File:A gazetteer of the state of Massachusetts - with numerous illustrations (1890) (14580377199).jpg

Identifier: gazetteerofstate00naso (find matches)
Title: A gazetteer of the state of Massachusetts : with numerous illustrations
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Nason, Elias, 1811-1887 Varney, George J. (George Jones), 1836-1901
Subjects: Massachusetts -- Gazetteers
Publisher: Boston : B.B. Russell
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

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sa serious set-back in the progress of the settlement. The next wasin the autumn of 1675, when forty-five dwellings, a meeting-house,and many other buildings were consumed. There was not a fire-en-gine in Boston up to this time ; but this disaster induced the author-ities to procure one from England. It did not arrive until the springof 1679, — in time for use in the great fire which occurred in August-following. This conflagration laid waste the commercial part of thetown, in the vicinity of the dock ; consuming vessels, warehouses,and dwellings, and causing a loss of £200,000. This fire was be-lieved to have been the work of an incendiary. The procuring ofmore engines and the starting of a rudely organized fire departmentwere among the immediate results of this fire. Again, in October,1711, another scourge of fire destroyed about 100 dwelling-houses,rendering 110 families homeless. Many stores stocked with goods,the town-house, and the meeting-house of the first church, were con-
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SUFFOLK. 93 sumed. The space from School Street to Dock Square was sweptclean. The colony held a general fast on account of this affliction,taking up contributions for the sufferers to the amount of about£700. In 1760 another great fire visited Boston. It commencedon Washington Street, not far from Water Street, burning east be-tween State and Milk Streets to Long Wharf, clearing what wasthen a large section of the town. Three hundred and forty-ninebuildings — dwelling-houses, stores, and mechanics shops — were de-stroyed, and about one thousand people bereft of their homes. Theloss was estimated at £500,000. New York, Pennsylvania, andNova Scotia promptly sent relief; a London merchant gave £100;and George Whitefield collected and sent £250. After this fire alarger proportion of the new buildings were of brick. The lastgreat catastrophe of this kind, and far the most disastrous we haveto record, is the great fire of November 0, 1872. It consumed thebuildings — chiefly busin

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