The New York Herald Newspaper, May 31, 1875, Page 3

FATED MASSACHUSETTS. choirs Large and Destructive Conflagra- tion at Springfield. APPALLING = WORK OFAN ———~ Manufactories, Stores, Shops and Dwellings in Flames. INCENDIARY. FAMILIES HOUSELESS AND HOMELESS. Entire Business Portion of the City Threatened with Destruction. SCENES AND INCIDENTS. ——e: Thirty-five Buildings Burned, with the Loss of Over Half a Million. ieee DETAILS OF LOSS AND INSURANCE. SPRINGFIELD, Mi , May 30, 1875, Western Massachusetts 1s again allicted and she truly appears to verify the adage that misfortune | never comes singly. Holyoke is mourning over the holocaust of Friday; Worcester has Just been | Suflering from a very disastrous and destructive | fire: only a year ago this month the terripie foods | m Wilhamsburg rendered hundreds homeless, and ow Springfield is called upon to mourn the work | of the “ire Fiend” who held supreme control here allyunday aiternoon and destroyed a iarge number of yaluavle biocks in the heart of the city, licked | up many tenements whose occupants have not lo-might a piace wherein to lay thelr heads, ex- cept such quarte:s as are furnished them by kind- hearted neighbors and the city officials, who ai pow doing all in their power to alleviate the suilerings of the houseless and homeiess ones, many of whom have lost all they possessed in the | world, and are now wandering through the streets | Where their houses were located bemoaning their loss. THE SOBNE ON THE STREETS js one which beggars description, They are crowded not only with Springfield people, but | ment house, j atl With those from other places, who came in on | tpecial trains from all parta of the State and | trom Connecticut, As usual, there are those on | the streets who are looking for chances to steal | the goods taken from hoases bordering on tho | burned district and which aie piled in adjoining | jota and yards, The police and a large number of | deputy sheri(fs and members of the city military are guarding carefully all the streets | nd doing everything possible topre- | Yent the flends from pursuing theiravocation. The | firemen of this city and irom Hartford, Holyoke, | Unicopee Falls and Westfeld, who are here, | bave been working faithiully and are doing atruly | noble work in fighting the fumes, Tho Chief Engineer of tho Springfeld Department, Mr. Leshare, has handied bis men excellently through- | out, and is deserving of macb credit for his mans | Qgement in preventing the spreading of the flames, which at one time threatened to destroy | the wnole of the business portion of the city. | That it is saved is @ miracte and a fortunate dis- pensation of Providence, for which to-night the entire city is thanking a merciful Goa, | THE FIRE. Soon alter two o'clock this afternoon a fire broke out in H. M. Conkey’s planing mill, in the old Wason Building, on Taylor street, where itis Said several men were at work. ‘ihe Names spread ‘With lightoing-like rapidity, and the first warning | the people in the vicinity bad of the conflagration was the pouring out of the flames trom every por- Mon of the building. The wind was blowing a gale rom toe northeast, and for five minutes the fre twept like a tornado to the southwest, devouring everything before it. The fire thus obtained tatal heaaway before the alarm was struck, the people in the vicinity being too intent Bpon saving their property to pay any Attention to any other daty, Every one rushed, | berror stricken, from the scene, with no thought but for thelr uwn salvation, Women with chil- dren in their arms barely saved their lives by rushing into the street, THE FIRE ROLLED ON lke a great flood, ana by the time the Fire Depart. ment had arrived—and they were very prompt— @ dozen buildings were burning. When the fire reached Worthington street, Stearns Park offer. Ing no material for tt to feed upon, it seemed as ‘hough, after burning the homes at the soptn cor- ner of Worthington street and west of the Park, the progress of the fire might soon be stopped. The Waterspout steamer was called {rom the Armory and an alarm sounded and There were quickly brougnt together several | handred men, who went to work to save prop. | arty. Chief Engineer Leshare was mounted and seomed to be everywhere present at once. By order of the Mayor Lieutenant Colonel Gilmore ordered out the City and Peabody Guard, the former company responding with astonishing alacrity. Telegrams sent te various cities, and towns for steamers and bose brought assistance, Holyoke and Chicopee Falls sent speedy as | Metance, T ‘aphic = communication with | Hartford was interrupted, and Engineer | Babcock carried the news to Harttord | by speciai engine. Superintendent Davidson at nce Atted out @ special train, which broucht up | engines Nos, 3 and 6 and about fifty fremen, mak- | Ing the run of twenty-six miles in twenty-eight Minutes. Several INSURANCE MEN AND REPORTERS | tame Up On thin train, amd representatives of | tome of the New York papers wero garly on hand, | ‘The steamer from Chicopee was delayed in con- | sequence of repairs wnicn were progressing on | the doWa trace, and {t was nece ary to ascertain from the city 1 the other track could be used, The following is a list of THE PROPERTY O£SYROTRD ON TAYLOR STREET. Ooukey’s planing mill, Viner & Leovard’s furaliure shop, Hood's carriage shop, L, L, Filtw’ stair building enop, Burmbam’s picvate frame Maautactory, with large lumver shea, | Trask’s brick block, by the river bank. There NEW YORK HERALD, MONDAY, MAY 31, 1875.