Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-13
e5HuRTlEFEDcHooL

upon the wooden buildings of the Bos-
ton Backing Company.
The buildings were soon mass or
flames. and as the surrounding property
consisted largely of wooden buildings
used for storage of rags, the fire de-
partment realized that a serious fire was
threatened and 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 Rosenfelt bros
three story wooden rag factory on Maple
street was in flames as were the Chapiln
and Soden Car Company works. Tons or
tarred paper stored in the latter factory
created a dense smoke. which made the
work of the firemen extremely dlmcult.
Soon a dozen factories and cheaper tene-
ment houses west of Everett avenue
were in flames. and the flremen saw tnat
they were utterly unaDlc 10 cope Will
the confiagration
Realizing that the city was. apparently;
doomed if the flames could not be stopped
at Everett avenue. Fire Chief II. A. Spen-
Ger summoned help from Boston and all
the surrounding cities and towns. Four
alarms were run in the Boston circuit ana
all the available apparatus was sent
across the harbor. Early in the afternoon
aid had arrived from Everett. Lynn Hav-
erhill. Wakefield, Salem. Maiden, cam
bridge, Winthrop and Revere
A Densely Peopled Place.
Chelsea. which was originally called
wtnnisimmet. was occupied before the
coming of the Puritans. and was settled
in 1880 1t was distinguished as being.
with one exception, the most densely pop
ulated city in the United States, according
to area.
On AL acres live an average of thirty
six persons to the acre. The population is
reckoned at 10000. The total property
valuation of the city in 1907 was s26. AL
126. =.
Chelsea is on the Boston and Maine rail-
road. and the distance from Boston is
reckoned at five miles 1t is connected
with Charlestown by a bridge over the
Mystic river, and with Boston proper by
ferry steam and electric railroads. The
principal public buildings are the court
house city hall tburnedl: United States
Naval and Marine hospitals. Fitz Public
Library (burned). Soldiers Home and Odd
Fellows and Masonic halls. The city also
cont aims Union Park and public play.
grounds and a soldiers monument.
Though principally a residential place
, Chelsea manufactures rubber goods. wool
ems. foundry and machine shop products.
shoes: brass goods, stoves and furnaces.
plows, pottery. etc.
The best known factories are those OF
the Magee heaters and furnaces. BartOl
and Thelan Company's shoe factory. Re-
we're Rubber Manufacturing Company.
Forbes lithographing establishment and
the Atwood and McManus box factory.
The city oWnsit own water works. The
municipality operates under a charter, re-
vised in 1899. which provides for mayor
elected annually, and board of alder
men. the majority of whom are elected
at large for two years. the remaining al
dermen being elected annually. one from
each ward. The annual income of the
| city is about $425 600.
| Chelsea was a part of Boston from 1854
until 1888, when 1t was incorporated as q
| town under it's present name. In May
| 1915, there was sharp skirmish there
between the British and 600 Americans
| under Stark and Putnam, in which the