The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-01
A DAY OF FIRES.
Miles of Flame Con-
front Clinton
Firemen.
THREE ALARMS.
Brush Blazes Cover Many
Acres and Cause Con-
siderable Damage.

! hundred plans FOR a summer holiday
were destroyed. Instead Of picking May
| flowers at their leisure, or taking a
quiet nap, the boys worked most of the
| day with shoveIs, and in intense heat.
One of the largest brush fires. and the
| hardest to handle, known here in sew
eral years, was discovered this morning
at 1915. An alarm was rung from box
| 85. 1t called the steamer, the truck and
| steamer hose, with the Torrent Hose
} company, and the Germantowns, to
fight fierce fire which was raging in
the locally famous picnic ground
known as Sylvan grove.
The flames had started near the
tracks of the Boston & Maine railroad,
where the grove reaches down to a
point near Main street. When the
| 1remen arrived a fierce semi-circle of
fire was travelling in three directions,
threatening the pine woods and num-
Der Of dwellings in the neighbor
hood.
| The pine woods were filed with dry
stubble. Once the flames reached this
| part of the grove they burned with ex-
| ira fierceness.
A call was sent out for the two extra
| hose companies. Only the men were
| needed. They were brought to the scene
in barges.
| By this time the line Of fame, which
was almost wall, presented front
| Of half a mile or more. There was only
/ one way to check its advance, which
was to throw up the earth with shovels
| in front Of it. a hundred men were
working after one fashion or another,
! but there were not more than 30 show
| els in use. These were welded with a
will.
| Frequently a more ambitious mem
| Der Of the fame foe would leap across
| the dirt wall, and carry the war into
| immune territory. Nevertheless the
shovel brigade at last prevailed, AT
lis an all out alarm was sounded and
| the fremen started for home. A more
| tired or exhausted lot Of men has rare
! ly been seen in this town than the fire.
men were at 100 when they started for
| their respective house, with the appar-
atus.
| The last few moments had been de-
voted to clearing a space of 40 feet all
| around the structure known as FIR.
/ Patterson's pavilion. This was a frame
! affair, 40 by go feet, which had been
| honored by the dancing feet of hun
! dreds Of couples during the five years,
since its erection. The fire made a bold
bid for it and failed.
| The fremen had hardly reached their
| ing off the smoke and grim of the
! combat, when a second alarm sounded.
This time the dancing pavilion was
| discovered in flames. Boys, or other
/ designing persons, it is thought, had set
| 1t on fire. There was nothing to do but
let it burn down, which the fremen did
| before they went away.
| There is but one opinion in the mind
Of the firemen, which is that it was set
| on fire. The last thing that was done
| after the first fire was to see that no
! flame was anywhere in the neighbOr-
| hood Of the pavilion.
| 1t used to be a fovorite amusement
with the Clinton boys to burn down
| dancing paYilions. The building to
| which this was the successor went the
| same road. The loss is about $500; in
sured.
| Once more the firemen had hardly re-
| turned to their homes, when an alarm
| sounded from box 90. This time the fire
! was in Monroe's woods, on the other
| side of the town. Three painting
| horses once more brought the truck out
| Of the central fire station.
| The several truck companies arrived
in struggling fashion. The German
| towns were the last to come Their
| hose carriage was drawn by a little
| black mare, which was painting, but
| still very game. This fire was on a
/ j
a swamp. The fire fighters had a
| comparatively easy task. They had
| only to let the fire burn to the edge of
! the swamp, when it went out of itself.
! and to see that it did not drive up the
| hill into a grove Of pine trees, which
! contained excellent finder.
The most tired lot of firemen to be
| found anywhere slept in this town to-
night, however, and none is more tired
| than Chief Larry Fury. This was Mr..
Fury's last day as chief. His friends
| greeted him with the remark, They're
| trying to make it a hard one" The new
| chief, Frank E. Babcock was on hand,
but only as a volunteer. He fought
under the orders of Chief Fury. To-
morrow it will be Chief Babcock
The militia boys are enthusiastic ov-
| er the prospect of their coming bazaar.
| which is to be held at the armory May
II, IS and 49, The fair is arranged pri-
| marily to raise funds for the company
| treasury. Since the organization of
| the company the boys have had a sub
| stantial sum Of money in the treasury
to fall back upon, but the late war
| has entirely wiped out the finances Of
| the company. The reorganization of
| the company has taken up the attention
! of Capt. Cannon and his officers. For
! the sole purpose Of replenishing the
treasury the boys are working with
might and main for the success of
! their entertainment. The proceeds of
the bazaar will be used especially for
| the equipment of the company, when
| it goes into camp next July Can't
| Cannon has received permission from
| the state authorities to hold the affair
| at the armOry.
| The leading attraction will be the
/ presence of Col William Donavon of
! Lawrence, the newly elected comman-
der of the regiment and the idol Of ev-
/ cry soldier boy who took part in the
i Cuban campaign. Capt. Cannon has
! invited Col. DOnavOn to be present and
! he has accepted. Col. DOnavon has not
| been to this town since the regiment
/ returned from Santiago, and his well
| come will be one Of intense enthusiasm.
| 1t is known that Col DOnavon thinks
well Of Clinton and appreciates com
/ pany K as one of the best in his regi-
ment. 1t is intended that Col Dona-
4 Won shall open the bazaar with q
/ speech. Other officers will be invited
/ and on the whole. the affair will be
I more or less a reunion for the boys
1 The business men have entered hearth
/ ly into the spirit Of the occasion. There
/ is now no reason why the bazaar should
not be a gratifying success in every
| detail
! Caroline F. Whitney died at 10
| o'clock last Exsht Of pneumonia after
/ short Illness She was the widow Of
/ the late Henry II. Whitney, and was IS
years. 4 months and 26 days old. She
| has been living with her daughter, Mrs
| Sophia Bascom, at Is Pearl street. Mrs
| Whitney spent much Of her time in