New-York tribune., 1908-04-13


town Navy Yard volunteered the services OF
the 105th Company, stationed, at the navy yard,
and on request of Mayor Beck the company
was sent to the fire. under command of Cap
tain Hill Rear Admiral Swift of the navy
ward. also sent ont all the men from the re
ceiving ship Wabash who were not already Of
on liberty. These sailors were not sent under
command of any officer but We're instructed
10 give their services wherever needed.
Marines with fixed hayonets held back the
crowds while the militia and sailors helped
families remove their goods Advance squads
OF the military and police were sent ahead
warning out families living in the path of the
FIRE which Ieaped block after block with aston
ishing rapidity. The crowds generally were
easily handled Occasionally some excited
house owner would burst through the Gordon of
militia and marines 10 dash into a house for
some forgotten valuabes but the presence OF 90
many uniformed guards overawed the rouSher
element
The fire started the marshes bordering the
eastern division tracks Of the Boston d Maine
Railroad in the rear Of the Boston Backing
Company's works. where employees were at work
driving ont rags The company's works are situ-
aIed at the end of West Sd street half a mile
southwest Of the heart of the city. \ series of
long low wooden buildings comprised the works,
stored for the most part with old rags and
paper.
EXACT CAUSE OF FIRE UNKNOWN.
The exact cause Of the fire is not known. but
II Is supposed that spontaneous combustion
among the rags which were being dried was
responsible A high wind blowing at forty five
miles an hour from the northwest, drove the
flames from the rag heaps directly upon the
wooden buildings of the Boston Backing Com
pany.
The buildings were soon mass OF flames.
and Is The surrounding property consisted
largely of wooden buildings used for the storage
Of rags. the fire department realized that
serious fre was threatened, and a general alarm
was sounded.
IN the gale shingles. burning paper and oil
soaked rags were flung high into the air. and
went soaring over the city. Within half an
hour The Roserfet Brothers three story wooden
rag factory in Maple street in flames. as
were the Chaplin a Sodpn Car Company works.
Tons 0r tarred paper stored in the latter fac
tory created n dense smoke which made the
work of the iremeu almost impossible Soon a
dozen factories and cheaper tenement houses
west of Everett avenue were in flames. and the
hremen saw that they were utterly unable 70
cope with the confacrat1n.
Realizing that the CITY was apparently
doomed if the flames could not be stopped ~
Everett avenue Fire Chief II. a. Spencer SUM
moned help from Boston and all the surround
ing cities and towns. -Four alarms were rung
in on the Boston circuit, and al the available
apparatus was sent across the harbor. A two
alarm FIRE in the city of Boston. however. pre-
vented as many engines being sent across the
ferry as would otherwise have been possible
Early IN the afternoon aid had arrived from
Everett, Lynn, IIaverhill. Wakefield, Salem
Maiden, Cambridge Winthrop and Revere.
ROOF AFIBE OVER THEIR HEADS
The FIRST evidence of the fire on the east side
Peoples African Methodist Episcopal Church, In
9Th street. was seen To be ablaze, The services
We're IN progress inside at the lime. and the
congregation was unaware that serious fire
was raging outside. some one told the pastor
the Rev Charles p. Watson that the building
was in danger of burning. Immediately the pas
Tor turned TO his people and Informed them Of
the danger and advised them 10 file slowly from
the building. Twenty minutes later there was
not vesrige Of the building left.
Heaps OF burning elnbers, flying shingles. rags
and a sufTocatinc cloud of dust. hurled down
across Everett avenue 10y the gale coupled with
the intense beat. drove the Hremen from their
posts, and those families nearest the start of
the counaEra1on bad only time 10 rush from
their homes and save their lives losing all their
possessions
Forced back down Everett avenue To The
south The 1iremen brayely battIed with the
flames IN an eudeavor TO save the heart of the
business section and TO coufine the IRE 10 thar
part Of the city between the railroad tracks ANA
Everett avenue. Within an area OF half a mile
square were several churches and schoolhOuses
one bv one they fell before the flames Flam-
ing emberS failing on sreepIe and roof would
almost instantly euyeloD the whole structure ID
flames. and in the intense heat the buildings
survived only few minutes
One after another were burned tile Polish
Catholic Church. the Fourth Street Methodist
Episcopal church ana 1he Advent Christian
Church In Heard street. The tp of the Steeple
OF the Polish Catholic Church caught fire and
several pieces of apparatus were rushed To The
scene ia an attempt save the building. The
Rev George s. JasEoiSbi had JUST closed "a SER
vice, and many people We're in and about the
edihce. IN fifteen minutes the entire top Of Tie
church was l flames All the movable effects
and furniture were removed. Among those who
did effective work in saving the more precious
OF the church'- belongings were Sisters Conrad.
Lucy. Elizabeth and Margaret. of the 81
Frances Convent of Bethel N. \. The loss Oh
The Polish Church is estimated al $4,000.
FIEE1IEN HAAIPERED By DUST.
4 hundred yards away I'll Chestnut and 4tu
sJrerts. Tie First Tuiversalist Church caught
tire iu exactly the same manner as the Polish
church Tie fire fighters We're greatly -andi-
capped there Ly the immense clouds Of dust
which swept down on them. IT was almost
impossible TO get near enough to the IRE 10
throw stream OF water ON the building ana
il was soon euveIoped I'D flames. The Rev Il.
Perry Bush the pastor declared tlat the loss
10 the society would be fully $4,000
A Spectacular feature Of the burning Of the
Tni7ersalist church was the picture of the