The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1905-03-16
Continued from page One.


once more has the local fire department
backed up it's reputation OF being one Of
the best fire-hghters in the country, by
holding in check a bad blaze, preventing
the ignition of adjoining property and the
consequent wiping out Of large portion
OF the retail district
The feature of luck did not enter into
this combat against a devouring element.
II was a square stand mp fight In which
an Intelligent handling of first-class de-
partment won the victory
THE GUTTED BUILDING.
The property burned on this occasion
was the Music Hall block. structure
erected prior by Amos &. Barstow 70 the
creation Of the office OF inspector OF
buildings and the construction OF which
was the Identical cause Of that office
coming into existence.
In those days a property owner used
any kind OF material and any style OF
freak architecture with overhanglng fea-
lures which were a menace to pedestrians
An immense amount OF heavy southern
pine lumber was used, making load
which the walls were unable TO bear.
and not until the owner had been labored
with for a long time could he be induced
90 cause steel rods with turn-buckles TO
be applied and the structure made SAFE
for public use.
The spirit which the owner exhibited
aroused such a sentiment i'm the city
counc, that an office OF inspector or
buildings was created with accompanying
and rigid laws
spencsr r. Hopkins was made the In
spector. and from that day has given the
public n service which has resulted IN
n complete reform In building methods
At 9:A5 o'clock this morning Patrolman
william O'Bren discovered fire bursting
out OF the second story front window OF
the Music Hall building
He was 80 near box CA. al the corner OF
Westminster and Mathewson streets. that
he nulIed Il In preference to running up
10 Aborn street for had he gone 10 the
other box valuable time would have been
lost
Two MORE ALARMS.
Almost Immediately an alarm was sent
in from box 2s4 at the junction Of Snow
and weybosset streets, and this was fol-
lowed by a third alarm given from box "a.
sounded by District Chief Bauey.
Nv the time the first of the appartus
arrived the big hip roof was seething
mass Of FIRE. great flames mounting high
and send up vast clouds Of sparks and
embers.
SpeCtaCulariy " WAS picture w SUI
passing attraction.
The hremen were not out a picture
viewing however: they realized that IL
was to be- n nip-and-tuck hght with the
odds fearfully against them.
The building Itself was filled with a
large and inhammable stock Of groceries,
costly Office fixtures and appliances or
trade and the long-sessoned pine-tens OF
thousands of feet. invited the fre TO feed
TO its al.
on the vest was the new Caesar Misch
and the Empire Theatre buildings. and
ON the east the Westminster Theatre
building. separated from the ire hut by
"a few feet.
over the way was the Conrad, the ly-
man and the Hoppin- Homestead build
lugs. The situation was then one OF eX-
treme gravity and Chief Steere was well
aware what he was up against.
PREVENT SPREAD OF FLAMES.
II vas useless 10 think Of saving the
Music Han building-that was already
burning from the second story 10 the
roof top.
All efforts were therefore directed 20
the prevention of the spreading OF the
fire 10 the adjoining premises and their
efforts were crowned with success
nv aaybreak the last hickerinF hamo
had been drowned out and a sigh of re-