THE BOSTON FIRE. THE BOSTON FIRE, November 9th and lOth, 1872. ITS HISTORY, TOGETHER WITH THE LOSSES IN DETAIL OF BOTH REAL AND PERSONAL ESTATE. ALSO, A COMPLETE LIST OF INSURANCE LOSSES, AN APPENDIX CONTAINING THE CITY LOAN, INSURANCE, AND BUILDING ACTS, BY F. E. FROTHINGHAM, Recently of the Assessors' Department. BOSTON: LEE & SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. NEW YORK: LEE, SHEPARD & DILLINGHAM. 1S73. Fr.. > r Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1873, by F. E. FROTHINGHAM, In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. ./ /I .^ PKIXTED AT HARTFORD, CONN. THE BOSTON FIRE. There is a section of Boston lying south and east of State and Washington streets, and north of Summer street, which was once the home of her merchant princes, but which has been invaded by the onward march of trade. At the time of the calamity, the story of which we are about to relate, almost the entire territory within the lines mentioned was covered with palatial warehouses, built of granite, brick, and iron. The aristocratic mansions had been demolished, and in their places had risen magnificent palaces of trade, until every street in the district was flanked by the most sub- stantial and architecturally beautiful edifices on this conti- nent, if not in the world. In those lofty structures which graced Franklin, Summer, High, Pearl, Federal, Congress, and Devonshire streets, were piled up the accumulated products of Lowell, Lawrence, Manchester, Lewiston, and other milling places, as well as the results of the labor of toiling thousands in the boot and shoe manufactories throughout the eastern portion of Massa- chusetts. Here, too, was centred nearly all the large cloth- ing establishments, in which thousands of females found em- ployment ; the entire stock of wool within the domain of 6 THE BOSTON FIRE. Boston was stored there ; several of the largest printing es- tablishments, crockery warehouses, and iron and wholesale furnishing and fancy goods stores were located in this district. Such was the section of the city of which we write, on the afternoon of the 9th of November, 1872, when seven hundred places of business within the black lines of the map were closed by the proprietors, who retired to their homes with the fullest confidence in the security of their posses- sions against fire and robbery. The Fire Department of Boston had long been a source of pride to its citizens, and challenged competition with any city in America, officered as it was by men whose long experience, cool judgment, and daring had met every exi- gency that years of municipal growth and commercial pros- perity required of them. A single but temporary defect existed in the department, occasioned by the prevalence of an epizootic influenza among the horses, which for several weeks had incapacitated this important branch of the depart- ment in the performance of their labors. While this fact was acknowledged as a defect, security was felt from the prompt and well-devised means which the Board had impro- vised. But an emergency seldom found in the known history of the world was before them. The alarm-bell from the now historic box, 52, signalled a fire, which was discovered almost instantly at every window of the large four-story granite building, with a French roof, situated at the corner of Summer and Kingston streets. The dread alarm of the tocsin was sounded throughout the city, and was repeated a second, third, and fourth time, summoning to the scene the entire Fire Department. The origin of the fire will THE BOSTON FIRE. 7 ever remain a mystery, but from the best evidence that can be obtained, it resulted in some way from the fires of the furnaces which lay beneath the boilers in the basement, to heat the block with steam. Before the firemen were able to combat the flames, the fire had obtained complete mastery of the building, the interior of which being destroyed, the walls fell outward, spreading inflammable matter in every direction ; but, before the walls crumbled, the elastic flame, feeding upon the light materials of which the modern Man- sard roofs