Year: 1872

Of the city will be destroyed, together
with immense stores Of valuable goods.


There "a q rumor, which l have no
means Of verifying at present, that the
ale 10 extending southwark. There are
reports that the Worcester and Old Col.
ony depotS are in danger. In this case
the fire must have taken O backward
course Of nearly half mile, along Lin.
rcolD, South and Federal streets. It Ia q
section entirely filled up with tenement
houses, mostly Of wood, which seems to
me to be strong reason for believing the
statement to be correct. The flames can.
not go far in this direction, however, as
they will soon come to the water dividing
Boston proper from South Boston. The
two railroad depots spoken Of are new
ones, and the loss in that quarter will be
Q very heavy one.


It Is rumored that several lives have
been lost in the flames, though Of course
there can be no certainty Of the fact. 1t
Is very probable, however, as the rapid
progress Of the flames could hardly have
occurred without some Of the thousands
Of panic stricken people being engulled
In the fiery vortex As passed through
the neighborhood Of the fire, rumors were
rife that some charred bodies had been
found, but ! could not obtain any con.
hrmation oi tho fact.


The fire has been so little dependent
upon the wind that l cannot call any
place in tho city SAFE. 1t has not yet got
above fremont street, however, or gone
towards the west or south ends. But
when one has seen, az l have seen, stone
buildings that we called wholly fire proof,
go down before the flames like tinder
boxes, he cannot say that any part OF the
town will resist the fiery element.


BosToN, November 10, 8 A. M.-ThO
scene OF the corner Of Milk and Devon
shire streets, down to Ward, Federal and
up in the direction of Washington street,
was terrible one. Nobody could stand
within three blocks Of the burning masses,
so the fire had full possession oil the build.
ings within It's grasp As each edifce
caught fire from It's neighbor's flames it
seemed to devour the contents in a single
moment, and so the torrent of flames grew
in strength and power with terrible We.
locity. Falling roofs were sinking every
minute and carried down with them the
floors one by one until the walls became
isolated, and also fell with q crash.
Whole blocks Of buildings disappeared in
this manner, crumbling up like SO much
card board. Huge masses and material
choked the streets, and taking fire created
a solid body oI flames. Fire engines were
utterly useless, for no human being could
stand near enough to send streams of wa.
ter where they were needed to do service.
The fremen are utterly exhausted already,
and unless help speedily arrives they will
be compelled to desist. We are expect.
ing trains to arrive every moment from
Portland and Springfield with more as
sistance, though they cannot safely run
up to the city as the depots are in danger.
1t Is a terrible Sabbath that Is dawnine
for Boston, and we cannot tell when or
where the work Of destruction will cease.


1t Is safe To say that the fire will not be
checked until day has far advanced, even
II the efforts made will be successful then.
II Is impossible togive you any more de-
tails relative to the losses that have been
sustained since the list sent you a few
hours ago was made up. People talk Of
losses in millions as readily now as they
did Of Thousands at midnight. Men and
women from every part Of the city came
from their houses to see the fire, but be.
fore they reached the vicinity the confu-
sion that existed in all Of the leading
streets gave them an impression OF terror
few viii forget. 1t was indeed start
ling scene for those who arrived on the
ground alter midnight, ior new comers
had no preparation, and were utterly be-
wildered by the noises and distraction
that existed among those who, having
large interests at stake, had been present
at the fire from an early hour.


Later and Fuller Account.


The following Is q full and corrected
account Of the Boston fire from the begin.
ming: -re5r


Boston, Nov. 10, 2 A. M.-The fire
which commenced at half.past seven
last night continues Its devastation, and
is now working its way through the large
block between Devonshire and Congress
streets. north Of Water Street. The fire
first broke out oI the rear end Of large
flve'story granite building, Nos, 81, SO and
91 Summer Street. This building had
high Mansard roof, overlapping all
the other buildings in that immediate VI.
cinity. As soon as the flames began to
spread through the story beneath this
roof, and before an engine or hose carriage
was on the ground, great volumes of
flame suddenly burst out from the rear of
the lower stories OF the building, and in
less than twenty minutes the whole front,
extending fully one hundred feet along
Kingston street, was one sheet Of flames,
as was also at the same time the Summer