The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-04-17
0ne=third Of City of Chelsea,
Mass, Is ObIiterated by
Fierce Conflagration.
10000 PEOPLE MADE HOMELESS
Four lives Are Lost and Over 500
Dwelling Houses and Public
Buildings Destroyed.

Boston, Mass. April 14.-In appar-
entity insignificant fire. which started
among rags on a dump in the city If
Chelsea yesterday, was famed by a
northwest gale into a confiagration
which obliterated nearly one-third Of
TIE city. Five hundred dwelling
houses and public buildings were de-
stroyed, 1900 families were driven
from their habitations and 10000 are
made homeless. Four lives are known
to have been lost, n a woman. hav-
ing shot herself in frenzy over her in
ability to save her property. From
fifty to a hundred were injured.
Loss Nearly $4,000.
Accurate estimate of the loss is i'm
possible. The city solicitor estimates
it at nearly $4,000, 900. The fire,
which was tho worst Greater Boston
has known in many years, ragged be-
fore a forty-fve-mile gale for more
than twelve hours. defying the utmost
efforts OF the combined fire depart
ments of Chelsea and several nearby
cities and a large detachment of Bos-
ton tiremen and apparatus.
The fire area. which was in the
form of an ellipse, a mile and a half
long and half q mile wide at it's
broadcast part, extended ~d;agonally
across the city from a point near the
boundary between Everett and Chel-
sea to the waters Of Chelsea creek.
Hard Fight for Firemen.
1t was useless for the firemen to at
tempt 10 check the onrushing flames
before the gale, and their main eff
forts were to prevent a spread of the
fire on the other side. Their last stand
was taken at Chelsea Square late in
the afternoon, and for hours a doubt
full battle was waged. At 8 o'clock
word was passed that the firemen
were winning, and with renewed e
ergy the contest was pressed. At
1875 official announcement was made
by Chief H. A. Spencer that the fire
was under conrtol.
The great majority of the buildings
were of wood and were completely de-
stroyed, but structures of other mate
rial were almost as quickly and thor
ouehly incinerated by the ~fierceness
Of the blaze.
Licked Up by Flames.
All the banks. more than three
!, quarters of the churches, half of the
business blocks and nearly all the
school houses, were wiped out. One
hospital and a day nursery were de-
stroyed. In the turmoil man. OF the
sick and infirm found difficulty in OBJ
tanning assistance and several of them
had narrow escapes.
Late in the afternoon the wind had
! carried burning embers across Chel-
sea creek, and buildings in East Bos-
ton caught, but extensive damage
there was prevented by prompt and
| energetic work by the firemen.
Militia on Guard.
The force Of national guardsmen
called out early in the day to patrol
| the streets of the burned section was
increased last night by the arrival of
Company l. of the Fifth infantry, Com
pany B of the Eighth infantry and the
Fifth corps of coast artillery. A ma
rine guard of a hundred men, under
| Capt. Charles Shill. was also on duty.
| Four squads of marines we're placed to
| protect valuable safes In the ruins of
/, different buildings. A detail of seven
| ty-five policemen from Boston was sta
| toned at various entrances to the
city, with orders to prevent anybody
! from coming in with the exception of
| fremen, policemen, soldiers and news
paper men.