were canstructed, leaped across Summer street, and spread with remorseless fury from block to block, with a rapidity which baffled the exertions of their most determined opponents. Gathering heat and force at every point, and forcing back the determined firemen and the crowds of spe<)tators who had by this time assembled, the fire worked its way in the face of the wind, which was from a northerly direction, toward the wealthiest portion of this section. One after another the massive blocks crumbled and fell, and before midnight the flames had enveloped Winthrop square, both sides of Summer street below Trinity Church, and the buildings between Summer and Franklin streets, and rushing down Devonshire street to within a few doors of Milk street, had converted the long rows of granite and free- stone palaces of trade into red and roaring seas of flame. Dismayed, but still undaunted, the heroic firemen fought the common enemy. Realizing the inability of his own force to cope with so formidable an adversary, the chief of the department despatched messages over the electric wires, summoning assistance from the departments of other cities ; and from the towns in the immediate vicinity of Boston, 8 THE BOSTON FIRE. and places more remote, firemen hastened with alacrity, some hauling their engines by hand, some by horses, and others brought in by railroads. At. half-past ten o'clock the fire had made such progress, that one who made the circuit of the flames at that hour, was compelled to pass through Bedford, High, Congress, and Franklin streets. Sparks, driven by the wind, flew through these streets with the thickness of a snow-squall, and large flakes of burning wood were carried by the wind down into the bay and over the south shore. Some of them fell on the light wooden structure of the Hartford and Erie depot, and set that on fire, and the flames of this communicating with the coal-sheds and offices on the harbor front, found ma- terial to feed their progress on the eastern side of Broad street. Before midnight, the great thoroughfares of trade before mentioned, hedged in by a wealth of unique archi- tecture, the broad show-windows ,* H pq H W C/J w m 03 H 1^ o P^ P3 <1 o to O O O O o o o o 88 88 • o • o : o : IJ-) : '■'^ : m I *-> • "^ r^ i-i o o . o o : o o : o^ o^ • o : o : o 188 : o o ro m iJ-5 to i-V ^ O u > f^ o P^'O c>5 _c ;i^ < y pq U ^S ^ Ji ^ . w • o • : o : . CO • ;r: cj oj ^^ p 22 THE BOSTON FIRE. o o o o o o o ^ o o" o o 88 . o o o : o LT u-i O • 00 •^ r< • o : o : o o : ON : n '. rA o : ^ : f^ • M o bB 3t3 O • o : o^ : ^ : fo : o • CO Eh w Eh : o : o" • CO o ♦ o o : o o : o o p^ pq 00 o CO •^ o icy O § -< h-lPkpq i^H ^ O a rt fco t/5 fj " o. ro W Q ^ J^c>i O "^ K-^ ;3 H^K A^ h:,^ ffi h ^ W ^ H ►^M W h^ H h^' d h4 DETAILS OF LOSSES. 23 000 10 u-) ly-) vO vD vO : 00 o -^^ : ci ci i-r i-T On : O n" ►1 : cs 1-1 000 000 o, o^ q_ rT rT cT r^oo GO 00 : ON o^ O O (U "^ h4< i2 c^ o U ^ .2 ^ (-1 U^ X H 2 - O 4> ~ Ji: ■" ,_] ".l^sjl'r Jf^. vo fO o3^ — X ^ O ■o5-^-^- 24 THE BOSTON FIRE. 888 o o o 4^ '^ '"' o ^ •:6 e! :c>j P. fe 2i 'u ^ ^8 d PM O'^ d pq^ O h1,0 Eh On l^ fO fOOO O rovD O C^ 0< O m ro C^ N ro O lo O O O O 88888 o o o o o P^ m m W P^ o o ■§ : u^ • r^ •^6*5= CO • n cj O ro ■ lO CTnO ^ :vc roo cT . fOi-i -" , .0 oo r . r o o ^ . O 00 00 • ^ =6^ • , oo c o o or . u-5 r^■^l ^ • fO W HH 1 1 O • o n o cA a t/ (U o : r>>, S o a " rt a !=5 l'I i^ i^ i^ c ^ D< z ^ .^ -.feO 1— ^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 25 o\ . 00 -^ : rf 8 : 8 • 8 \0 • T^ : •^ : tJ- . ro C4 VO . : c^ . ^t- : "i- ; ^ fO vr> . : 10 : fo : ON rt VO • 00 ■^ • N VO Ti- • N • rf N M ro f^ ! •<4- : ^^ : VO VO 1^ : 00 : 00 ON vi ; i o da t3 o ,S o H-1 d ^ 12; h^fi; f-^u fij ej:»m ^ Q^ o • VI O CLCJ ^ o "=0 26 THE BOSTON FIRE. rf : VO vo f^ m" CO • Vi^ o t->. • ir^ : 00 o t^ : v£) . r^ 00 t^ . t->. : "^ lA : o^ o^ q_ g g R : 8 lo . lo lO O c< . w ro T^ N W l-l M ^ §.2 o ^ Q^^2 1^ cy-O = ^ > a-lJ |6i > ^ rt DETAILS OF LOSSES. 27 8 8 8 8 § §§ to OC CI ^ HM coo »>-> «s vo C\vO O M 11 00 CO CJN ro 10 «^ •-• 8 :8 o^ o^ o^ o^ cT d\ cJn o" I : I • . • .J t^ • CO • r^ u U u ^ : N : N C ri^ S o o p s S^Ucyca o ^.