Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-07

Lynn, Mass. Dec. 6-By the eXplo-
sion of boiler in the four-story fac
tory building of p. ]. Harvey & Co,
shortly before o'clock Thursday morn
ing, II persons were injured and II
buildings destroyed by fire with loss
estimated at over 100000. OF these
struc lures five were dwellings, one the
railroad station at West Lynn of the
RoSton & Maine Railway Co. and tho
other buildings mostly occupied by shoe
manufacturing concerns.
That no lives were lost or more neo-
pie injured is attributed to the fact
that tn. explosion occurred before the
factory operatives had assembled. In
the Harney factory there We're not
more than 20 hands inside the build
ing when the boiler blew W at ABOUT
five minutes Of seven. Twenty minutes
later Their" would have been 600 en-
pl"ycs at their machines
TIL" flames spread with great randi
itv. driven by Il southeast gale and
swept through the district in West
Lynn, III the vicinity of Alley and
Charles streets. A general alarm sum-
moned help from Boston. Salem and
Saugus, and after two hours of fighting
the flames We're thought 10 be under
control. The cause of the explosion is
not yet known.
The sudden wide scope of the disaster
caught the firemcn and police at q dis
advantage, but plunging into the midst
of the terror stricken territory. many
thrilling rescucs were effected. the DO
Ice department being especially con-
sHicuou@ for its heroism while the fire
fighters devoted their efforts to keep
ing the blaze confined to as narrow ter
iitory as possible.
A patrollnan sounded the alarm. AS
he Was on his beat in the vicinity of
Alley street he heard a dull roar and
saw the heavy boiler in the wing of the
Harvey shoe factory burst through the
engine house. tearing across a corner
section Of the main building ana land in
Alley street. He was stunned for an in
slant by the concussiOn and as he
turned 10 ring in an alarm q sheet of
flames shot UP from the Harvey build
rEg.
Assistant Supt. Fred Winchell Of the
company WAS in his Office at the time.
He was thrown to the floor and
stunned. Recovering quickly he ran out
of his Office and saw the flames lean.
ing up the elevator shaft He made n
quick survey of the surrounding rooms.
Only about 20 had arrived. he said, the
rest not being due until 7.l5. These all
made dash for the exits and Stunt.
Winchell was positive that all these es-
capei with burns about the face and
hands. And he was equally sure that
there We're no others in the structure.
The engineer of the factory, w. X.
Donning. was picked up by the police
on Alley street in an unconscious condi-
ti6n. 100 feet from his boiler room. He
was badly cut and bruised about the
head. but upon being given treatment
came to his senses. He could not give
any account of what caused the explo-
sion.
From the Harvey factory, the wooden
frame of which was soon a mass of
flames, the fire leaped to the adjoining
shoe factory of Tufts & Friedman. Two
Hebrews were seen at one of the WIN
dowS of the Friedman structure and
While the flames were eating savagcly
into this, the patrolmen dashed within
the walls and brought out the impris-
oned men whom the flames had already
reached sufficiently to burn them badly
The little boX-like structure of the
Boston & Maine West Lynn Railroad
Continued on Page Fivel