1t is now filled with rubbish. but
before the fire 1t contained bioycleA
couches, furniture in original packages,
because the company had just put In
about Sl2. 600 Of new spring stock, bur-
laps, stoves, straw mating, liBoleum and
other goods. This wac oil destroyed.
On the ground floor over the basement
was large stock Of oak folding bedsteads
roll-top desks, chi ifoniers and office furnt-
ture. 1t was badly damaged by smoke,
some water and the rough handling 1t re-
ceived In the effort to get at the seat of
the fire. Altogether the loss on both
floors and In the other parts OF the build
ing will probably foot UP $50. 600. This
is fully covered ny Insurance through the
agency of Beach 81 Sweet. The loss to
the builcing Will probably not exceed
$1,000, which il covered by insurance
through the agency Of III. M. Shove.
The fire vas caused bv an overturned
lantern. Just tefore 10 o'clock Arohibald
B. Potter, who has charge of the hicy Gle
department. l.. X. Barter, about ~ years
OF aRe, William Quinn ana two m ore
Toys, were in the cellar. A man was en-
gagged in cleaning a fiue to the chimney,
and tho process included the dropping OF
O piece OF lead down the flue. Barber
was holding lantern, and his part oil
the cleaning work WINS TO get the lead as
it dropped and return IL TO the man
above. The lead he'd besn dropped, and
Barb hung the Ian tern mp, or thought
he did. lie moved "a short distance away,
bnt his attention was attracted by q
lare. The placs was on IRE.
lie gave the alarm and bis companions
in the cellar ran out OF the place as
fast as they could. Barber ran to tbs
coraer Of Potter ard weyosset streets.
Another man ran TO the corner OF snow
aud wey bosset streets and another ran to
t1e corner OF Mathewson and westmin-
ster streets.
1he man OF Snow street pulled box 23S
the ore on Westminster street pulled "a
and Bnber pulled 26. There were there
fer three alarms. Ii made no confusion
for tn. flremen all realized IL was for the
single fire.
1tey swarred up tn the building. A
part OF thon went mt the front part II
the building, n part attacked the rear oi
the building on Chapel street. and
another part made their way into The
alleyway between the burning structure
and tte building occupied by Hall A
Lyons drug store on the cornsr OF
Mattewsop and Weyhostst streets
Cfadually they forced their vay through
the stifine smoke and In less than nm
hour had whnt threatened to ps almost Z
confiaeration, under absolute control. II
was great work. shortly after II o'cloch
workmen wsrs returning the articles thai
had been removed from threatened de
struction. bacx into the store. A few
hours thereafter tie Household Furniture
Company mad resumed business at the
ola stano.
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