The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-05-02
Anthony & Cow0|I's Store, on
Weybossel Street, Gutted.
THREE ALARMS WERE SOUNDED
Blowing Out Of Fuse In Basement Set Fire
Which Was Drawn Up Elevator Shaft
IgnItng All Floors at Once.

The worst fire which has occurred in
the down town section OF the city since
the famous Barnaby fire was fought by
all the fremen OF the city that would
respond 10 a third alarm with all the
available apparatus, but despite the
splendid work OF the department with its
high water pressure service. a half dozen
steamers and the big water tower. the
six-story main building OF the Anthony
& CoweU Co. with it's immense stock OF
furniture. carpets. draperies and art OBJ
jects was completely gutted and the loss
is estimated at nearly 100000
The building was a six-story structure
OF modern fire proof construction at PAS
and $50 Weybosset street. and about 9:l5
o'clock Saturday night there were proba-
bly, about s5 people In the establishment
in addition TO the clerks when Elmer J.
Reynolds. the elevator man, who was at
work In the basement OF the building
with Mr. Hersom. the fireman, noticed the
engine give a couple OF kicks and with
a splutter the basement lights went out.
II was seen that the fuse OF the dynamo
had blown out and almost instantaneously
II was seen that fire had started at the
foot OF the elevator well.
nolds got into the car OF the elevator and.
although the flames were already being
drawn up through the shaft. he calmly
ran his elevator to each floor, shouted out
warning that the building was af1re and
when at the top he found that he would
be unable 10 descened he abandoned his
useless machine and escaped from the
building by way OF the fire escape on the
Chapel street side
HAD TO FLY FOR LIVES.
In the cellar the fireman. assisted by
Robert Anthony, a son OF the senior mem
ber Of the firm. started to fight the fire
with the assistance OF the line OF hose
kept for emergencies, and G.. b. Perry
ran and pulled an alarm from box 2s4 at
the corner OF Snow and Weybosset
streets. The volunteer fire fighters were
unable 10 make any headway and were
forced TO iy for their lives, leaving the
battle with the flames that were hungrily
licking up the highly vanished furniture
OF kiln dried and thoroughly seasoned
wood 10 the regular department. which
speedily arrived on the scene accompanied
by the police reserves.
They speedily got several lines Of hose
connected with the high pressure water
service and began to pour tons OF water
into the smoke filled interior Of the build
ing, from which. thanks 10 the prompt
warning OF the cool-headed elevator man.
nearly all had escaped. one OF the clerks
having had time to lock the paper money
on hand In one Of the b.s safes.
r. w. Fouse one OF the statesmen, was
cut of from escape by the usual exit from
the third floor. and crawled out on the
swinging sign. while the room he had
just left was seething furnace and
was taken down by the fremen on a
ladder which was raised In the nick Of
time
THIRD ALARM WAS RUNG.
Seeing that the apparatus on the scene
was hopelessly inadequate to cope with
the fire. which was assuming formidable
dimensions. Deputy Chief Hill rang In the
second and third alarms together. which
brought out all the apparatus In the city
moving the companies in the outskirts
10 cover city districts left unguarded.
The water tower from the Central fire
station was used for the first time in
years. the water from the high pressure
service and from steam fire engine
being forced through IL simultaneously
by means OF a Siamese connection doing
great work and with the assistance OF
the big extension ladder companies
fought the flames from all sides OF the
building. the lower floors on either sides
being brought into play. Some adventur-
Gus Are fighters were placed on the roof
OF the building Itself. sending heavy
streams through holes which they chopped
there. being hidden from observation by
the dense clouds OF smoke which edded
around them.
Holes were broken In the cellar win
dows and In the glass and iron grating
on the front sidewalk. through which an
immense volume OF water was forced and
some Baker cellar pipes were used to
good advantage. A peculiarly difficult
feature OF the fire was the fact that Il
went up the elecator shaft and set all the
floors aire at the same time so that II
was impossible 10 concentrate the efforts
on one particular place. for the flames
were sure to appear in n new place with
greater force.
MEN ORDERED TO STAY OUT.
So much danger from smoke and the
overloaded floors was apprehended that
the fremen were not permitted TO ven
tune very far Into the structure till IL was
we'll under control. a fact that was wise
precaution. for near the main entrance
on the first floor was the only place
where the floor burned through, and II
this order was not obeyed some one would
surely have blundered into the aperture
and been either smothered or drowned
as the smoke was go thick as 10 prevent
any one seeing the danger
The police from the central district re
inforced by details from the other sta
tons. did excellent service in handling
the immense crowd and keeping the vicin.
ity OF the fire roped on that the flremen
could work without interruption The
trolley wires and stay wires were cut I'm
several places on Weybosset street and
the cars on that thoroughfare and oV
Westminster street which was also block
ed above Mathewson street were sent by
way OF Washington street.
BRAVERY OF F1REMEN.
The bravery fthe hremen was shown
on number OF occasions during the pro
Eress of the blaze and soon after tho out
break on the upper floors after midnight
some hremen carried lines OF hose 20 the
upper windows from which the flames
wrrr burvtfnE- Hnd r0ugnr directly Into
tho heart OF ~. being enabled TO main
tain this position by streams OF water
played on them from a hydrant stream
from the forward end Of the water tower
The crowd when n saw the position ~
these men manifested its approval nv
clapping OF hands and hearty cheers
There were do1ens OF acts just as brave
though which called for the aame and
more endurance that allowed the men
that performed them no consciousness