The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-15
konnald Block al Manchsstsr,
\. H., Totally Destroyed.
PARK THEATRE BLOCK DAMAGED
Board Of Trade Was In Session WAsa Fire
Broke Out and Members Had BareIy
Time 10 Reach Street,

Manchester, n. H., Jan. 5--This city
suffered loss OF half a million dollars
last night. when the best block Ia the
city. the kennard. was totally DESTROYED,
together with the entire stocks OF scores
oi tenants and Smyth's block. adjacent
,ho', ~ wn,eh the Park theatre was damaged
Inc hremen made an heroic attempt 10
stop me nre bit the flames got between
,ns noofs running from north to south,
hno when the department appeared TO
nave gotten the fire under control the
slructure suddenly became a mass OF
ilames.
Word was at once sent TO Concord ana
Nashua for aid. The Are started i'm the
Ilrst moor In the clothing store OF Allen x
h!inosIl AT Just o'clock. The FIRST warn
lnE that the occupants OF the kennard
had was an explosion that resounded
Through the city like cannonading
In less than five minutes the big six
story block was filled with smoke and
rush was made TO get out The board
of trade was in session on the sixth floor
and the members had hardly time 10 get
10 the street.
Several OF the occupants had close calls.
one woman having TO be carried out.
cali was sent out for the entire de-
partment. and In a short time ~ lines
were on the fire The flames crept up
from the clothing store where the ne
started. and ran from end To end between
the foors Of the block, defying the al
tempts or the nremen To get at the seat
OF the trouble
IN three-auarters OF an hour the flames
suddenly burst from the centre OF the
block and the structure was doomed
The intense heat drove the department
from the block. and IL was abandoned
while the fremen devoted their attention
10 the surrounding blocks Despite all
that could be done. the, flames ignited
Smyth,s block on the north, wherein the
Park theatre is situated. and did a num-
her or thousand dollars damage before
the flames could be stayed.
The fire caught on the hood on top or
the block which surmounts the theatre
stage. and the fremen had 10 fight the
fire from the orchestra. The damage
to the theatre will be confined entirely TO
the stage.
The tenants OF smyth's block on the
around floor were badly damaged by
All the stores facing the Kennsrd
block. on Elm street. were more or less
damaged, the intense heat breaking out
the plate glass windows.
The direct cause of the Are s not
known, but is presumed TO have resulted
from new electrical connections which
had been made in Allen & i<imballs store
The kennard block was built in 1892 and
cost s25o,c". The loss Is estimated as
Kennard block. $3.50 900: contents. $780,
100: Smyth's block. $40, miscellaneous
in damages to stores and Derryheld Club
house, $40 600.
block were: Allen * Kimbail. clothing:
Steinert Sons, pianos. GLASGOW Wool
en- Mills company, Brown Burpee, opu-
clans; Second National bank. Star Cof-
fee house. Cheney Cheney, insurance;
New Hampshire Trust company, Seaver
e. Shean. millinery: John Godfrey. tailor;
Mead. Mason e. Co. contractors and
builders; National Cash Register com
psny, Page Bros. real estate; Nomen.s
w c. 7. L. rooms, DR., Guillette, Clay {,
Hutchins millinery; Metropolitan Stock
exchange. Equitable Life Insurance com
pany branch office Nutting g. Moore,
stock exchange: Olmsteed Tuttie com
many Washington Life Insurance com
pany branch Office Purnham Cieve-
land LAWYERS Metropolitan Life lnsur-
ance company. branch office Mrs. Berry.
Christian Science healer. Granite state
Provident association. International Cor
respondence school Prudential Life In
surance company, Manchester board Of
trade rooms Manchester Institute ~ Arts
a na Sciences. Manchester Building and
,oan association.
There was also score Of lawyers Of