Troy weekly news. (Troy, Idaho) 1897-1933, 1908-04-17
CHELSEA CITY, NEAR BOSTON
SWEPT AWAY SUNDAY.
Five Lives Lost, While One-Thlrd of
City Was Swept Away by conflasra-
ton Which Occurred During a
Strong Wind, Last Sunday-2o Busi-
ness Blocks Destroyed.

emily Insignificant fire which started
among rags in a dump in the city OF
Chelsea today, was famed by a north
west gale into confiagration which
obliterated nearly one-third of the city
Five hundred dwelling and public
buildings were destroyed, 1900 families
were driven from their homes, and
10000 people made homeless. Three
lives are known to have been lost, and
at a late hour tonight it was reported
that two other persons had persisted;
one, a woman. having shot herself in
frenzy over her inability to save her
property. From so to 100 persons were
injured.
Accurate estimate of the loss is i'm
possible. One estimate gives 1T at
$10,000,000. The fire ragged before a
45-mile-an-hour gale for more than 70
hours, defying the utmost efforts of
the combined fire departments of Chel-
sea and several nearby cities, and a
large detachment of Boston firemen
and apparatus.
The fire area, which was in the form
and half mile wide at it's broadcast
part. extended diagonally across the
city from point near the boundary
between Everett ana Chelsea to the
waters of Chelsea creek. 1t was use
less for the firemen to attempt to
check the on-rushing flames before
the gales, and they confined their eff
forts to prevent spreading on either
side. Their last stand was taken at
Chelsea square late in the s.ternoon,
and for hours a doubtful battle was
waged. AT o'clock word was passed
that the firemen were winning At
1880 official announcement was made
by Chief H. A. Spencer that the fire
was under control.
A great majority of the buildings
were of wood and were completely des-
troyed but structures of other material
were almost as quickly and thoroughly
incinerated.
All the banks. more than threequar-
ters of the church, half of the business
blocks and nearly all the school
houses were wiped out.
One hospital and day nursery were
destroyed. In the turmoil many of the
sick and infirm found difficulty in OBJ
tanning assistance, and several of them
narrowly escaped.
Late in the afternoon the wind had
carried burning embers across Chelsea
creek and buildings in East Boston
caught fire, but extensive damage
there was prevented by prompt and
energetic work by the firemen.
Originates in a Factory.
The fire originated in the rear of the
Boston Backing company's works, on
West Third street. near the eastern
division of the Boston & Maine rail
road, in close proximity to the Everett
City line. The gale carried burning
shingles to a score of wooden build
ings, most of them of cheap construc-
ton.
The fire started almost from the ex-
IRENE southwestern section of the city
and cut path to the end of Maverick
street at the extreme southeastern end
of the city, which borders Chelsea
creek. This is about one and a half
miles from where the fire started. The
flames spread through the part of the
retail business section, which was
about midway between the two ex-
treme limits reached by the fire.
Among the structures destroyed
were 10 churches. 2 hospitals, the pub
lie library, city hall, schoolhouses, 20
business blocks. nearly score of fac
tories and upward of 800 tenements
and dwelling houses.
Facts About Chelsea.
Chelsea is located in Suffolk county
Mass. and is a suburb of Boston, from
which it is distant two miles, on the
Boston &~'Maine railroad. 1t is con
nected with Charlestown by a bridge
across the Mystic river and with Bos