The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-08
ATTLEBOR0
BLAZE WITH
$4,000 LOSS
Nobody Hurt and Serious Con-
fIagration AVeTted by Efficient
Action Of Local Department

A fire involving a loss OF at least 10000
occurred In Attleboro. last evening. II
was shortly after Q o'clock when the
alarm was given and had 1t MT been for
the efficient and systematlc hre fighting
OF the local department. there might have
been costly confasration.
1t was In the Armory hall building.
owned by Alfred Pierse, tina. the fire
originated. On the first floor arc located
the grocery OF l.. n. Cnrpeu'sr anu dry
goods establishment OF A. y Smith on
the second floor are Hermaa Chace's bar
ber shop. Federal Stock aud Grain COM
pany's Office. A. H. Burr ellis tailoring es-
tablishment. Company Is headquarters,
gun and storerooms, and ON the top foor
n Armory hall, used as a drill hall OF the
militia company. and for dancing parties.
STARTED IN CUPBOARD.
On the armory floor. the third. at the
rear and under a staircase leading TO
gallery. is a small cupboard in which the
Janitors supplies are Kept IL was In this
cupboard. I'm the opinion OF Chief Pack
ard. that there was a spontaneous COM
bustion causing the fire. The flames were
closely confined and made their way into
the wall and upward. They at last burst
through from a rear window. spreading
along the roof In the rear.
The flame was seen by Engineer Harry
Lane OF Westerly. who was on the loco
motive attached to the Boston local
freight. He pulled the whistle valve wide
open, giving the ''fire alarm" OF the rail-
road code. At about the same time Will
liam III. Riley, an Earle e. Prev express
man, as well as fireman., sounded the
alarm from box 6.
The iremen attached 10 Hose I. and
3 and Truck /, got out I'm fine style and
soon covered the building with streams.
FIREMEN ACTED PROMPTLY.
The fire was making great headway. In
the meantime an emergency fire brigade
OF Company association, headed by
Walter B. Allen, laid a line of hose In
the rooms OF the club, and attempted TO
check the fire by a stream from the club
room parlor windows, but the line was
too short TO be of much avail. Following
the tactics of well-organized departments.
the flremen went at the very heart OF the
blaze and drowned II In an admirable
manner.
All the while militiamen and others
were emptying all buildings In the fire
district OF their contents The property
OF the commonwealth. that In charge of
Capt. w. II. Goff. Jr., OF the infantry,
was put In Park street and guard
placed.
The water that was used in auenching
the flames leaked through the floors and
drenched the stock OF groceries in Car
penter's store and Smiths dry goods
store. The loss In these two places will
be quite large. How mucn, the owners
were unable to estimate. All who suffered
had their property covered by insurance.
through the agencies OF o. j. Richard
son. II. f. Carpenter, +. II. Bicknell and
George J. Kelly.
NOBODY WAS HURT.
Directly across the street from the
scene OF the fire is Bates Opera House.
IN which were nearly 1000 persons wit
Messing the production OF Pride OF Vir-
ginia" by a cast made up of Attleboro
and North Attleboro persons under the
auspices OF Atteboro Light Infantry,
Company I. Fifth Massachusetts, volun-
teer Militia The ringing OF the fire
alarm from box 8. on the corner of Park
and Bank streets. I'm the same block,
was distinctly audible within the theatre.
Added 10 this were the changing OF bells
on the fire apparatus. the shouting of
more or less excited persons on the
streets and the countless noises which at
tend the calling out Of a fire department..
Then too, someone entered the theatre
10 notify some OF the firemen who were
there enjoying the entertainment The
word FIRE" was overhead In the audi
ence and naturally there was some un-
easiness among the timid. Fred lie Baron
heard what was intended for whispered
warning. He had no idea where the fire
was, bat he kept his head. and. seeking
position Of eminence, shouted 10 the
large audience in language that could not
be mistaken, You sit still"
This brought the audience 10 n realizing
sense that all could not reach the streets
BY the exits at the same time. This check
ed a probable stampede and possible in
Jury TO a large number. large part of
the audience did ''sit STILL" and those
who did leave the theatre did so In the
most orderly manner. No one was hurt.