^'HO o'-hJ-H^^^^ S 8 >5^ U rt o o 5 U J =y > T: ^ ii b^ ^ £ rS 28 THE BOSTON FIRE. Q- 9, x> 6 00 8 N vr>00 . Q ro o o ro w^ 6 n oo . 5 yr, O 6 N •1 fO ^ •1 m c/5dffi w :^^ ^=« C rt O J2 o > "2 ^- ;^KcaU^^^^i-°^ = t« O O O dX 2 o 0) 2 Si Sbii Se^c^^^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 29 888 On q_ 0^ q, o^ \o rT 10 i-T rf •<^ q^ q^ r>. ^00^ >o o : : : : : o o 00 a* . . . . 00 "^ 4 : : : : : « cT ro : : . I . xn d" vo : ; : ; : ■<*• «r 1-^ : ^ : '. '.do Sir. 3 ^00 i ^ ^ >.s;q o ^ c 1) rt fciO Wf,^» 'SI OJ c -^ u '3 ^rS^ 'H.9 -H n ^ 1- 2 oj t— ^ . Eh m H P^ n W o l> H P Q O Q O O Q O O O O ^ O O O oj O 1 . o O C o c « o *^ ^ . \ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 31 00 . g Tj- . 10 1-1 vO ro • O 00 • t>. is: 1 ; ^ CO r- ^ c/21 o U O U ^8 3 :s o -^ >^ O b 3 ^ia-?."^ -: r'R fc/3 ^ b o ^ ^■'•'^ ^ >^^ t^ -^ "^ =^ :^ ..^ S o U cy S2 TJoh-i '-' rt >- 111 Ph >- h m Eh H Eh m p o o vo - M n m ro *~^ : Th 00 « o c^ P< N . t^ : -• . : : i-> : : p< o g ^§^ ^^ i § 8 - • O ^ ii to Kg . o DETAILS OF LOSSES. 33 i^ o^ fo ■^ cT u^ « ro ►-'CO :88 fo • N o o tN. : c^ N -^ ro : ^ t^ t^ . -^ « m E^: 00 • "^ 00 . M O 4> up o O J2 O rt ": It? =y « ^ O o OJ fl IS J =a ^ =y c^ "iJ ,'J H n s ?. P4 8 — »-" 4> S fl „ ^•o 53 oj t/j ^ ^ I-. =<3 u fl Jii t3 ^3 5 « • 2 ? "o "oj i; o U U fi o >'cy n3 ^ .:2 v :s o 9 W rt I— I S^ I 0 vo" . ^ ■>*^ • rn ci ^f U-TI o U o ^ a t/) rt ;i a; i^W ^f^ rt-^ :^J^aio^^«"-^/ tpTi ■ c/i Pi^' J ( c-oc^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 35 88 CO VO o o ". ^ cn : N "^ ■^ . CO • VO "^ •^ ro f^ . ro . VO _^ o cy "- rt . t^ K 2 - o S.q cj — '^ o w o U c cpq • .2 '3 "^ ' ^ g t^ ^ . ^ :^ -rt . S J3 ►>: 1 1; ; c^ — . x) w o o Ph CJ - U t—l '3 ^ , o pqp< 36 THE BOSTON FIRE. o -^ rToo" o bo 3 13 00 • O fo : oo o • • ir> Tf 00 : : On ro o : ■ M N »o : • "^ o\ N vrj ^ M »H OnvO VO VO hH ro N N H-l M d^i-. " M l-« q, q, o^ ro ro fO o q_ o^ o^ T? ro ^ (u a - fe- >- o .3 >-' ^1 o ca-g^-^cy >.-d "^ • ' 'H • > o "^ : ^ '-' : Sr". " " ;2 C3 lU : hH N . . • N . fO ■ r^ • t-l r~>. • 00 : O . o ; c^ . 0^ •■. t^ . ^r°.i o 2^Q c^ ilp3 JS O : '"4- . "JTi ^ : ^ : * A : :^ : (J) ^ii ■^ • ^ . ■ .^ '• : ro : ^ »o : vo : 6\S >< O rt o o > Ol t/) ^ o H c O rt W^ Ol ca <^ ^ ^ o=^^ c .•t: t^ ^. < en _r c^ ■ P^ fit "z; -^ ^ -TJ «j rt ,2i -" ►^ !£; • "^ 1^ V- ^- 4J • ==■ i DETAILS OF LOSSES. 39 ■ ^^ 8 8 : ^ 00 o o : vo T? C» O : o « « Tl- , o • On • 8?o N • N • o • o v8 : o t-- : fo : (■o : 00 : f) m . Tf . Tj- '^ o : o : t^ Cs . o «^ • "^ roco vo : vo I ro . fO lO . ro . r<^ U-) 1J-) ON : r<-) ro CO ro • l-r t^ : ro CO -T^U >, o-.^ ^ r^ H =y 1?1 (U o -^ o U C 1) ca T^ •- o r; c^ -^ bey o* O rt ^ ^S-apq S.S^W^ §3^ >.'2 ^^ o.S 40 THE BOSTON FIRE. O bo 3-0 000 882 o o cf^ rn C^i "^ «9t 00 O "^ f< vO "^ t^ o U ^ • rS c^ U ? -tr; £ r/^ • "^ rt £ 'p rt [i^ vO 00 TtOO t^ M vO 00 00 00 00 00 c^ N N ro Ti- Tj- rf Lo Eh -a fcjO O 000 000 N N N DETAILS OF LOSSES. 41 rT T? vo 888 s - • « * 00 . "^ . : 10 : w . CO . : ^ : o o c>5 V c .„ .BPi^ti ^ c^ ' ^ L) S W O ^ h-^C^ U c/5 ^* h-^h^d ^ 8 8 8 ? ^8 b fO t^ m (xToo t^ l-l CO • =6*9. N • ro • w • • tJ- • rj : ir^ J^ . ^ . fi ; cs . "^f o TJ C S -O :550 o ,« 42 THE BOSTON FIRE. o o o rC o' d O O 88 Tj- i^ CO • m • o : ^ : Gn m ■^ . o . r< ^ ro . "^ r 4,_C o u C fi r-> "'J ci c c : ^ t/, -p o o . ^^S5i^l>^^^ o C - - O C! c t; o ^_^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 43 LOCiO t-^oo O O o" o o o o o o o 8888 O^ O, ""i ^ o^ o^ o^ 00 : ON lO • n M N N fo : rj- '^ o\ C\ N . CO 00 n o ^ : ^ n VO VO O OO »>>. 0\ a^oo Q Q O o 5 o q. o^ o^ 8 8 • 8 § 8 8 Cn ro . VO c» VO VO VO : VO fO VO VO 9. o_ q_ o' m" n" a\ m\o N o 00 ON r o CO I o U o s s o P ^ -5 c>! .« ^ •s -S u "-^ -^ o ^^ =^' c^ '^ ^ ^ B CQ S vi i-^-:,[fi mSWifiiJujWO f^in fe IS < u « S K ►-:.& O W fe 44 THE BOSTON FIRE. fe'S rh ro r^ lo 00 . o • t^ t-^ oo M • • r^ : O ro o NO M , t-l HH " ro ; ; ^ I O Th . CO lo fO • \n • ^u. . ut 1 • "^ • N !->. to ; J O u 0^ hJ c/3 K 2 _^^^-f^ g ^ :/< ,^ S ^ s . 1 :5 "^ -5 J W h; hA^ < K K t-^O K 3 (U S 46 THE BOSTON FIRE. 88 O O^ yr, "^ . ^ On ; m fi O bt) 3t3 T3 O O ^, B 3c>J 3^ ^ Ji -o' &.9 O O .. ^ O 'U o U WW DETAILS OF LOSSES. 