The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-31
Spectacular Blaze al GrlmwOOd's
Lumber Yard Last Night.
DAMAGE MAY REACH 100000
Vaughan Sash and Blind Warehouse Added
10 IncshdIar's Account General Alarm
Brought Out Whole Department.

All that was needed last night TO make
sure OF the destruction of "A large area
OF residential and business property on
Christian hill. was breeze. even of mod
crate force.
Had there been any kind of wind
fire would have swept. over that portion
OF the city and have caused loss with
out parallel I'm the history of the munich
palty.
This peril. which was happily averted
for the reason that there was an unusual
calm for this period OF the year and for
the further reason that light layer
or Ice and snow served to protect roofs
from flying sparks. was due TO the de-
testable work OF ire-bug. probably the
Identical villain who in September burned
the W NJ Harris 4 Co. lumber yard. 1863
Charles street. the Burns e. Kenyon lum-
ber yard at Washington and Dean streets
and the Hovey lumber yard on South
Water street
This time the incendiary selected II. A.
Grimwood * Co.'S lumber yard and in
cddentally caused the destruction OF L..
Vaughn e. Co.'S sash, door and blind man
ufactory. These establishments are side
by side. and occupy a large space running
from Washington 10 Carpenter street and
midway OF Knight and Bridgham streets.
Both concerns occupy FORMER residences
for office purposes. that the really
dangerous character or the premises
would not be appreciated by the casual
observer.
The situation is due 10 the building up
OF a residential section long after II
had been In use for business purposes.
TENEMENTS ALL AROUND.
To add to the dangerous features OF
the premises the lumber sheds, built long
ago, were so placed that there was very
little space between them and adjoining
property owners had seen fit to erect ten
ement houses close up 60 their lines.
Ever since the Burrows & Kenyon fire
extra care has been taken TO guard these
lumber premises a special watchman be-
ing on duty at Grimwood a. Co.'S mp TO
last Saturday night, when the probability
OF incendiarism seemed to have passed
Just before the $50 o'clock test signal
was given on the big bells last night,
Patrolman Hickey passed by the two Of
ice buildings, and following his instruc-
tions. he looked to see that everything
was all right.
He then proceeded along his beat and
had gone as far up Westminster street
as Dexter. when he heard the preliminary
bell on the frat alarm.
This was turned in from box s26 at
$50 o'clock. by Joseph Hutchinson.
Hickey ran back toward the lumber
yard, but before ne reached Grimwood's
a big fame had shot UP.
District Chief Smith, OF the Harrison
street station. reached the scene OF the
FIRE IN very few minutes.
II needed but glance TO convince
him that a tough proposition faced the
department.
SENT THIRD ALARM
He acted with commendable prompt
ness, giving to headquarters a signal for
a third alarm, by which means he
brought out a large force of men and
o great array Of apparatus.
Long before the extra companies could
respond. however. the fire had spread to
several ~ the Grimwood sheds and had
leaped across narrow gangway and had
engulfed the Vaughn buildings.
The flrebug was who knew his
nefarious business well
He selected the middle one OF sew
eral sheds and there applied his torch.
intending to hamper the firemen whom
he knew could not remain In the restrict
ed space on account Of the intense heat
that was bound TO be generated
into the gangway and had to fight the
FIRE from there.
They might just as well have walked
into a red hot furnace.
Chief Steere, on arriving. directed one
section OF the force To attack the fire
from the rear
This would serve 10 drive the flames
away from the thickly grouped tenement
houses there. while the extreme width
W.
prevent them from leaping across TO the
more pretentious dwellings that line the
southerly side Of that highway.
OTHER BUILDINGS CAUGHT.
Several times the roofs OF adjacent
buildings were ignited. but the watch-
fulness OF the fremen served 10 nip those
small blazes.
general alarm was sounded at 9:so
O'Clock
The additiapal men and apparatus thus
called out were sadly needed and buckled
down to the Job and AT Io:4b o'clock the
FIRE was under control.
Barring the few frconseouential iE-
nitions referred 10. the department held
the FIRE TO the lumber yards. n was
highly creditable piece Of work. and
II was done in most intelligent and
diligent manner.
MAY REACH 800 900.
The losses will aggregate nearly
800. 900. OF which the greater proportion
viii fan upon Grimwood & Co.
That concern had seven large sheds
nned TO the limit with fine lumber and
finished work. such as door and window
frames. that had been selected for spring
building operations.
There were several keepers of small
stores who lost heavily for them by
reason " water and smoke damage. Far
mum and company. marble cutters lost
about $500 I'm a monumental work that was
IN a rear shed.
That the Are was ~ incendiary origin
there r. not the slightest shadow Of doubt.
Just before n broke out a roughly at
tired man. about whose neck was wrapped
q red scarf was seen lettering about the
neighborhood Of the lumber yards
few minutes later the same person
was observed running away and almost
Immediately the first flame shot up.
spectaculariy the Are was highly at
uactive. Great tongues OF flame shot up