New-York tribune., 1908-04-13

avenue across Broadway leaping the business
street of the city and creating new sources OF
danger in the poorer tenement and residential
section of the city between Broadway ana the
waterfront Spreading to the northeast from
Everett avenue the fire seized OIL the rows OF
business blocks facing in Broadway and en-
veloped them, one after another, creeping slow
ly but steadily toward Chase Square, the cen
tire of the city. ~
The Fitz Public Library costly stone struct-
ure was destroyed. and the flames crept on
toward Frost Hospital and the Childrens Hos
pital.
BY requistioning ambulances from surround
ing towns and cities. and calling into service
all available carriages the police were able
speedily TO remove the inmates of the TWO hos
pitfalls outside the city limits 10 retreats of safe
". It was none too soon. for both hospital
buildings We're soon consumed.
. NASONS AND ODD FELLOWS LOSE.
The fire at the Fitz library marked the limit
Of the burned area in Broadway TO the east.
In Broadway the Masonic Temple and Odd Eel
lows Building and twelve business blocks,
mostly of brick construction. We're burned.
The fire swept west down Broadway 20 within
a block of Chelsea Square. where it seemed TO
be held in check late in the afternoon.
In the mean time between Broadway and the
waterfront the southern section Of the city was
in flames. No one knew where the fire would
spring up next. Househoders pIling up their
goods out of doors occasionally found a mattress
in flames n the middle of the street. All the
firemen were in the centre of the city and half
a square mile Of the residential section was IN
flames, and no protection was available or pos
sible Men. women and children ran around
the streets begging some one to call the fire
men, and there were no fremen to respond All
tho Nx-aS IN tpaII
sters 10 cart away household goods, but there
were few teams 10 be had.
over Chelsea Bridge into East Boston
streamed a long line of fire refugees Juggling
what few household effects they were able 70
save. Pushcarts, drays, and even baby car
riages were piled high with furniture and bed
ding, Hundreds Of persons carried huge bun
dies tied up in sheets. These were mostly gray
headed women of the foreign class. one old
woman staggered under a large bundle of
clothes and bedding. in the midst Of which could
he seen the wondering face Of baby toe fright
ened to cry. Among these poor people there
did not seem to be any panic. There was no
CRYING or wringing Of hands All seemed too
stunned by the disaster that had wiped out Their
homes. These people seemed mostly of the
poorer class. who could not afford to lose what
little they possessed, with factories and mills
closed or earnings reduced by half-time work.
Dense throngs moved toward the fire from Bos-
ton, too preoccupied with the flames and heavy
pail of smoke sweeping in swift panorama 10
take notice Of the misery and suffering pass
ing by.
CARS ABANDONED IN STREETS.
Several of the large type of cars used by the
Boston Elevated Railway in the East Boston
tunnel and abandoned when il was found
necessary 10 shut off the power. were left help
less in streets swept by the flames. In the fire
house of Engine ]. brick structure. at Mar
ginaI and Essex streets. were stored many
trunks and other furniture which all had 10 be
abandoned on the command Of a marine who
warned out the people just as the flames broke
through tho back of the building.
In the three story granite structure once used
by the United States government as marine
hospital, but now occupied by the Shurtlef
Grammar School, in Shurtlef street hundreds
of people deposited their goods. This building.
with its thick walls situated in the middle Of
a large yard seemed the safest place Of refuge
in this part of the city. Many invalds We're
carried 10y on stretchers. ana furniture vans
whose drivers We're waiting for bargains We're
pressed into use by the police TO remove the
sick
The greatest damage was done when the fire
reached City Hall Square. at the junction Of
Park and Washington streets. The First Bap-
tist Church, lofty brick building first caught
fire the highest part Of the spre. Soon the
roof in flames and then the emberS set
tied down on tie unoccupied church building
of st. Lukes Episcopal parish and the quar-
ters of the Veteran Firemeu's Association. The
tower of the First Unitarian Church. in Huw-
thorue street, then became euveloped in flames.
and in the space of q few moments every build
ing i'm the square, with the exception Of the
City Hail, was in flames
CITY HALL CATCHES FIRE
For time il looked as if the magnificent
City Hall structure. built of brick and sepa-
rated from all other buildings by wide area
might be saved The hope was only mOmeu-
1itry. however. for about O'Clock tiny flick
rrin@ flame was gaining headway under
the coping of the cupOa. Gathering force ia
Tie mighty wind the flame licked the cupoIa
exposed the great bell IN the tower and crept
down into the main structure. Next the eIe-
meuls secured control of the interior of the
City Hall and then the entire structure was
swept away, and dozen new buildings IN the
vicinity had become iguited from the sparks
ana heat Within half hour in this one square
four churches and the City Hall were leveIed
10 the ground
Down Maverick. Congress and Essex streets
the tire went by leaps and bounds 4 four
story brick block at Congress and Shurtlef
streets was seemingly far removed from dan
ger and had been sought 10y many families as
temporary storage for their effects. Suddenly
came the cry that the block was atire A tiny
fame was seen cinging to the side of one of
the dormer windows in the mansard roof. II
grew and grew, until soon the entire side of
the block was being consumed. Then the dan
ger became real, and again men, women and
children. only u few moments before congratu-
latng themselves on their distance from dan