47 q_ O^ o^ ^^ o^ vq^ o^ >^ o^ o o O O 00 N CJNVO vO m xo Onoo r^ Eh W ^ .cf 1=^ 4 .1 ; c 3 f 3 J r : 1. Ci >,^ U 8= u^3 2== =a (/l o o c o ^ o o u U 5w 2 48 THE BOSTON FIRE. o N o 888 ci o" o" 88 O ON O : O O ^^ 00 : m On m 00 OO 0\ 00 o u ^ >- o -<" 88 o o 88 o o o : GO oo . i>- oo o o o >-^ C) O m H- Cn •1 t-^ w •"" N N oo" o" 8 8 o o 88 o 2 88 u tn-. rt o W^ W ^ ^ _; r3^ o U o ;=: p, teg ^<0 50 THE BOSTON FIRE. O o O U) O •3 e S8 t/3 H^O S U O S < P!^ —3 cj DETAILS OF LOSSES. Eh W P3 Eh OQ CQ w Eh Eh <\ VO vo ON -I ri- XJ-t vo O O W o M W OQ Eh W O Eh p^ Eh .J O O o o d'oo'vo" q_ q^ o^ o^ ^o ro cT CO s uffi o U o lu l| d o o ti s =^ '^ 60 ■p ^ sj D ;^ J^ ^ c>J 52 THE BOSION FIRE. o o ° S o q, i-Too' o o o o O CO o o^ o o o" 6 l/^ • o : o • • M *. . CO . m ■ Cl """ M . . O M '^ .. A -^r- fc/3. Uco ^6 o u (L) _j::; HE o '^ ^ ^ o ^ t/.U > ^-.Q DETAILS OF LOSSES 53 o o 8 8 O O O O O o o o o o o^ o„ ^ o, o^ cf vo" cf oT o" o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 88 o o o o 88 : CO o • N : ri ^ : loco • a\ "-I : ro M o M '• M CO • ro rn 8 § : 8 § i §§ i 8§ n '^ • T? c^ . o o O W ; LO . " I-H t-l 8 8 8 o § i §§ : §§ o d N : f 1 CO . ri N LO CO ro : ro ro : o o c3 ^ '* '-^ S ^6 3.0 O Ji n - .= .9 U ^ 5 ^ rt C P o ^ t/2 O ri S s "" Q _o O c/: 'o> o CO H I ^ ■r; T3 p o G t^ ^ ^ Ph ^ ii (— 1 r^ x2 c o < O S p!H H O hAi-^-< ^^ 54 THE BOSTON FIRE. o o o o o o O X-- o • o U-) o ro LO . N Tt- • oo 00 N • . vo . • 00 t~^ : t^i>»co : . CO : : 00 N :^^^ : • "^ • t^ : t^x-noo : : 00 : ■^uA o - S o ti 3 o 1^ t/3 rt ^ O T. (1) 1^ ._ 1-^ . . . os-p O 13 CI «t C) O S gCJu 15 Sc>5cy o "^ S HH rt >- rt 1) . o DETAILS OF LOSSES. 55 88888 q_ q_ q, q_ o_ o o" lo d" ijo M M q_ o^o^ o^ o^ q_ ^ r~n O^ O »-o C c o c o ^ U <:<5 ^ ^ rt c - ^ c H o k; > ^^ ,r a^^ .>.^'-^ 3 o C :§::;: § § § § . (S . . . . ro »J^ N C) •^ ^J^^ ^>^ ^^o-c^ ^'^'^'.•j-S^ : §1 : d • • • =6^ ss^ ■■. ON ON ro • m . 8 8 8: ro ro O • =09= rO ■ H O < 8 88 ; 4 ^4^ o" : a ^ ^ vo : o tH tJ- VT) 1- ; k1 »-l g ■^ • <= .2 - : o c: " : cAi a 'g^c^ rt -Sii r ^1 S -fife > ^ . ^=P<^ »— ■» 1-4 c^ I 56 THE BOSTON FIRE. o o =60: 000 000 LO O >-0 CO cf o o (^ o -< rO hT kT rf 0000 0000 O^ O^ O^ O^ !^ ? O O G ^ ^ ^ g K^- DETAILS OF LOSSES. 57 o o o o o O^ O^ O^ Lo O^ xriio (5" rf ^^ 88 o o 6 d ro O o o o o o o o o o o N o_ q^ q^ o^ 'o6 ^ d d d 00 VO M LO vO o O t~^ O '- R; 8 o o « 4 ^ t^ E g r ' ?- ^ rt W E W < U OQ c^ [^ ^ o J C o := si o K o c rt u c :d -P fe -c ^ >.^^ fec^i aj oj >^ V ■ c ^ ^ .- rt rt (y X . O O U c>J c O 1-5 8 Eh ' ^ O .i3 U u ,£3 c>S M-I ^ ishin owe! Cor u^id' • aj P^^ . o h^HP^ cS THE BOSTON FIRE. o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o^ q. q_ q. ro o o o o o o r-^ o^ q_ Cf\ Tf iO o o 88 o o o o o o o • CN • vo O • • o Tf : MD : ro f^ . : c^ o . ^ : o »o . . vo ^ • C) . to (s . . CJ 8 : 8 : 8 § i ; 8 : ■ o : o : LO o . : KO . . M • (s • cs t^ • • N • «i • O • 8 ■ o : o . '^ 8 : o : o : LO 6 ■ ro • <<-) ■ Tj- ro • ^ • C -c S.6 c^ ^ - „ ^^c. I^ o : : l-O • ti-) U-) u-i "^ •"d- • M . -"d- • "* ^ ^ •^ '^ \ CM . . rj . CM CM CS CM o Q O Q 8 Q Q 8 : ^ 8 : ^ ^ § ui . r^ 1-^ . 1^ r^ 1-- xj-t ; ro ^ : CI M CM CM c o -g^ M5 ■ o icy o" O u o ^ o )J ^ ?; _ v- O _G 2-^1 ^'-a o _^ o ?; t/i c ^ H c/j S ^ ^,H t-^< H Iz; ^ c/5 v;>;5 OJ HH O > ir^ c J^ < W* p ^^ ^ H^/x" o ^ W^ U -r, O _i.M "i ^ S S c/: h^.N U u ^ t>::2 ^ - -^ ^^ - 5 =:^ .o -.U U ^ P5 W rv: u < 6o THE BOSTON FIRE. o o o S cs O 8888 O lo O lo 88 \n o o 8 O fn • ON o io 00 N : -=*■ vO »^ O ro . w^ VO •"I ro '^ ro . CO c^ o U o u I ^ c1 « 2 u -r; i< •^^- b C5 ^ -^^..%Y'oa.§ ;^ c/5 < H ^^c^ f£; K pq Ph W U K >-^W h^K Wi:J-> M O . m M OnO vO O lO : VO c^ ; Th to M lO : r,t^i-l T;f : ^ • '^ M M • CO rj- • 00 • M cs N : U-) • ^ : <^ : VO : . t^ Tf CO . M . CO . Tf . . lO fO N . VO i ro : c^ . ^ : i 8 \ : 8 8 : 8 8 : 8 : 8 : . ii-> . : u^ o : S rf : M . o : : ^ CO : ro ; ro : VO : • l-C lo ■ On ,_, ro ON • : c/j CO : CO c^ On On : On : o l-C o >^>^ o C O OJ S . , r== o o ^ .u O -rt ~— O o cq W S ^ H H-^ Af^ W f-^G W ffi hAh^ H-o = J P5 -^ c: • o •- t/> e ^^^rt O,^ ^^ c>j O to 5 rT^ ""^ pq >, tc 52 t! o •""* o ><. iX 6<^ V ■:i ^ ^4 w w < ^* < f^ u ^ y ^" ^. 