The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-18
Before Alarm Was Sounded Front Wall Was
Blown Out by Explosion.
THE FLAMES SPREAD VERY RAPIDLY.
fhemen Made Heroic Fight, and Finally Conquered
Conflagraion Three Blocks and Church
Buned-loss Estimated al $3.50, 900.


which started in the Opera House, just
before 2:30 o'clock this morning, de-
stroyed three OF the largest business
blocks i'm the place. with their con-
tents, seriously damaged another fine
block so that il is practically total
loss, burned an Episcopal church and
caused damage TO other property. The
total loss is placed at S25OOOO. Nearly
all losers were partly insured. The fire
was under control at 4:S0 a. IN.
The buildings burned were Opera
House block, Bahans, Rand-Adams.
and Bartlett e Bagley blocks and 81.
James Episcopal church. An unoccu-
pied house in the rear of the Bartlett
& Bagley block also was badly dam
aged. The Opera House and Bahan's
were the two finest brick business
blocks in the town. They were each
five stories high. The Rand-Adams
building was of wood, four stories in
height. and stood across the street from
the Opera House. These three were de-
stroyed and the tenants, business firms,
lawyers. doctors and dodgers lost nearly
everything.
-ffe Bartlett * Bagiey bleels ls-alse- of
four stories and of wood adjoined Ba-
hans. Its inside was burned out COM
pletely and it is almost a complete
wreck.
The presence OF fire first became
known at about 2:20 a. m. by Policemen
Ives and Rowell. who were patrolling
Main street They first noticed some
thing like a mist in front OF the Opera
House and started an investigation, Ives
going TO the rear OF the building while
Rowel looked over the front. Neither
q L.. IL. k.atf
while they were searching a beaVy eX-
plosion occurred, and sheets Of flames
burst through the front of the struct-
ure. The front wall. weakened by the
force of the explosion. fell a moment
later, filling the street with debris and
giving free vent TO the flames. The
policemen were not hurt by the explo-
sion, but Patroman Ives, as he ran
through the alley was struck by fall
ing bricks and somewhat bruised
An alarm was sounded at 2:22 and
the whole fire department responded.
The sound OF the explosion had awak-
cned the neighborhood and the streets
were soon thronged with crowds Of ex-
cited SPECTATORS Some of the citizens
Joined the firemen i'm their effort to save
property, but owing to the heat and
fury Of the flames but little could be
done in the way Of removing goods
from the stores and offices in the build
ing, and it soon became apparent that
the local and volunteer force could not
hope TO make a successful battle. The
iremcn found themselves badly handi-
capped by bursting hose and the low
pressure of water i'm the hydrants. AZ
2:30 a call for assistance was sent to
Newburyport. six miles away, and in -
minutes an engine and hose wagon had
reached the scene.
Meanwhile the flames had gained
IA .l,.aN Ia. \
the structure. although built of brick,
was soon destroyed. At $3.50 the flames
leaped across the street to the Rand
Adams block in spite of the work OF
the firemen. who battled with the heat
and WreCkage from the Opera House
wall.
The intense neat sc0TCnrd the fta1Trf-
Adams building until it smoked in
score OF places and when at last the
flames caugh they swept the entire
structure in moment and seized upon
st. James church, a wooden structure
adjoining the block.
AZ this critical time the help from
NcWburyport arrived and took up sta
tion from which they could Join the
fight TO advantage, and the progress i'm
this direction was soon checked, but
the four buildings involved were hope
lessly damaged.
The local hremen who had been try
ing TO break the sweep Of the flames
between the Bahan building and the
Bartlett d Bagley block found them
selves overpowered just as those on the
other side of the conhagration seemed
TO have gained control OF that point.
The flames suddenly acquiring uneX-
pected force lcaped across the space be
tween the two structures and caught
with hold that could not be broken.
The tenants Of this block who had
watched the hght at once began re-
moving their goods. They were un-
able To do much. however, before the
heat and smoke put a stop 60 their ef-
forts.
The fremen continued their resist
ance. however. and az length found that
they had the upper hand but not until
everything but the walls had been
burned up and the flames had reached
and nearly destroyed an unocCup.cd
house an the rear Of the block.
At i.30 the FIRE was under control on
all sides. but the wreck wrought by
the flames I'm the very heart OF the
business district OF the town was most