—TRIPLE SHEET. Rogers & Piper, household builders and pattern makers. ‘Stebbins’ brass foundry, Wilkingon’s block and carpenter shop, owned by Joyce Burnham, all on Taylor street, ON WORTHINGTON STREET. Abbe’s lumber and coal yard, office and tene- Three tenement houses on the same side of the et. Next to these are the ofices of the Sunday Tele- gram and New England Homestead, published by Mr. Uenry M. Burt, Mr. Burt also owned the building, which was burned, His loss is about $15,000 above insurance, Searcely any of the material was saved in the printing office, Mr. Burt was eut of town at the time and returned at alate hour to find the ac- cumulation of thirty years’ work swept away. Also two houses on the south alde of the street. The insurance on E. B, Avbe’s two dwelling houses on Worthington street, which were .purned, Was $2,600, The lumber yard and buildings were not | insured, Mr. Abbe’s safe was got out of the ruing and his books were saved, bus im # decidedly damaged condition, The fre extended from Hurlburt’s block to the second story of Bill's block, but was quickly ex- tinguisned, LOSSES AND INSURANCE. The principal damage in Biil’s block was by water, Chapin, Woster & Co.'s loss in the block will be about $4,000, : On Main street, corner of Bridge street, the two story granite front block of O, Ss. &J. L. Hurl- burt was burne Loss on thie block $50,000; In- sured for $35,000, Dr. C. S. Hurlburt escaped from the building by Jumping from a two story window, | McKnight, Norton & Hawley lost $120,000; tn- sured for $70,000. They have leased the vacant | store in thesUnion office block. Livermore, Swan & Co, lost $45,000; insured for about $30,000, IL C. Gilbert lost heavily. He has vacant store on Madden’s block. Water street, from Court street to Bridge, is ined with piles of household goods, strewn in almost inextricable confusion. ON BRIDGE STREET. Curtis’ block, on Bridge street, in the rear of | Hurlourt’s block, was saved almost by a miracle, | the wind spifting the fames away from it. The | occupants of thfs block lost neavily in furniture by the indiseriminate efforts of volunteers. On Vernon street W. D. Kinsman, No. 60, loses $5,000, Bethel church (Second Advent) loses $8,000; in- surance, $5,700, ; Moses Goldthwaite, loss on house, $15,000; in- surance, $2,000. A part of his furniture was saved; furniture not tnsared, W. L. Shepard, No. 68 Vernon street, loss $10,000; insurance, $8,000, Nothing saved but the silverware. Estate of Joseph Shaw, Nos, 70 to 78 Vernon street, loss $40,000; Insured for $30,000 in Captain | Warriner’s Agency. | These tenements were occupied by J, R. Ohilds, | Leonara Bond, boarding house; J. H. Cook, and Mrs. Brewer, boarding house. | E. 8, Phelps’ house was saved by a mighty | effort, and that saved the rest of Vernon street, SOUTHARN LIMIT OF THE FIRE. ‘The extreme southern limit of the fire was at Flagg’s barn, on the Southern Kallroad, opposite leased the were several horses and carria in the bara, which were saved, \ Asmall bouse occupied by 8. F. Bennett, close by this barn, was also nearly destroyed. | H. L. Belden’s house, No, 103 Water street, was burned; loss about $3,000. One of the Western Union telegraph wires was | torn down at this point by the falling of the building. E. Hale’s house, No. 100 Court street, caught fire on the roof at one time and was barely saved by the use of pails and wet carpets, A. J. Pease’s barn on Court street was saved | only by great exertions, and Milis’ coal shed, near the corner of Court and Water sireets, was at one time on fire, a3 also Burnwam’s carponter shop, in the same vicinity. BATTLING THE FLAMES, Westfield steamer No. 1 assisted in holding the | corner of Pyncheon and Water stre which was the limit of the fire in that direction. Springfeld No. 6, from Indian Orchard, came tn on # special train and worked at the same piace. THE LOSSES AND INSURANCE. ‘The losses are estimated all the way from five hundred tnousand to two million dollars, It is of course impossibie to give @ {uli list of the insar- ance at thls time, but the property was generally fairly insured. ‘The S)ringfeid Fire and Marine