62 THE BOSTON FIRE. o o o 9. o o 6 d CO Tf O Lf i M fO M O o m ■ M CO Cn U-) CO CO : HH <-o " " M P J S ^ 5 ^^ UP< .H H^;^ h-^?q H^ w ^ c/2 --. ;^ ^,:i5 <^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 63 0000000 o o o g - ' - 000 "-000 t^OOOOO -LoOOOO 88888 o o o o LO O o ^ 000 000 o" 10 10 c^ ^ O e^ O . u-i • ir^ : fn : m r^ . u-» t^ . 00 : °^ : VO : ^ ro • Q Q Q : 8 '^ ^ ^ vn u-) : "* CO ro ro to rt c ^ ,9 c o I . . rt G . ^^ rt C . ^d ^ ^ . rt K^- "^ ^ 1^ ,W U U < ^.cTi ;:4 64 THE BOSTON FIRE. 88 8888 OC O O O 88888 o o O . Q o . q, o" : o CO • "^ >. O '^ ^ '£ ■^ =« .i: o U o c^ o U ^^6 C X w C (/: L ,9 ^ ':i w .. O 5""? ^ >.^ UE 5 -^ 5 H£ r^ G ;! -^ da ^ o t/: :/, u n . w ^^ ;^ Q '^ pq ^ p^"OQ-5cr: CmQ-gOQ ^;^^GWf^*d<^S' DETAILS OF LOSSES. 65 § ooo ooo 500 000 000 § b. •* U-) LO . o Tt ^ LO ro : 000 q 8 8 O 't CO 000 000 q q q o" unc. ^ ■ CO^ !>. 1-4 l-H i-i •• >-i '. yj~> 8 : . • • • • • • g 8 : § • • • • q o„ tn : LO . LO : '^ • "^ '^ '^ Tf : o'~ 1-1 >-i CO 8 ^ 8 ^ g g g g g 8 : g g • • • On . . CO : CO CO r-^ vcT o~ : 0" lJ-> M C) H r^ ; ir^ On ro • • • r^ • • -en u-> • On OS ... . ^1 : N M ro ro ■^ 'T : Tf ^\ l-< >H 10 ^-^ 5 c>j t/: .S o J= o u eg s . ^ P ^ o J - ;i. (D C r ^, 5: !s :- ^:^ = H ^ H ^ :5 .^ ca pq n < « hJ H^G u HH- w ham K,ha^-; w e-^c« <; Ph' ^aK u pq ^w u w ^ 66 THE BOSTON FIRE. 88: O Q O 8 o 8 : 00 : "-> o : M O • O N • U-i ■. ^"> CO • >J-> u-> Tj- C< M cs . nil-] o U O G k_4 Oj w rt o U c^ a30 c^ . S' j_. ^- ^ TJ L) O PTr"^ ^ •■ ^_l,PL; ^ y^^ <■ u S H ^ H^K H K w w K oco S I i 4J ;>• ^^ • • ^ £i ,0 ^ i^i ^ ^ pq ^-^w w H^u ^ ooN^ONi-oO'-iTh rO '^ tJ- ':^^0 Tj- ONOO „ M -I HH w 04 t^CO oooooooo oooooooo o^ o^ o^ o^ o^ o o^oq^ 888 o I- o S 68 THE BOSTON FIRE i-H w Cn On u-) ri" 00 o Lo Tf a^oo c^r fO ro f-S ro ro O O O O O O O O O O O O Lo Lo Lo q_ O^ o^ ro ro ■^ ^vO vO gnoo t^vo u-i T^ c^- s ^ 5 S H< o "^ O O ro On »< Ox -hCO 00 rj- 00 uo lO 0_ C^ O O O O 8 88 8' 88888 o^ o^ q_ q_ o^ uo c^ tF cT d" 61 o _ _ o c>> c>j "cj bJD o o 8 8 • o o O O M ro c^ cs . .• Ox vo . r^ • DETAILS OF LOSSES. 69 O M O CN^roro^oN N 1000 00>-'^*"-<^MCO Ttoq^co^ ^ ^^ ^ Q. "^ ^l '^ r^ „" (-T ro cT rT fO m" t-^ w" OOOOOOOO 8888 8888 CO M ci o" O o" vo" O 0000000000 0000000000 0000000000 Ot^t^iNt^OOO O i^CO CN ^ O o ^ O tT)00 ro CS Cn CN C^ ro cT cs cT ci c^" rT cs Eh H ^42,000 25,000 20,000 18,000 20,000 20,000 19,000 13,000 Eh fOONM romr^CN"^ m Eh P^ Eh m OQ ^-^ SI O O 7; O :^ ,^ ft -r'. Ph i-^ c/: S . oj .ii t— »C/2 H^^ S < S 70 THE BOSTON FIRE. >z 'i^ Eh E-« m CQ o o o o t^ 6 •1 N o U a. c>52 o U -1 ;=5^c/2 ^ o^ ?^ W ^ ii (^ o U O OJ rt ,3 >' ^ c^ u ^ w S p^' ^'^ c/i H^S . VO vo vo : ; : : : t^ t^ m • • • • • 1-1 10 VO : : : : ; t^ t^ f : C^ - ro • 00 : CN : o U ^ -s« O r \ •X! a, ^t-* O >^<5 K* K c/5 O AcJ2 IS t-^;:JO *< 1^' c« O c« H fl <{ t-^c/i h-I o ■f,^ o tjo 72 THE BOSTON FIRE. o e o o O >-o o o 88 o o o 888 0\ • ,_, • v£5 -1. . O • O >H oo : ,_, : ^ o o : o o x^ . t^ On • -* : rn vo : ro : '^ M . M • CO o o K0\0 ^ 8 : § i 8 8 : 8 : 8 § : : o M i-i o : XT) . C) CO . • lO ■ LO i^ • ^ : ro ro ■ =tA • o o o : o o o . o o o • C\ • fO • r^ HH t^ • t-t m • CN : o : o l-« n C) t->. • 1 1 1 1 • 1 1 c\ : • LO c\ : ^ : Cn ro o . o o . M O o ^ 'Or--; rv i; 'a S^ . o c>; o tc fT < -r' O "^ (I T-! O ^H O rj ^ X rt X '^ : ^- 1^' <^ '^ : S rt rt «J rt u^- k5 t> H O 1^ . <^^ ^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 73 O O Q O ^888 ro O O o >^ a f r O O O 888 o o 88 6 o O Q O O O O O O O 6 : 88 88888 i/i : N : 8 ^o ^6 o 5^ ; f5 to ; 5 _. O rt 'd- o o o o o o o o o o o^ q, o^ o^ q_ O^ u^ lO (vf r^ ro I-" cT On rO as }-, o ^ o o S §-5^ %...,-^ id|<-«--s'^-«^ o . WW Q.SQ c c c W- t Q O O COO O lo m -Ti^ c o m o'.S ^ 6 1) ^ o 5=^ ii icy g lU^:^ ^ :|^.^ ^ : o . 6^ ^<^^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 77 vO r^ t^ 88 o o 1-1 CO 1-^ ►^ CO 8 On ^ OS CO^ CO O • ro CO : CO "^ • '^ CO : vo loco" ?; to to to CO t^ o" N 1 §• 8 I CO CO % LO CO to M ? i "> P r c/: 1 c 1 I. 6 pi 'a r •J c £ \^ U C C > P- c -> £ !