The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-08-22
THREE FIRES
KEPT F|REMEN
ON THE JUMP

Three fires, between $3.50 and 1880 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, kept the fire depart
ment busy and caused damage of several
thousand dollars.
The first fire at $3.50 o'clock was at the
Calhoun street bridge, caused by loco
motive spark. and caused the sounding OF
box 1862. The damage 10 the bridge was
slight
The next alarm was at 6:35 from box
234. for a fire at Wilkinson brothers car
penter shop on Read street The fire.
though confined 10 the boiler room and
soon controlled. was a hot one and the
boiler room was pretty we'll Quilted and
the roof honeycombed The fire is sup
pose TO have started In pile OF lumber
stacked over the boilers TO dry.
In the main shop several valuable wood
working machines were saved from dam
age by water by the protective depart
ment. but the shop Itself was more or less
damaged by water. The building is a
one-story brick structure. and with good
start the dry lumber within. OF which
there was a considerable quantity. would
have made a brisk blaze. The loss by fire
and water is covered by insurance. The
building is owned by the Arm occupying IL.
The last fire. at 7:i5, was the most seri-
Gus one of the three IL was In Her
-mann's bologna sausage factory at 4Ss
Washington street The fire was making
good progress before an alarm was sound
ed. The fire was first seen by Deputy
Chief Hill and the three companies at the
Central station who started with their
apparatus before any box was pulled.
About this time a citizen saw the flames
and sounded box 1913 Then other citizens
pulled other boxes. but none OF them ex-
cept "a was sounded.
When the fremen arrived the flames
were leaping high In the air and a dense
volume of choking smoke. caused by the
burning beef and seasoning material used
In the sausages, was pouring out into
the street. No time was lost in placing
ladders gainst the building and in break
Ing out the windows to allow the smoke
to escape.
AS soon as the worst OF this was out
OF the building the hosemen carried their
lines up on every side OF the burning
structure and tons OF water were poured
into II and the fire was soon drowned
out.
The fire started I'm a little two-story
addition In which is the smoke house
and icebox. but whether the blaze caught
from the smoke house or not is not
known. The flames worked their way
from this addition. which Is TO the east
OF the main building. back into the
principal structure and went to every
part OF the grease-soaked factory with
lightning speed. The top floor was
packed with boxes and barrels. which
served TO add fuel to the flames. The
other floors were filled with machinery.
on which the loss will probably be total
While Hose was on the roof OF the
small addition fighting the flames at close
quarters. the chimney which stood 20
feet higher than the roof. collapsed. and
struck Hoseman Andrew g. Rlsley on the
head and shoulders The noise of the fall
ing bricks was heard some distance. and
other hremen rushed to give assist
ance
They found Risley being held on the
roof by members OF the company, and
several OF his comrades started to lift
him TO the ground. He, although dazed.
objected strenuously To leaving his post
and In answer TO the question of one OF
the men as 10 whether he was hurt or not
responded, give me chew OF tobacco"
and then returned to his place as II
nothing had happened.
Fire Commissioners Winsor and An
drews were I'm attendance at the fire
and expressed themselves well pleased
with the way In which II was handled.
The burned factory Is owned by Henry
f. Hermann and the building is owned
by Volney w. Mason. The place Is COW
cred by insurance.