had policies amounting to about $20,000, but part of these were re-insured, so that they will lose only about | $12,000, ‘vhe companies represented by Holmes & Gil- | more figure up $90,000 in policies, W. A. Fuller has $30,000, Ladd Brothers have $68,000, Judd & Gray have about $35,000, Among tne burned bulldings are aine residences on Vernon street, ‘Two on Water street. Ten on Wight avenue, | ‘Two baros on Bridge street. Wight avenue is absolutely gutted, and one can | stand on Water street and look througn to Main street, the scene being like that in some parte of Boston's old burned districts. . Governor Trask's house on Water street, nearly | opposite Wight avenue, was badly scorched, | ‘The scene on Court, Pyncueon, Vernon, Water, Bridge and Worthington streets beggars cescrip- tion, Sidewalks, vacant lots and every availabie 8p are crowded with trunks, furniture and bedding. Many thrilling incidents occurred, whion, If re- lated, would fll columns of the Henan, | THR FIRST WATER ON, Hose Company No, 1 claims the credit of getting the first water on the fire at its start ia Wason’s old paint shop, on Taylor street, They burst | fiiteen lengtis 0. linen hos@ to start with, bas } were of service through the Ore aod at its south. | ern limits, Hook aod Ladder Company No. 1 was at the corner of Water ana Court streets, ana steamer No, 2 wi by, om Pyncheon street, playing on to Vernon street. | RFFORTS AT BACAPR. | Stephen Jobson, of No. 124 Worthington streot, | sprung out of 4 Window anu was taken to the | City Houpital with a fractured skull, ond a Bre. | | next, and on thi man had a leg smashed at No, 141 Worthingtoa street. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. SPRINGFISLD, Mass., May 90, 1875. Between the hours of tnree and six o’clock this afternoon the most disastrous conflagration that has ever visited Springfleld has found time for | DEae | Hitchcock, two vo Willam S. Aims, and another its terrible work. Tue ary condition of the build- ings, conspiring with a brisk northeast gale, were the factors of destruction. ORIGIN OF THE DISASTER, The fire boke out in the nest of wooden build- ings on Taylor street, and the sparks and brands, borne by the brisk gale, almost simultaneously started two other fires—one on Wight avenue and the other in Hurlbut’s block, on Main street. | These two secondary fres soon equalled the first io magnitude and danger, ana the work of Ogut- ing the Names was at once trebled, and, kecomin, too much for any one fire department, it became necessary to call on Springflel’s sister cities and towns for assistance, and they responded nobly. COMING TO THE RESCUB. Three stoamera arrived in time to be of the Greatest service, That the conflagration ended where it did instead of sweeping clear through was owing to the arrival of these engines to- | gether with the simultaneous abatement of wind. HZ DREADFOL CRISIS ADATED. By half-past five the crisis was over. The Union desires to eXpresa its appreciation of the heroic | endeavors of the tiremen which stayed the flames ata moment when the destruction of the Union office seemed imminent. SUSPICION OF INCENDIARISM. The surprising rapidity with which the fire spread, and the almost simultaneous outburst -of flames at three different points, miturally gave rise to suspicion of incendiarism, which, for @ whule, gained general credence. At the time of going to press, however, they remain unsubstan- Uated by reliable testimony, and it 1s to be boped, for the sake of human nature, that they may prove without foundation. THE MORAL OF TOE FIRB the old one of the peril of allowing wooden buildings and inflammabie manufactories in the heart of the city. STILL CALCULATING THE LOSSES. At this time itis impossible to make any relia- bie estimate as to the amount or details of the damage, but the opinions of those best qualified to judge range from $500,000 to $2,000,000, So far as we have been able to ascertain tt seems probable | that according to the usual foresight of Spring- fleld business men the losses are well insured, CONSOLATION, It 1s worth remembering, by way of consolation, that @ considerable proportion of the burned buildings were wooden structures, whose removal the future safety of the city necessitated, The city 1s well rid of them and the new building ordinances will prevent the erection of others of the same sort in their places, The personal feeling upon the sircet is one of the utmost thankfulness that the conflagration, which for three hours threatened to sweep the business portion of the city out of existence, was stayed where it was. ectally in these times of general business depression; but it is so much smaller than was threatened that the pre- dominaut feeling remains one of thank/ulness. ‘This ta the heaviest blow Springfle!d has ever received, but she is bound to “come up smiling.’” THE TOTAL LOSS . at this hour is yarlously estimated at from | | $1,000,000 to $1,500,000, on which there is an in- surance of about $260,000, the Springfield Fire and Marine coming in tor only $20,000. ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. The fire originated at formerly occupied by the Wason Car Manulactur- ing Company, Whose works are now at the village of Brightwood, two miles from the city. It is thought that an incendiary did the job, as the fire started in a pile of shavings in the rear | of the old palut shop of the company, which was | occupied by H. M. Conkey & Co. as a planing miil, where there had been no fire since Saturday morning. This was on the north side of Tayior strect and a high wind which was prevailing, blowing 1n a soutaerly direction carried the dames into LITTLE BUILDINGS A NEST OF pled but a moment, and hefore the alarm was sounded, calling out the firemen, the flames had made such headway that it was aimost impossinie to prevent their spread- ing. ‘They got into the buildings in the square, bounded by Taylor, Dwight and Worthington streets, wich were filed with | small manvfactaring firms, a large coal yard and | several tenement houses, aud for a few moments every one scemed to have gone crazy. Tho par ‘tes living in the tenements had barely time to escape With their lives, and thelr housenold fur- niture, &c., had to be abandoned to the mercy of the,flames, Men, Women and children rushed ter- ror-stricken from the biocks, thankful to Ape * with their lives ‘rom what seemed to be almost | inevitable destruction, In this square were located the joilowing MANCFACTURERS AND MERCHANTS. H. M. Uonkey & Co.'s planing mill, © J. Leonard, ‘uroiture and spring beds, F. J. Viner, cabinet maker, all on the north side, Wilkinson's Biock, on the south succumbed ude of the street the following were burned out: E, Stebbins! manafactaring company, worke! The Union Car Spring Company. | A. B, Burnham, picture frames, Springfeld Brass Foundry. Merriam & Frost, leatuer dealers, A. F. Bail, haroess maker. Joyce & Burnham, turnitare. Hall's paper box factory. E. W, Shattuck, lumber dealer, Hookes & Taylor's carri shop, Which was sold out on Saturday to Foulds & Miller, who were to take possession on Monday. J. 1, Rane, sliver pl L. L, Pitts, stairmater, | O, Perkins, carriage trimming. Isaac Gibbs, painter. Seymour, box (actory, and some other parties who used the old factories for storehouses. The Wason Car Company, which bad alarge | Stook of biack Wainat stored in one buliding and | owned all the buildings above mentioned, lost be. | tween $60,0v0 and $76,000, oa which there wasan | insurance of nearly $50,000, After those Were burned the fire took im the fol er. about halfpast two | , o'clock, in a nest of wooden bulidings which were | families. Then help was asked for from other ON WORTHINGTON STREET. A. B, Abbe’s coal and wood yara and offic A large tenement building on the corner occu- | pied by four tenants, and which was insured tor | $20,000, Another tenement, occupied by two families, and nouses belonging to Mr. James Muller, Mrs. to Mr. Goodnue, Then the umes struck the building of A. M. Burt, puolisner of the the New England Homestead, and occupied by him. J. Webber, a Osh and provision dealer. J. A. Eldridge, furniture dealer. The loss on this block will not exceed $8,000. | ‘The building is entirely gusted, but the walls re- Sunday Telegram and main standing, Burt’s damage was mainly by water, This block was where the fire im this section was got under contro!. The ofMices of the Springfleld Daily Unton and the Morgan Envelope and Paper Company, which adjoined tt, being saved through the determined efforts of the tremen, But the wind bad carried the burning brands across Muin street to the area ia the rear of Hurlvurt’s fine block, situated on the corner of Main and Bridge streets, and the firemen were startled to seo this on fire just as they were getting the other under control Hardly had the Gre broken out nere belore ANOTHSR FIRE appeared on Dwight avenue, some distance to the southwest, In the midst of anumber of tene- ment houses occupied mostly by Irish and French cities, and soon extra trains were started, bring- ing engines trom Holyoke (aight miles in eigat minutes) and trom Hartford (twenty-six miles in twenty-eight minutes). Engines also came from Chicopee, Chicopee Falls and Westfield in good time, and did splendid work in subduing the | flames and preventing their spread. | LOSSES AND INSURANCE. The Hurlburt biock, on the corner of Main and Bridge streets, was one of the finest in tue city, and the loss nere 18 $70,000, on which there ts an insurance of $35,000, The building was owned by C. S. & J. S, Hurl- burt, and was occupied by McKnight, Norton & | Hawley, the largest dry goods house tn the city, whose