The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-06

Esrney Manufacturing company OF this
city blew up this morning and several
persons were injured. The mill building
was destroyed by the ensuing fire and the
flames spread 10 the station of the Bos-
ton and Maine railroad. near by.
The explosion, besides shattering the
hig four-story factory OF the Harney
shoe factory wrecked several buildings
near by in the crowded manufacturing
district. A heavy southeast gale was
blowing. driving the flames with incred-
ible rapidty until within briet space
the flames were far beyond the control OF
the local fire department and help was
called from Boston.
In an hours time two acres in the west
Lynn district had been burned over rum
inf the premises OF more than hair doz-
en- large business firms, mostly shoe man
ufacturers, destroying IL dwellings on
Charles street, mostly occupied by col
oted people.
At least II people are reported injured.
The explosion occurred Just before
o'clock when the factory employees were
assembling for their days work, but IN
the first confusion II was believed that
not many were i'm tho building at the
time OF the disaster.
The devastated district is i'm West Lynn,
bordering on Charles street and Alley
street The Harvey company was located
on Alley street
STILL BEYOND CONTROL.
At $50 the fire was stll reported TO be
beyond control. Doctors and ambulances
were hurried to the scene from all parts
of the city but with so wide territory,
SO suddenly stricken, the work of aiding
| and collecting the wounded and hunting
| for possible dead. was necessarily ham
| pered The first firms 10 be burned out or
wrecked by the explosion were:
p J. Harney Shoe Manufacturing
company.
tufts & Friedman Shoe company
IL T. Hood creamery
Boston & Maine West Lynn railroai u
station.
Jacobs Leather Stock company.
NJ. j. Worthey Shoe company.
Twelve dwellings.
TERRIFIC EXPLOSION
rhe explosion was terrific. bursting
~ through the four machinery loaded
floors Of the Harney factory ana
lifting the roof Spreading OUT
ward, the force Of the explosion shat
tered the walls OF nearby structures
aiding the spread of the flames. despite
the heavy storm Of snow and sleet that
started early I'm the morning covering
roofs and hampering the hremen In the
streets.
In a brief space the West Lynn sta
tion of the Boston q Maine railroad
was on fire. but not stopping at the
wide gap caused by the railroad trackH.
the flames hurried across the structures
on the other side, licking UP first the
company and then sweeping through
the district covered by flmsy tenements
had wiped out 2 of these buildings
before the fremen could concentrate
their forces here.
The sudden wide extent of the calam
ity caught the fire lighters at tre-
mendous disadvantage
TAKEN TO HOSPITAL.
At o'clock the police reported tina
they had taken to the hospital at that
time nine injured. Three Of hese welo
but slightly hurt. and after treatment
went TO their homes, and a hasty eN-
animation seemed To indicate that the
other six were not fatally hurt By
q o'clock the police thought the fire
was under control in the district in tlle
vicinity Of Alley and West streets. AT
that hour the officers said no deaths
had been reported at headquarters.
NO LIVES LOST.
Apparently no lives were lost by tho
explosion. and IL is believed that the
list OF injured will not exceed ten.
The financial loss is estimated OF
about $780, 900. with partial insur-
ance.
ELEVEN INJURED.
A careful canvass of the fire district.
the Lynn General hospital and the po-
lice stations showed that eleven people
were injured, but that no lives were /
10 the hospital. where three were sent
home after treatment and others wero
treated by physicians on the scene. |
The injured at the hospital are Rober-
Burt. Maurice Fertel, Celia TradenberS, |
---Loguericaic.
FOURTEEN BUILDINGS DESTROYED. !
A survey OF the burned district after |
tho fire had been gotten under control |
showed that Il buildings had been de-
stroyed causing a loss estimated at
$4,000.
one the railroad station at West Lynn of |
the Boston and Maine Railroad company, |
and the others, mostly occupied p| shoe
manufa cturlng concerns.
THAT no lives were lost or more people |
injured is attributed TO the fact that the |
explosion occurred before the factory op- |
eratives had assembled In the Harney |
factory there were not moro than 70 |
hands inside the building when the boilCr |
blew up at about FIVE minutes OF 4
Tventv minutes later there would have |
been coo employees at their machines.
Many thrilling rescues were effected, the |
police department being especially con- !
spicuous FOR it's heroism. while the fire I
fighters directed their efforts In keeping /
the blaze confined TO as narrow terri |
tory as possible.
SOUNDED ALARM
patrolman sounded the alarm. As he /
was on his beat IN the vicinity Of Alley /
street. he heard a duh -oar and saw the !
heavy boiler In the ning OF the Harney /
En0e factory nuISl lilbhen lu' FukIlt /
house. tearing across a corner section Of /
the main building. and land In Alley |
street. He was stunned for an instant by /
the concussion, and as he turned 20 ring \
i'm an alarm a sheet of flames shot up /
from the Harney building
Assistant Superintendent Fred Win |
chel OF the company was IN his office az |
the time. He was thrown TO the floor and |
stunned. Recovering quickly. he ran |
out OF his office and saw the flames leap |
ing up the elevator shaft lie made a /
quick survey Of the surrounding rooms. |
only 20 hands were assembled. he said. |
the rest not being due until quarter |
past Z.
ALL ESCAPED.
These all made a dash for the exits and !