New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-26
LOSS MAY REACH
UP TO $2O,0OO,OOO
Burned Area Covers Miles
in Both Factory and
Home Sections.
DYNAMITE HALTS FIRE
Factories, Stores, Hospital,
Church, Asylum and Many
Fine Dwellings Gone.

Salem. Mass, June 25,-Nearly half
Of the "old witch city" Of Salem, rich
in historic buildings and tradition, was
devastated to-day and tonight by fire
that caused an estimated loss of S2O,-
100000. destroyed one thousand build
ings. including a score Of manufactur-
ing establishments. and made 10000 Of
the As 600 residents homeless.
The fre started in the Kern leather
factory. on the west side Of the CITY,
about 2 o'clock this afternoon, and
swept through the shoe and leather
manufacturing district, running every
building in a curving path two miles
long and more than half mile wide
Burning embers, carried by strong
northwest wind. started fires in two
other sections-the fashionable residen-
tial district near Lafayette st. and a
manufacturing and tenement house dis
,rict on the peninsula bounded by
Palmer's Cove, South River and the
waterfront
fourth fire was kindled late ir the
evening. by brands, in the plant OF the
Salem oil Company, in Mason St.
northwest Of the Essex County court
house. A terrific explosion occurred
when the oil tanks blew up, and
showers Of sparks fell threateningly on
that part of the town that had not
been in imminent danger before. This
fire. however, was checked after 1t had
destroyed the oil company's plant and
thirteen houses.
Famous Landmarks Escape.
When the flames were believed to be
under control. at II o'clock tonight,
all of the famous historic and literary
landmarks had escaped destruction.
These included the Peabody Museum,
Essex Institute, the old custom house,
where Nathaniel Hawthorne did much
Of his literary work, and "The House
of Seven Gables" made famous by the
novelist.
The fire was burning in Derby St.
no, far from the Peabody Museum, at
midnight. but it was thought that the
building and it's valuable collection OF
curios would be saved. "The House Of
Sven Gables" was also in the danger
zone.
The fire burned a semi-circular path.
Originally driven in a sOutheasterly
erection from the foot Of Gallows
Hll-the place where witches we're
hanged two and a half centuries ago
+, spread to South Salem, and then
changed its course and crept steadily
ir a northerly direction toward Town
House Square, the centre Of the city S
retail business life.
Firemen Use Dynamite.
For time the entire city seemed
doomed. Then the fremen concen-
tratcd their energies on a single point
of defence near the Boston & Maine
Railroad station. Several buildings in
this vicinity we're dynamited, every
available line Of hose was directed
against the approaching flames, and
late tonight it looked as if the fire
had been checked.
No fatalities had been reported un
70 midnight, but in the confusion It
was impossible to determine the cas-
ualties. About fifty injured persons
were received at the hospitals.
Thousands of the homeless were
camped on Salem Common tonight
with such household goods as they
could save piled around them. Long
lines Of refugees, most of them on
foot and others in wagons, carriages
and automobiles, crowded the road
leading TO Beverly, where hundreds
spent the night in the parks.
The electric plant was burned out
carly in the evening, throwing the city
INTO darkness.
The high school, police station, state
armory, churches and other public
Continued on page 3. column