- r P- 0. r a 1 C > I I 1 < c r c > pq t < U c > a P5 c L. > a, c CJ r ■% 78 THE BOSTON FIRE. 8 8 8 §8 88 88 : 8 8 88 o m . N O c< P4 u-> « o : o o oo" w M N : <^ U-)U-> N c< « • o CO 2 •— t r^ : 8 o o 8 •■ 8 ■ 8 CO 8 CO . vO 00 00 -t : o ^ . vO ■^ : t< f* N . cs . t^ ►1 8 8 8 8 : 8 : § U-) VO" CO ^ : o ■ vO t^ w^ XO OO ; t-» ; t^ Tt ■ 00 • M • kD • • o • r< ■ o • 00 t^ : t^ : 00 : CO : : On : CTn o • o : A : M w . M . C^ •vA •o!) ; . rf . t^ : (^ : . CO : . ON • o "-I c< t/2 a> O U c o si O t/3 DETAILS OF LOSSES. 79 Eh CO w Eh <1 "6 fee : ' o 'U^^ Joii 888888 O u^OO "^ O^ O^ 75 S u : J=^ . 2 ^ H-l o > .^ H^.?; C> 8o THE BOSTON FIRE. o o o u o o o o 8 8 o • o o o o o m o o « lO CS N : R8 8 O 8 ■ w^io ro a> o : CO ^ t>- "^ 8888 lO Tf tJ- v/^ Gn t~» r^ t^ Q Q o o o (-) o Q o o (-) o o o o () () ri LT) iy-1 >-> M ►H fO CO M C^ C^ N ^3 ? 1 1 ->» 5 "^ "' ^ u G s o ^ v:U53.rtU 2 2 ^^S.x fl ^• o 6U ^c>!u fe ;::^ ^ h-i -4, ^ -^ C txi ;.2 , ^[jh ^ E -g S ^ cj ^>4io'o'^'>:'^ .. .> .iii W Pm c« U g H^g < < 00 h-^U K^< hAQ ^- o dj ^ ^-^ DETAILS OF LOSSES. 8i . o in O •- "J w QQ o p^ w Eh 00 : t-^ . vo .• "^ (U g (U 6 - " "rt •v! S p-3 (U (U iJ 3 ►r r::^ ^ tJ ,vy ^ 1>- _r h '^ t/2 rt RECAPITULATION. Streets. Value of Land. Value of Buildings. Personal. Square Feet of Land. Arch Bath Broad Bussey Place Charming Columbia Congress Devonshire Federal Federal Court Franklin Gridley Hawes Hawley High.... Kilby Leather Square Lincoln Lindall Matthew Merchants' Exchange Milk Milton Place Morton Place Oliver Otis Pearl Pearl Place Purchase South Sturgis Sullivan Place Summer Washington Water Winthrop Square Total ^136,000 5 1 >ooo 1 ,040,000 30^500 32,000 ' 100,000 2,086,000 1 ,05 1 ,000 2,402,000 30,000 2,222,000 17,000 5,000 1 74,000 1,389,500 554,000 10,000 37,000 154,000 36,500 450,000 1,991,000 69,000 64,000 126,000 339,000 2,466,000 66,700 427,000 177,000 8,000 10,000 3,616,000 1,930,000 725,000 343.000 $78,000 19,000 116,000 20,500 11,000 24,500 1,230,000 575,000 1,356,000 3,000 1,401,000 9,000 500 73,000 1,021,000 195.500 4,000 45,000 68,000 46,500 100,000 910,000 36,000 45,000 87,000 216,000 1,531,000 41,800 153,000 33,000 4,000 4,000 2,023,000 766,000 242,000 255,000 $191,800 15.300 295,000 5,000 10,000 3,009,900 2,561,800 3.367.300 5,841,600 54,000 3,326,100 1,243,400 8,500 53.500 40,000 2,944,600 10,000 14.900 1 50,000 1,056,500 7,251,800 2,000 71,000 4,042,700 1,794,100 1 70,400 922,600 $24,365,200 $12,745,300 $38,453,800 RECAPITULATION. There were 1,999,525 feet of land burned over. 1*. value of this land was $24,365,200. The assessed valuation of the buildings burnt was $12,745,300; the assessors esti- mated they were assessed within ten per cent, of their valuation; adding this, would make their real valuation $14,019,830. The personal property was assessed at $38,453,800. This was supposed by the assessors to rep- resent two thirds of its valuation. Adding one third, would make $51,271,700. The estimated value of con- signed goods destroyed was $10,000,000, making the total loss by the fire about $75,291,530 ; 552 separate estates and 999 firms were burned out. The valuation of Boston was $682,724,300, hence the loss was about a tenth part of the whole. The increase the last year was $70,060,750, hence the loss was about the same as the annual increase. INSURANCE LOSSES. A belief in the indestructibility of Boston's granite warehouses; a feeling of pride and confidence in her fire department, which had never before been defeated; and the peculiar character of the mutual system upon which most of her buildings were insured, only allowing three- fourths of the value to be covered, — all tended to prevent a proper amount of insurance; and as so large a propor- tion of that which existed was in Boston offices, the loss fell with accumulated force upon her own citizens. The annihilation of capital invested in insurance stocks, and the assessments required by the mutual companies, must be added to the loss on buildings, stocks, rents, and inter- ruption to business, in obtaining an accurate estimate of the disaster. We are indebted to Mr. Charles H. Frothingham, 1 6 Devonshire street, Boston, for the following statistics of the insurance losses ; and every exertion has been made to have the list as accurate as possible at the time of going to press. 