loss is $100,000; insured for $70,000. Livermore, Swan & Co., dealers in crockery and gas Mixtures; loss about $35,000, Dr. ©. S, Hurlburt, dentist; loss $1,000, S.C, Warriner, insurance agent, who lost every- thing.” John Colby, mulinery. Miss Cherver, dressmaking. Mr. Miles, photographer. D. E. Frisbe, book publisher, who loses $4,000, and nas $2,500 insurance in the Springteld Fire and Marine Company. After finishing {ts work here the fire destroyed | the building in the rear, known as the Upsor | House, where some thirty people boarded, the only thing saved being a single Brussels carpet, | and the loss being $4,000 to the proprietor, While these two were buroing and the engine: ‘were at work trying to save adjacent property, tne houses on Wight avenue, both sides of which we: small irame | and | one of | Which TRNEMENT HOUSES and oceupied mainly by French and Irish families, | were destroyed, though the innabitants had sum. | cleat warning to move their household goods, | clothing, &¢., and save them in & ma- jority of cases. These small houses were about a half dozen in number, and were burned so cleanly that not 4 timber remained, out every- | thing was reduced to ashes, From these houses the flames communicated to those on Vernon street, and destroyed the residences of Mr, W. D. Kinsman and Moses Goldthwatte; the former los- ing $5,000 and the latter $15,600, on which he had only $2,000 insurance. The Second Advent Bethel Church went next; with @ loss tothe society of $81,000; this was insured for $4,0001u the Atna Company, of Hartford, and $1700 «in the North Britism and Mercantile Company. The next block, one of the finest tenements in the city, was burned, and here was where the fire was got uuder control finally, nothing but a barn being burned on Water street. The block on Vernon street was owned by the | estate of Joseph Shaw and was occupiea by Mr. on the opposite side of the street, All this occu- | affected, but under lowing oulldings ' | ing in order to save bis life, and fortunately was W. L. Shepard, clerk at the Massasoit House; J. R. | Chtids; Mrs. Bond, who has two tenements used | as @ boarding hou: 4d. HL Cook, and Mra, Brewer, @ boarding house keeper. Just as the fire alarm was sounded, a boarder in her house, Mr. Millikin, died, and the friends were preparing the body for burial when they wero in- tormed that their block was on fre. The body, partially ready for the coin, was taken from the building by friends and carried down Main streot half a mile to am undertaker’ The offices of the Springfleld aqueduct Com- pany, just in rear of Shaw’s block, were also | burned to the groutd and area total lous, The | Joss on SI 's bIOOK Is $40,000, on which there is | $30,000 Insurance im the Quoen’s of London, the | New Hampshire and the Watertown, A NARROW ESOAPS, Dr. H. Hurlburt, one of the owners of Huriburv’s Block, jamped from tne second stery of bis build. unharmed, ACOIDENTS. Not so fortunate, however, was Stephen Jopson, who jumped from the third story in Apbe’s tene- | ment diock, In Worthington street, and had bis skull fractured and @ leg broken, One of the fremen of steamer No. 4 was pros. trated by the b Od 161s feared that he cannot live. Another man, Who was wandering around on Wortoington street, was ran over by a team and bad both of bis legs broken very badly. Mr. Thomas Kinsman, of the Orm of Kinsman | Brothers, Who owned one of the bouses burned on Vernon street, was #0 excited over the fire | that be has become HOPELESSLY INSANR. W. D. Kinsman, was similarly ii(al medical care promises epeedy recovery and to regain luis seuses, AN ACT OF HEROISM, A Hartford girl, ® clerk im one of the mil linery stores, Who roomed in a biock in @ tene, fis brother, Ment close 10 the fre, ana which it was thought would be destroyed, while others were moving their goods and thinkia only of themsvives, betnought ner of & | lady friend in the same vlook who lay sick abed, | | anil almost insane With terror; she immediately | rushed into the street, got a back and brougnt the siok lady down into i G@riving hor to sale | ment. | Miler and others speedily extinguished the fa’ | Very little damage was done by the a 3 quarters two miles away. Tne brave girl returned to save, if possivie, some of her own goods, but found that a fortunate change in tne wind had driven the flames in another direc- tion. By order of the Mayor the City Guard, Captain Hamilton, and the Peabody Guard, Captain Gray, were ordered out and did patrol aury in keeping the crowds out of the streets where the fires ava firemen were, and im preserving quiet. were a number of disturbauces between them and some of the citizens, but nothing serious further than three or four knock downs occurred. ‘The total number of buildings destroyed 1s thirty-five, and the loss will approximate $750,000, On which