The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-22
LIVELY BLAZE
ON CANAL ST.
Three Alarm Fire In Wholesale
District Caused Some Excitement
LOSS PLACED At $4,000
A. 7. Scattsrgood Co., ". W. whppIs,
Allen Mcpherson and W. S, Sweet &
Son Principal Losers.

spectacular Are broke out last even
ing in the lower Canal street district and
for a time seriously menaced the safety
OF the wholesale district.
The blaze was I'm a low oddly shaped
building fronting on Friend street and
Jointly occupied by William s, Sweet &
Son. fruit and produce merchants. and r.
3 G.. Northup. carpenter and builder The
flames invaded the upper floors Of the
hye-story brick building fronting on Canal
street and owned by w. w. whipple. but
ter and egg merchants Such was the ex-
tent Of the fire.
Three alarms were rung In before the
fremen felt their resources adequate to
the task of fighting the furious blaze.
The total damage is estimated variously
a. from $4,000 TO $4,000. the greater loss
being sustained by water. The actual fire
loss. according to the flremen, is about
$1,000
The fire was discovered at 2 o'clock by
n fellow whose name could not be learned.
who promptly pulled box l47 at the corner
Of North Main and Thomas streets The
Central station apparatus was quickly at
furiously.
The large brick building at the corner
OF Friend and Canal streets is occupied
by w. s. Sweet & Sons. and on the North
Main street end is the southeast corner OF
the low. rambling building known as the
'old Gorham factory" Midway between
these buildings and joined to them by
thick brick walls is the low, three-story
structure I'm which the blaze originated
DanufV no tn "A.
Ing In second alarm on discovering the
dangerous location OF the fire. The third
alarm went In 10 minutes later.
From the Friend street front OF the
burning structure the flames shifted to
the Whipple establishment and then
worked their way up lane nearby.
The two floors which were burning are
occupied as storerooms by A. L. Scatter
good, a furniture dealer. on account OF
the Christmas trade ne carries a large
stock at the present time.
The fire is said 20 have started I'm a
barrel shop on the lower floor OF the odd
three-story structure and owned by w 8
Sweet. thick brick wall. with iron fire
doors which were securely fastened pre-
vented the blaze working IT'S way into the
main portion OF Mr. Sweets store. and
another wall prevented its creeping
through to the North Main street front
A particularly, dangerous feature OF the
fire was the fact that the burning build
ing WAS I'm the rear OF the old Gorham
building. now occupied as a lodging house
by various storekeepers and clerks The
rooms Ia the old building were well filled
with smoke and badly smutted.
There was no great danger experienced
by the fremen in coping with the flames
and none was injured. The heaviest losses
were those caused by water The Walter
w. Whipple company store was we'll
stocked with butter. eggs. turkeys and
chickens in readiness for the Christ ma 5
trade. and. while this store occupies the
ground floor, the water poured into the
rear OF the A. T. Scattergood company
furniture storehouse. which occupies the
three top floors. worked its way through
the hoors and poured In torrents upon the
big stock on the street floor, saturatine
a considerable portion or the top LAYERS
OF the boxes which were piled In tiers
throughout before the rubber coverings
could be spread. a
The Red Cross Powder company on the
second floor of the building occupied by
the w. w. Whipple company, at 90 Canal
street. was badly damaged by water, the
loss being Impossible TO estimate I'm the
rush incident 20 the fire fighting On the
third floor OF this building was the work
chop OF the A. r. Scattergood company.
Four workmen constitute the force there.
and there was considerable furniture
undergoing renovation and In process of
manufacture therein at the time OF the
FIRE
William 3. Sweet e. Son and Allan Nc
Fherson, dealers I'm produce. experienced
losses of 5000 each I'm damaged stock
Slight damage was done I'm the rear of
the office OF DIR. w. l.. Munro on North
Main street.