The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-04-13
USE DYNAMITE TO PREVENT SPREAD
Area of Three Square Miles Devastated Law
Is Decared-TOta Number of Dead Not Yet
Learned, but May Reach Ten or More.

had progressed so rapidly that the
stricken inhabitants were being
housed in military tents in the
parks.
In Boston every available city
wagon was pressed into service tc
convey food and clothing to Chel-
sea. Hacks loaded with blankets
were seen hurrying TO Charlestown
late at night.
The fire is believed to have start
ed in a dump near the plant of the
Boston Backing Company, in Sum
Imer street, in the northwestern side
of the city. It quickly communi-
Gated TO several junk shops, and
then to the blacking company
buildings.
Embers in the Air.
From these buildings the high
northwesterly gale carried the burn
ing embers upon the roofs of neigh
boring buildings, nearly all OF
which were wooden, and in a few
minutes twenty buildings were
a6re. More embers were thrown
into the air, and the fire spread
before the gale rapidly.
It raced along in a southeasterly
direction TO Broadway, the princi-
pal business street of the city
crossed over and swept over Bel
lingham Hill down to the water
front of Chelsea Creek.
The area burned was cigar
shaped, about half a mile in width
and three miles long. At one place
! It IS a mile in width. The extreme
southern end took in the big plant
of the Tidewater Oil Company, anC
here the progress of the con1agra-
ton was stayed through the effort;
OF the Boston hreboat and single
company of the men from Ladder
No. 8 of the Boston department.
Barges Break Loose.
While the freboat was pumping
water upon the blazing Tidewatel
plant through a hose manned By
Ladder No. 8's men, two wooder
barges broke adrift from the blaz
ing Cabot Chemical Company.
burning plant, on the Chelsea sidt
of the creek.
They were driven by the h.gf
wind across the narrow channel anC
landed against the piers in the Bea
con yard of the Standard Oil Com.
pany, in Chelsea street, East Bos,
ton. Before the freboat could pc
to work on the oil company's build
ing the three brick structures con
tanning oil and gasoline in barrel,
were ablaze and FREQUENT e,-DlO.
sions occurred.
A number of wooden sheds anC
Storehouses in the yard took fire
and then the wooden drawbridgt
began to blaze.
Several Yachts Burned.
Between the draw bridge and the Bss
ton and Albany Railroad bridge we're .
number Of yachts tied up for the winter
Two large steam yachts, schooner
yacht owned by Sheriff seavey, a larg.
sloop, and number Of smaller craft wer,
destroyed.
The railroad bridge was burned and b,
iAiS tliiie AiS pumping station of thi
metropolitan sewage plant IN Eas
Boston. opposite the oil plant caugh
fire and was quickly gutted. This SCENE,
10 be the end OF the destruction in Fas
Boston, although there were number o
small fires due to embers.
In Chelsea the only buildings Of an,
consequence which were known to hav,
been saved were the police station. tn
new high school building, the Park Hotel
the Sweet Car Wheel Company buildin,
and a number Of smaller business struc
| lures.
List OF Buildings Burned.
Among the buildings destroyed wer
City Hall. odd Fellows Hall, which is
new building, on the site Of the Oh,
Academy Of Music, burned several year
ago; the Frost Hospital. from which al
the patients were safely removed as TIT
flames advanced; the Shurtlen School
the old high school building. the Y. NJ
Through Coach TO Erie