there is an insurance oO! abgut $500,000, _ THE LATEST. SYRINGFIELD, Mass., May 80—Midnight. The fire has been under control for several houra and the streets are now quiet. It is now known that the fire broke out in Viner’s wood-turnipg shop, and is supposed to have been the work of an | incendiary. THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD. Springfleld 1s situated on the leit bank of the Connecucut River, in the midst of the beautiint with broad streets, well paved, lighted with gas, and walks shaded by elm and other hand- some trees, and having commerce brought to it by raii and river. It has for years been the most pleasant and flourishing inJand cities in the United States, It is the capi- talof Hampden county, Massachusetts, distant irom New York 128 miles in @ north-north-eastern | direction, and ninety-eight miles west by south from Boston, A small stream, called Mill Kiver, runs through the city, dra ning it and jurnishing water power for numerous factories. The west- ern poruon of the city uearest the river is upon a low level, but the eastern section 13 upon an elevated plain, which stretches tor miles, Its | principal streets are parallel to the river and are , broad, handsome thorough ares, which the cross Streets intersect ataright angle. In what may | be accepted asthe centre of the city is a park, fineiy adorned with trees, shrubbery and flowers. ‘The buildings of Springfield are mainly constructed of brick. THE PRINCIPAL STRUCTURES are the city buildings which were bat recently erectea, the Quart House of Hampden county, a m ofarchitecture, the Church of the Unity, one vt the finest editices in Massachusetts, the U:ty Free Liorary, the Catholic Cathedral of St. Michael and the United States government’s Armory and Ar- senal, There are twenty churches in the city, of | Various denominations, seven banks of deposit having an aggregate capital o1 avout $3,000,000, ana three savings banks. Ia 1872 the valuation oi the city was $40,000,000, and in that year the whole- | sale merchants of Spripgfeld aid a trade of $20,000,000, the greater part of which sum was drawn irom the valley towns to which Springfleld is a source of supply. There are about 200 manu- facturing companies in Springfleld, whose em- ployés number about 4,000 men and 1,000 women, Tne Smitn & Wesson Revolver Works are located there and employ avout 400 persons. The ma- chine shops of tie goveroment works, in which the heavier labor of gunmaking is done, are sit- uated on tne Danks of Mili River, southeast of the Arsenal and Armory. The latter iustiiutions «aie situated on an elevation ia called Arsenal Hill, in o park of seventy-two acres. These bulldinga are in the svape of & quadrangle, and enclose @space of twenty acrea laid out as a park, and calied Union square. Adout 600 men are em- ployed in the Armory. The Arsenal is on the west side of the quadrangle. {n this are stored 175,000 stands of small arms, rivaling in their sym- metrical arrangement similar collections in the European entrepots, SPRINGFIELD WAS SETTLED in 1688 bya company oder Wilham Pynchon | The place was first caled Agawam, that being the | indian name of the vicinity of the sett) In 1630 it was called Springfeid, waiter the birthplace of Magistrate Pyuchon m England. Pynchon was revered until 1660, when he wrote an antl-Calvinistic work, which was burned on Boston Common, and tor which he Was deposed trom his magistracy and forced to flee to England to avoid persecution. [n 1675 the InJians formed a plan to massacre the people of Springfield and utterly destroy the settlement. The plot was discovered by a friendly Indian, the people ensconced themselves in the garrison houses, but the savages burned most of the dwellings of the vil- lage. In January, 1787, during Snay’s Rebellion, about 1.200 rebels attacked the Arsenal at Spring- fleid for the purpose of procuring the arms, They were repuised by the militia, however, and finally dispersed by a few cannon shots, Springfela was incorporated a8 a town in 1646 and as a@ city in 1852, Until 1840 it comprised the present township of Chicopee. in 1820 the town of Springiela had @ population o! 3, in 1830, 6,784; In 1840, 10,953; 1 1860, 11,766; im 1860 the city was inhabited by 15,199 souls, and at the present time by about 80,000, The destructive fire which occurred yosterday was east of the central part of the city, bat wholly in the river plain whereon the principal business places are situated as also the homes of the work- ing Classes. ALMOST ANOTHER HOLYOKE DIS- ASTER. Tne congregation of the Roman Catholle Church of St. Leonard, of Port Maurice, on the Bushwick Meadows, Long Island, had & very narrow escape yesterday from the sad and shocking fi that recently overwhelmed the little band of French Catholics at Holyoke, Mass, Asolemn bign mass was being celebrated, and