The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-12-09

Four alarms were sounded, calling
large part Of the citys' apparatus to the
scene. In spite of the Quickness with
which the blaze spread through the Dunn
building, caused by the extreme combus-
ubility OF the material, not a single one
OF the 100 persons employed in the factory
was injured. There were, however, many
thrilling escapes.
-Four women bookkeepers and stenog-
raphers, who were at work on the thlrd
floor, had to grope their way down the
stairs through binding smoke
Two men, one, Peter Donahue. employ
ed in the finishing room on the top moor:
could not be learned. found their means
of escape cut of by the stairways, and
were forced TO jump from the roof some
% feet 10 the top OF an adjoining struc-
ture from which place they made their
way to the ground by a fire escape. They
were slightly bruised. The loss Is about
four-ffths covered by insurance. Added
company on account OF the destruction
OF its property at it's busiest season, when
the building was stocked for Christmas
trade.
The fire was discovered about o'clock
by a business man who was passing up
Portland street from the North Union
station, which is only 200 feet from the
scene OF the fire. He at once sounded an
alarm.
The fire started on the top floor OF the
which became ignited from wires on
which the electrician who Jumped from
the roof was at work.
A series OF explosions OF liquid used In
finishing chairs soon filled the top floor
with a mass of flames. Out OF this Dona-
hue and his companion rushed to the
roof, first, however. warning the work
men on the floors below by shouting
down the elevator we'll.
To the comparative slowness with
which the are ate It's way downward
was undoubtedly due the escape OF all
those below.
The smoke however, rushed down the
elevator well and the stairways In dense
volumes. Through this tho men on the
second, third and fourth floors. dashed TO
the stairway and feeling their way down
step by step succeeded in gaining the
street
Several women on the third story en-
ployed In the cushion department were
assisted TO the open air by workmen on
the same floor. One OF these women was
Mrs. Albert Lamont She was obliged TO
crawl on her ha nds and knees to prevent
suffocation and In this way she managed
to reach the stairway. Several women
stenographers on the second floor had
similar experiences.
A salesman who was standing on the
second floor insisted on running up to
lDe ttOTy hDONe 10 yet a Dak
valuables He secured his property. but
I'm returning stumbled over chairs and
fell lie was dragged out by a work
man and led down the stair case. BY this
time four alarms had been sounded and
the flames were in possession Of the entire
upper stories.
The building was bounded on the north
by a seven story brick structure occupied
on six floors by the q. w. Brent company,
furniture manufacturers. On the east,
with only narrow alley between. were
two brick structures. one fve stories. .oc-
cupied throughout by Cobb. Bates q
Yerxa, wholesale grocers; the other n
four-story building. used by the Union
Market company.
From the roof OF three buildings the
flremen effectively fought the flames, at
the same time drenching the structures.
on which they stood. At one time the
fire broke into corner OF the Cobb.
Bates & Yerxa building. but IL was soon
extinguisaed. This company. however.
sustains from 5000 to $4,000 loss TO its
grocery stock from water mass OF
water also entered the Rent factory but
the loss there will not exceed $500.
The Dunn structure was occupied on