86 THE BOSTON FIRE. JOINT-STOCK COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN BOSTON. Companies. Capital. American, Boston $3oo,cxx) Bay State, Worcester 200,000 Boston, Boston 300,000 Boylston, Boston 300,000 City, Boston 200,000 Eliot, Boston 300,000 Exchange, Boston 200,000 Faneuil Hall, Boston 200,000 Firemen's, Boston 300,000 First National, Worcester 100,000 Franklin, Boston 300,000 Gloucester, Gloucester. 100,000 Howard, Boston 200,000 Lawrence, Boston 250,000 Manufacturers', Boston 400,000 Mercantile ]Marine 300,000 Merchants', Boston 500,000 Mutual Benefit, Boston 200,000 National, Boston 300,000 Neptune, Boston 300,000 North American, Boston 200,000 People's, Worcester 400,000 Prescott, Boston 200,000 Shoe and Leather, Boston 200,000 Springfield, Springfield 500,000 Suffolk, Boston 150,000 Traders and Mechanics', Lowell 100,000 Tremont, Boston 200,000 Washington, Boston 300,000 Losses Will Assets. in Boston. pay. $946,030 $456,117 All. 325,000 280,000 50 p. c. 600,000 1,320,000 40 " 912,000 1,800,000 56 " 375,561 800,000 40 " 684,817 1,700,000 35 " 265,617 775,000 40 " 250,000 600,000 35 " 1,000,000 2,800,000 30 " 175,000 50,000 All. 731,486 2,000,000 25 p. c 117,852 27,000 All. 385,000 1,000,000 25 p. c 299,940 500,000 35 " 1,500,000 1,700,000 90 " 550,000 133,000 All. 1,034,004 2,844,354 30 p. c 281,603 - 995,000 35 " 896,681 950,000 40 " 896,633 2,200,000 40 " 651,488 1,200,000 50 " 800,293 650,000 60 " 508,189 700,000 50 " 593,754 I, goo, 000 30 " 1,055,106 250,000 All. 275,717 645,000 35 P- c 208,847 All. 267,000 750,000 34 P-C 1,070,743 1,096,700 75 " MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL COMPANIES. Central, Worcester ^ $31,850 $10,000 Dorchester, Boston 159,000 134,130 Essex, Salem 90,000 22,500 Holyoke, Salem 338,496 220,650 India Mutual, Boston, 697,184 380,000 Massachusetts, Boston 750,000 1,200,000 Mechanics', Boston 2,000,000 1,331,401 ^lerchants' and Farmers', Worcester 850,000 300,000 Naumkeag, Salem 3,^73 2,800 New England, Boston 513,000 200,000 Quincy, Quincy 480,000 432,500 Salem 100,000 59,000 Union, Boston 900,000 1,200,000 Cambridge 132,500 25,250 All. 90 p. c. All. 75 P- c. All. INSURANCE LOSSES. 87 COMPANIES OF OTHER STATES DOING BOSTON. Companies, CapitaC. Assets. Adriatic, New York $200,000 1216,250 Allemania, Cleveland 250,000 304,027 Alps, Erie 250,000 340,687 Amazon, Cincinnati 500,000 850,000 American Central, St. Louis 275,000 365,161 American Exchange, New York 200,000 225,491 American, New !^ork 400,000 1,000,500 American, Philadelphia 400,000 i,i33,593 Arctic, New York 250,000 349,877 Atlantic, Brooklyn 200,000 200,000 Atlantic, Providence iEtna, Hartford 3,000,000 6,400,502 jEtna, New York 200,000 202,493 Bangor, Bangor 300,000 Black River, Watertown 250,000 250,000 Brewers', Milwaukee 200,000 377,9i8 Brewers and Maltsters', New York. . 350,000 260,796 Capital, New York 200,000 125,000 Capital City, Albany 150,000 177,142 Citizens, New York 300,000 780,793 City, New York 210,000 500,523 City, Providence 100,000 172.150 Clinton, New York 250,000 44^,339 Columbia, New York 300,000 467, 198 Commerce, Albany 200,000 420,203 Commerce, New York 200,000 253, 146 Commercial, New York 200,000 335,982 Connecticut, Hartford 500,000 500,363 Continental, New York 1,000,000 2,509,526 Com Exchange, New York 200,000 309,936 Delaware Mutual Safety, Philadel... 