The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-01-05
Destructive
BLAZE AT
BERLIN, N. H.

Berlin, ~. II, Jan. SIN the hitterest Of
winter weather the city fought this even
ing a fire which threatened the entire
business section. and which before IL was
uLder control had destroyed three blocks
occupied by business firms. an opera
house and tenements. a drug store and a
hotel, as we'll as a number OF smaller
buildings. The loss is estimated al 500. 600
AS the electric light wires were cut
carly In the fire. the rest OF the city was
IL darkness and the excitement for some
hours was intense.
II was 9:16 o'clock this evening that the
Clement Opera House block was discover
ed to be on fire An alarm was quickly
sounded. but with the temperature far
lelow zero. deep snow on the ground and
a high wind blowing through the streets.
IL was some time before the city fire de-
partment reached the scene
At that time II was not believed that the
fire would prove serious.
Those who lived In the immediate vicin-
ity burst into the entrance Of the opera
house and tried 10 arouse the tenants on
the upper floors, but the fire drove the
life savers back.
They managed. however. 70 awaken
those In the threatened rooms and soon
the windows were full OF imploring men
and women. Those in the street shouted
not TO Jump. and there was a rush for
nets and mattresses
Down they came. two and three at a
time some landing in the nets and on the
mattresses, while others were not so for
tunate, and. on striking the ground, were
! unable TO rise without assistance.
One woman was taken away apparently
llfeless. but subsequently, found to be
breathing. although dangerously injured.
fall
In the block had been aroused.
BUSINESS SESSION THREATENED.
by this time the opera house was a
mass OF whirling flame. On the ground
floor was the store OF the Berlin Dry
Goods company, A. Burbank e. Co.'S
hardware and furniture store, q. w.
Gordons paint shop and the tailoring
place OF +. g. Jewell.
Some Of the goods i'm these stores were
saved but II was not long before the
flames had not only driven the firemen
back but had leaped across one Of the
Gagnon blocks TO the north.
Burbank e. Co. had part OF their stock
in this building. but none Of IL was saved.
The fire kept right on 70 the second of
the Cagnon blocks. occupied by NORM q
Bouchard as a hotel and called the Union
house.
South Of the opera house was Brooks
drug store. and back OF IL To the east
was the Hotel Thorndike, and at 10
o'clock all these structures were on fire
and il looked as II the entire business
section OF the city would be wiped out
The FIRE engine OF the International
Paper company, just outside the city, re-
sponded and was OF great help.
An hour after the fire started the opera
house the two Gagnon and Hotel Thorn
dixie buildings had been leveled, and
Brooks drug store was burning fercely
During the height OF the fire the new
NORM block on the opposite side Of the
street caught In several places, but the
flames were extinguished. Three store
houses back of Hotel Thorndike and p
stable used by Burbank a. Co. TO store
plumbing materials were also burned.
At 80 o'clock IL looked as II the fire
was under control although Brooks drug
store was still burning.
The opera house block was OF wood.
covered with galvanized iron. and owned
by former Mayor James r.. Tolman OF
Gloucester Mass. The opera house Itself
seated 1900 people, being one of the largest
OF its kind in Northern New Hampshire