The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1914-06-30
SALEM SWEPT By FLAMES
Lacking Water to Fight Fire, Depart
ment is Forced to Use EXplOs-
ives.

the "old witch city Of Salem, rlca
| in historic buildings and tradition.
was devastated today and tonight by
a fire tlat caused an estimated loss
of $20,O0O,OOO, destroyed 1000 build
ings, including scores Of manufactur-
ing establishments, and made 10000
OF the $4,000 residents homeless.
The fire originated in the Korn
leather factory on the west side OF the
city at 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
otaer sections, the fashionable resi-
Dental district adjacent to Lafayette
street and a manufacturing and tene-
ment house district on the Peninsula,
bounded by Palmer's Cove, South
river and the water front Late in tie
evening brands kindled fourth fire
in the plant of the Salem Oil COM
pany in Mason street. The oil tanks
blew up with terrific report and
showers of sparks fell threateningly
OH part of the town that before
had rot been in imminent danger.
This fire, however, was checked after
it mad destroyed the oil tompanys
plant and l3 houses.
When the flames were believed to
be under control at II o'clock tonight,
all the historic and literary land
marks had. escaped destruction. These
included the Peabody museum Essex
institute, custom house, where Ma.
thaniel Hawthorne did much of his
| literary work, and "The House Of tae
Seven Cables made famous by the
novelist.
Museum Probably Safe.
At miinight the ire was burning
on Derby street, not far from the
Peabody museum but it was thought
tie building and its valuable collec-
ton of curios would be saved The
House Of Seven Gables" also was in
the danger zone.
Seven buildings were dynamited
and lase tonight it looked as though
the fire had been checked.
No fatalities had been reported up
to midnight but in the confusion it
was impossible to determine tae cas-
ualties. Some 80 injured persons were
received at hospitals Thousands OF
homeless were camped on|Salem com
mon tonight and the city was policed
by miiitiamen.
Lacking water to pour on the
p flames, buildings were dynamited by
the fire lighters in an effort to check
the progress Of the fire. But no
sooner was the march Of destruction
stopped in one direction than the fight
mad to be renewed in another. Driven
by a shifting wind the flames spread
first in one direction and then in an
other. 1t was nearly II o'clock be-
fore the area of confagration had
reached it's limit Starting about 2
o'clock this afternoon as result OF
an unexplained explosion in the fac
torv of the Korn Leather company
lust east OF historic Gallows hlll'
where alleged witches were hanged
200 years ago, the fire spread quickly
through the shoe and leather mani
featuring district, then south to tne
Boston & Maine railroad tracks at
jefferson avenue and eastward to the
waterfront.
Late tonight fire brands carried into
the business section on the norto
started a second fire at North street
4 little later a tank of the Standard
o.! company in The extreme north
vest OF tho city vas a,.aze and pres-
entity a third fire was jevellins the
buildings in that vicinity.
A determined effort vas made
StoD t2e fire at tn 2ost3n & Mainc
station, close to the centre o. tae citE
/ Several garages were dynamited after
/ a tower in the railroad gard had been
burned
The entire district occupied by the
Italian and Greek colonies was de-
,as.a4e1 lrost Of The 2.0g0 persons