The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-04-16
Scene OF DESOLAT|ON
Quarter Of the City Of Chelsea,
Mass, Wiped Out by Fire.
TEN THOUSAND HOMELESS
Their Lives and More Than Fifty
Sustained njuries-Property DAM
age Approximately Eight Millions.

iHeiF Lives ana wore man Ffty
Sustained njuries-Property Dam.
age Approximately Eight Millions.
Boston, April 1, An area of $50
acres of blackened ruins, representing
nearly quarter of the total area of
the city, marks the scene of the great
fire which swept through the business
section OF Chelsea, turning 10000 peo-
pie out Of their homes and causing a
property damage estimated at approx
mately $S,000,000. The burned area
is guarded by militiamen and marines
to prevent possible looting and mill
tary regulations prevail throughout
the city. 49,
Only three persons are known to
have lost their lives in the fire, but it
is feared that the number will be in
! creased when search of the ruins is
made. Over half a hundred people
were injured and many were taken to
the hospitals suffering severely, but
all the injured ones are reported to be
doing well, although several still re
main on the dangerous list.
Among the structures destroyed
| were thirteen churches, two hospitals,
the public library, city hall, five
| schoolhouses, twenty business blocks,
nearly score Of factories and up.
ward of 800 tenements and dwelling
houses.
Starting near the corner of Cypress
and Third streets, from public
dumping ground, the blaze spread be-
fore northeast gale straight across
the city to the southeast, spreading
out as 1t advanced until it's northerly
boundary reached the Eastern division
Of the Boston and Maine railroad.
Then it extended to the junction of
| the railroad with the tracks of the
Boston and Albany railroad, over
which it leaped, and then swept ON
until checked by small creek. On
| the other side it crept along Second
street until Broadway was reached,
| then went along Essex and Middlesex
streets to the water front at Chelsea
| creek and then leaped into East Bos.
ton. The distance from the point
| where the fire started to the creek is
! mile and a half and the greatest
width of the fire is about half mile.
Even at the creek the fire was not
wholly stayed, for sparks blown across
set fire to several houses and to the
| plant of the Standard Oil company.
The oil plant was practically de-
stroyed. Nine buildings were burned
here, causing a loss of 100000.
Relief for the Homeless.
Charitable organizations found
! places for many of the sufferers,
! schoolhouses and other public build
| ings in Boston and other places near
the stricken city were thrown open to
provide temporary lodgings and hun
! dreds Of military tents brought from
| the state camp grounds at South
! birmingham served as a protection
! for victims of the fire. Acting Gov
ernor Draper authorized the city OF
emergency use up to any reasonable
amount at the expense of the state
| and dairy and bakery companies gen
erously contributed large supplies of
| their products, which found their way
| promptly to the sufferers, but not
withstanding the efforts of all sides to
| render aid there were thousands of
! homeless ones who passed the night
| wandering the streets or shivered in
| the parks and squares. Many of the
unfortunates applied at police head
| quarters for shelter and were cared
for temporarily in the courthouse
Although it was impossible to tell
| even approximately the number of
people made homeless by the fire con-
| servative estimates placed it at about
10000, this number representing per-
haps 1000 families. While prompt
measures for caring for the homeless
| were being taken scores of physicians,
nurses and volunteer workers were at
{ tending to the injured. The Chelsea
police station was turned into a tenn
porary hospital and many sufferers
| were brought there and treated tenn
porarily. Later they were sent to the
naval hospital and the marine hos
pital, both of which were packed to
the limit of their capacity from this
source and from the influx of patients
from the two other hospitals which
were burned During the afternoon
and evening more than fifty unidenti
fled babies, who had been picked up
by the police, fremen and citizens,
were taken to the police stations.
They ranged in age from two months
to five years.
A chilly wind and light fall of
snow, which later turned into a cold
rain, added to the misery Of the home
less ones who shivered in the shelter
camps in the public squares and play.
grounds.
ONLY ONE STORE LEFT,