Manchester, New Hampshire Fire
July 8, 1870
DISASTROUS FIRES.
Six Acres of Buildings Burned in Manchester, N.H.----Two
Hundred Families Rendered Homeless --
Manchester, N.H., July 8. At 2 o’clock
o’clock [sic] this morning a fire broke out in
one of the buildings in the rear of the
Merchants’ Exchange, and swept through the
wooden buildings in that section and soon
enveloped nearly all the locality between Elm
and Chestnut streets, and between Hanover street
on the north and the back street between
Manchester and the Merrimack on the south. The
fire originated in a room occupied by
DRAKE &
CARPENTER, coffee and spice dealers, and
unquestionably caught from a roaster, which
ignited the dry wood-work and communicated to
the adjacent buildings many of which were wood.
The area burned over is from five to six acres.
The amount of property destroyed in not far from
$250,000, on which there is about $125,000
insurance. The number of families thrown out of
their homes are not less than 200, and some put
the number much higher. There has been no loss
of life, as far as known, and no one was
seriously injured. After the fire had raged more
than an hour the wind lulled and it rained
freely, which had a great influence in arresting
the progress of the fire.
Hon. E. W HARRINGTON
is probably the largest individual loser. The
Masonic Temple, owned by him and Dr. S. W.
JONES. was worth $50,000 and was insured for
about $20,000. Messrs. HARRINGTON & JOHNSON’S
loss is about $6,000; they are partially
insured. J. G. A. SARGENT’S loss is $10,000;
insured for $3,600. JOHN B. CLARK, proprietor of
the Daily Mirror, whose office was partially
destroyed, estimates his loss at $10,000, on
which he has $8,000 insurance. The First Baptist
Church, corner of Chestnut and Manchester
streets, was among the buildings burned, loss,
$12,000. A large number of mechanics and
tradesmen were among the sufferers by the fire.
The New York Times, New York, NY 8 July
1870
Transcribed by Helen
Coughlin. Thank you, Helen!
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Semi-centennial
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