the rite of condrmation was alsg to be adminia- | sered to a large number of young persons of both sexes. In order to give greater Impressiveness to the services full military band and @ com- pany of militia were present, as was also the So- Gality attached to theCuarch, The interior of te edifice was ¢rowded to repletion, and the cere- monies were progressing in regolar order, ana the congregation were deeply \mpressed ny the solemnity of the occasion, when suddenly, as the military were firing a few du fote outside the building, an alarm of fire was raised. The cele- brant, Rev. Father Miller, in tarning around to- ward the altar, accidentally knocked over & lighted candle, and the flame tostan- taneously caught the light and infammabie trimmings of tue wooden framework, waign, in another moment, was in a bright blaze, Before any panic could ensue among the people, Farher | Baber, the pastor of the cuurch, with marked and | ‘unwonted presence of mind ordered ali of the wine dows and doors to be immediaceiy closed, in order to prevents draught. He then quietiy turned to tne blazing altar, and with the assistaace of Fatuer s. but, bad the pastor been less prompt in his movements and orders to tis congregation, a more deploravie accident than that of Holyoke might nave oc curred, FIRE IN CINCINNATL CINCINNATI, May 20, 1875, A fire {bis morning destroyed the three story brick sash and door jactory of the Greenlees and Ransom Company, corner of Baymilier ana Popiar Sireets, and damaged more or leas avout @ dozeo wdjacent dwellings, The total lows is estimated at There | tertile territory of the Connecticut Valley, | ive structure of granite, in the Italian style | about one mile | | $75,000; insurance $25,000, chiefly in Rome com | panies, FIRE IN PORLLAND, ME. PORTLAND, May 80, 1875. The corn packing factory of J. W, Jones @ Prides Bridge, near this city, was destroyed by fire tuis morning, together with busking shops an ice house, slaughter house and grocery stor® | Loss, $40,000; partially insured. BURNED TO DEATH. | Toronto, Ont., May 20, 1875, Afire this morning on Yonge street destroyed Hammond's hat store. Mr, gud Mrs. Nasa, living over the store, were barned to death. “THREATENED. A CONFLAGRATIO. Yesterday afternoon some misereant set fre t@ | one of a large number of ot barrels lying in a yard Adjotuing the immense tobacco factory of the | Messrs. Lorillard in Bay street, Jersey city. The | flames spread rapidiy and created a huge voium@ of smoke, As ce was promptly rendered, an | the dames we utined to the barrels, WAC! Were all consumed. As (he factory is the mos extensive bulld'ng in the entire State, covert nearly « large block, a fire in any part of the buth | ing would Nave threatened that whole seotion the city. FIRE ON STATEN ISLAND. Early yesterday morning a fire broke outin the cellar of a two story frame house on the corner et Caher avenue and the Ricumond rurnpike, Staples ton, owned by James Sullivan, and occupied oy | Beicher Hilaebranat as a drinkmg and lager deew saloon. ‘The loss ou the building, which wad totally destroyec, is $2,000; fully insured in tie Atna, Huveorahdys joss’ on stock 18 $750; ime sured In the Hoffman Company tor $55u. The tire | communicated to the adjoiding two story frame buliaing, also owned by Sullivan, wno occupied the first floor, while the second floor was OCs cupied by« Jona Dupon, Loss on that | butiaing, $2,600; wuhderstood to be Insured | in the AStna, The destruction of bota buiidingd was coiplete, though most of the surniture wad saved ina damaged concition, Sullivan’s finle | turé was insured (cr $400, also In the 4itna, an | Dupon’s furniture in the Resolute, Hildebrandt js Dow under indictment for arson, charged wit | serting fire to another saloon of which be Wi | proprietor two monies ago. | | . NEW YORK CITY. | ‘The body of a male infant was found floating ta the North River, near pier 62, yesterday morning, by the police of tae Ninth precinct. | An inquest on the body of Richard Brown, whe | Was ran down oif the Battery by the steamer Syra¢ | cUse, has been postponed until next ibursday. During au altercation yesterday afternoon be- tween Churles Higgins, of No, 628 West Fotry« lourth street, and | Denery, of No, 200 East Fortv-O/th street, the former received a dangerous siab in tie neck. Denehy was arrested, | Stewart Fisher, of No. 196 Mott street, reported | at the Coroner's oftice yesterday morning that be had found ms child, aged three montns, dead im bed. fe was of the opinion that the litte one had been sudocaled by its motuer, Who Was grossly inioxicated, An inquest will be beid, At tne annual meeting of the Pnilharmonte So ciety the following oflcers were elected for th¢ ensulng year:—E. H. Schermerhorn, President4 a. Reitt, J Vice Presiden: D. Schi |, Seore< tary; Po. Waither, Treasurer; Carl