Manchester, New Hampshire

Amoskeag Mills Fire

July 15, 1855

Twenty minutes before one o’clock on Sunday morning, July 15, 1855, while the watchman on the Manchester corporation was passing through the card room of Mill No. 1, the lamp fell from his lantern and rolled into a pile of roping. Instantly the flames caught upon the combustible material and the man soon found that he would be unable to extinguish the fire alone, so he gave the alarm; but before help could reach the scene the ceiling was all ablaze. The firemen made a gallant fight to subdue the flames, but it was not until four o’clock that they succeeded. About one-half the length of the building was burned and the machinery of that section, comprising about one-fourth of that in the entire manufactory. The loss was estimated at $240,000, which was largely covered by insurance. Connection was made by the fire engine with Amoskeag Mill No. 5.

At three o’clock, before this fire had been brought under control, a man on the roof of the mill announced that a building was in flames between Manchester and Hanover Streets.

This fire spread rapidly, and in spite of all that could be done to check it, the territory between Hanover and Manchester Streets, and from Elm Street on the west to about half the distance to Chestnut Street on the east was burned over, with some damage to buildings on the south of Manchester Street.

The Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. of Manchester, New Hampshire: a history, pages 142-143

Transcribed by Helen Coughlin.  Thank you, Helen!

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