Bergmana, Conauctor; A. Sonst, L. Mey Tn. Jacovy. Se Johnson, F. Herwig, A, Berns! | B. Unug, Librarian. ee BROOKLYN, At half-past two yesterday morning Cuspem Meyer and Francis Barnett broke into the candy stand of Adam Reitzer, on Johnson avenue, ae the toligate, and stole $10 wortn of iruit and candies, They were butu arrested by Oficer Her« seuatt. Last week @ committee of the renian Brothere houd secured Myrtie Avenue Park for & mas@ meeting to take place yesterday a/ternoo! and yesterday every arrange’ t was made. Were flying uot only at the park but at the rendezvous of the order, but beyond crowd Grawn by the announcement of me me ing no prominedt man of the Oraer pat in an ape peurance. LONG ISLAND. i Asparagus is now coming forward in laree quantities from the north side of the island, and the special night train on the Long Island Rail road is found to be of great advantage to Pisa day irom Loc Forty tons were shipped in ©: Valley lust week. ‘The Suffolk County Sanday School Teachers’ As Soctation will hold its annual sessionat River head, commencing to-morrow and continoin, three days. The Queens county association wil meet at Hunter’s Point on Wed jay afternoom and evening, June 16, The indications are that the numper of reste dents and visitors to Sea Clid this season will o€ greater than in any previous year. A large num ver of cottages and other buliaings have bee erected duriog the past winter, but the deman already excecds the supply. ‘Two petitions are in circujation at Huntington, addressed to the Commissio@ers of Excise. The male citizens are asking that the number of licensed places be limited to three, inclading the two hotels, and that the license tees be 1 eds but the Women ask that no licenses whatever bq granted, Both petitions are being extensively signed, Toe May Anniversary of the South Side Sunday School Unton, whicn comprises the schools of Rockville Centre, Freeport, Woodsburg, East Rockaway, Vearsall’s, £c., will be Observed to-day Mr. L. D. Simons is to be Grand Marsbal, and it is expected (nat there will be about ouc thousand children in the procession, which wll commence Its maren at Loree o’cl ck A. AL, alter appropri- ate exercises in the churches, The Executive Committee on the division of | Queens county, appointed at the mecting heid om | the 27th of April last, met at Mineola, on Sature | day. it was decided to appoint « canvasser im each school district of the towns of Hempstea 8 iy ioe to Visit each taxpayer and voter an rtain his vieWs regarding the proposed divie oo. Bank jorms are to be furnished to these the returns are ta ry canvassers for recording, a verification. javor # line of division commencin) Little Neck Bay, in the town of Fiusting, an Ding due south to tne Rast Rockaway iniet, town of Hempstead, altaough this may be Om more juli deliberatior the Views and desires of ta adjacent to the proposed line, NEW JERSEY. | The funeral of ex-Posimaster Darias Wells, of Paterson, yesterday afternoon, was one of tng largest ever Wiinossed in that city. ‘The stables attached to Kiersted’s Hotel, in Pass saic, were destroyed by fire about two o'clock yom verday morni: was destroyed, toy tne with some id feed, The loss id AbOUE $1,000, — | THE PLYMOUTH ROOK. A_ hor! grain aD On last Saturday afternoon, on invitation of Messrs. Jarrett & Palmer, a select company of gentlemen, to the number of 260, embarked om board of the steamer Plymouta Roos. Once safely trough Heli Gate, the excursionists, after vaving partaken of @ 00d supper, repaired to the cabin, Where (he Manhattan quartet, under the direction of Commodore Tooker, farnished tne evening’ very fine slot eptercainmeat by smying som od qdariet Medieys AbvUt Midnigot o Win nued wnt af 4 Tain sfOFM arose, Whicir Co: hour af @ (he arrival of the s er of Bioug island, Woien polut Ww reached about six A. M On airival those on board, beude Pale and Jarreit, at once 0 Th was fnduiged 10 with consi cess Wut) Nal-past ton A, AL, when the steamet Was Qeaded ior New York. rainy Wien some woat vam) ened the eurhusiaem ul (he fisherm in the 6urly part of (ve Morumy, bad, by Lois time, ceased and Cie sun shove lorth, enuvening evers. thing «nd everyoudy, Lhe ocean was quite oa #0 Uiat DO one On board jell a victim .o mal mer. ‘Ibe homeward Chip, Owing lo the refresh« ing breeze which prevaliet ai the Way dowo the ot Was, perhaps, even more enjuyavie th the was Mr. OULWard = passage. 8 atranyed = amoug the p. almer, 16 OFder to erent a Ith Musicians and vocalists w Aller 4 \Oyaye vi [Went oumarred oy 4 angle aged CUPSONISte Arrived 1m Cbs City ab Rali-p | O'clock last evewing, . darren & propoxe giving a day Plymouth Koek Wut the Ist of Gext Septeuin With aD exeuraton Co lowe Tyan Ol MUrTAY atroet at Naliepust brags 4od string band aveoumpant | ava eXuursivo, ur jent, if the ex it eu ot elm: Paiay