360,000 202,255 Eastern, Bangor 225,000 335,ooo Empire City, New York 200,000 280,000 Equitable, New York 210,000 460,000 Equitable, Providence 200,000 430,000 Exchange, New York 150,000 282,221 Fame, Philadelphia 200,000 217,614 Fairfield County, Connecticut 200,000 275,000 Farmers, New York 100,000 189,219 Farragut, New York 189,219 Firemen's, New York 204.000 340,6i6 Firemen's Fund, San Francisco 500,000 856,788 Firemen's Trast, New York 150,000 242,255 Franklin, Philadelphia 400,000 3,255,749 Gebhard, New York 200,000 250,667 Germania, New York 500,000 1,033,602 BUSINESS IN Losses in Boston. Will pay. $7,500 All. 5,000 " 34,000 20,000 " 15,000 K 10,000 " 75,000 (I 500,000 " 100,000 25,500 24,000 1,300,000 " 40,000 50,000 " 85,000 " 55,500 75,000 2,000 " 24,000 " 250,000 90,000 10,000 " 95,000 tl 104,000 " 50.000 " 62,000 U 100,000 " 100,000 " 460,000 " 140,000 375,000 " 180,000 u 10,000 " 20,000 " 314,800 15,000 " 20,600 " 70,000 " 5,000 " 20,000 " 122,000 t( 70,000 " 5,000 420,000 " 22,500 400,000 S8 THE BOSTON FIRE. Companies. Capital. Globe, New York $200,000 German, Erie 200,000 German American, New York 1,000,000 Girard, Philadelphia 300,000 Glens Falls, New York 200,000 Greenwich, New York Guardian, New York 200,000 Hanover, New York 400 000 Hartford, Connecticut 1,000,000 Hoffman, New York 200,000 Home, New York 2,500,000 Home, Columbus 500,000 Hope, New York 150,000 Humboldt 2oo,oco Ins. Co. N. A., Philadelphia 500,000 Ins. Co. St. Penn., Philadelphia 200,000 Irving, New York 200,000 International, New York. 500,000 Importers and Traders', New York. . 200,000 Jefferson, New York 200,000 King's County, New York 150,000 Lafaj'ette, New York 150,000 Lamar, New York 200,000 Lenox, New York 100,000 Lorillard, New York 300,000 Lycoming, Muncy, Pa Manhattan, New York 250,000 Market, New York 200,000 Mechanics and Traders', New York. 200,000 Mercantile, New York 200,000 Meriden, Conn 200,000 Merchants', Providence 200,000 Montauk, New York 150,000 Merchants', New York 200,000 Narragansett, Providence 500,000 National, Bangor 200,000 National, Philadelphia 200,000 National, Hartford 500,000 National, New York 200,000 New Hampshire, Manchester 100,000 New York and Yonkers 200,000 Niagara, New York 1,000,000 Orient, Connecticut 500,000 Pacific, New York 200,000 Penn, Philadelphia 152,600 Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 400,000 Penn. Underwriters', Philadelphia... 200,000 Phenix, Brooklyn 1,000,000 Phoenix, Connecticut 600,000 Relief, New York 200,000 Assets. ^ Losses in Boston. Will pay. $327,748 $15,000 All. 237,083 50,000 " 1,000,000 109,000 (i 571,423 50,000 " 577,312 50,000 20,000 t( 266,15s 50,000 u 950,000 225,000 it 2,942,061 522,000 " 299.741 100,000 " 4,672,044 100,000 (( 871,453 40,000 " 203,101 50,000 " 304,090 3,212,176 230,000 900,000 60 p. c. All. 447,934 75,000 " 250.000 105,500 " 1,065.113 295,850 417,000 32,000 75 p. c. All. 415,919 10,000 " 249,758 211,789 5,000 5,000 (I 252,000 104,000 " 200,000 18,000 " 300,000 92,000 " 10,000 260,000 54,000 (( 200,000 100,000 " 474,758 25,000 (I 293,294 68,800 " 240,000 380,982 33,000 210,000 u 297,407 475,088 5,000 126,500 t( 773,823 300,000 l( 449,560 75 P- c. 300,000 25,000 All. 517,205 115,000 297,468 140,000 i( 150,174 10,000 200,000 70,000 1,256,240 366,000 ti 575,761 170,000 " 468 324 15,000 161,370 5,000 " 1,257,554 500,000 15,000 1,827,660 1,908,831 450,00c 500,000 (I 325,033 45,000 " INSURANCE LOSSES. Companies. Capital. Republic, New York $300,000 Safeguard, New York 200,000 Standard, New York 200,000 Star, New York 200,000 St. Nicholas, New York 150,000 St. Paul's F. and M., St. Paul 400,000 State, Philadelphia State, Hannibal, Missouri Traders', Chicago 500,000 Tradesmen's, New York 150,000 Triumph, Cincinnati 500,000 Union, Bangor 200,000 Union, San Francisco 750,000* Union Mutual, Philadelphia 139,820 United States, New York 250,000 Washington , New York 200,000 Washington, Providence 200,000 Westchester, New York 200,000 Williamsburgh City, New York 200,000 80 Assets. Losses in Boston. IVill pay. $503-774 $200,000 All. 240,000 15,000 " 453,180 357>ooo (( 372,326 150,000 i( 239,494 15 000 532,629 20,000 5,000 10,000 600,000 60,000 ti 435,000 240,000 (I 850,000 50.000 " 540,785 150,000 " 1,039,015 90,000 " 259,725 34500 5,000 « 213,061 50,000 50 p. 203,062 All. 700,000 100,000 " 550,673 184,700 (( FOREIGN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN BOSTON. Companies. Capital. Commercial Union, England $1,250,000 Hamburg Imperial, England 3,500,000 Liverpool and London and Globe.... 1,956,760 London Assurance Corporation Lancashire, England 10,000,000 North British and Mercantile 1,250,000 Queen, England 899,000 Royal, England 1,445,475 Jati. I, 1871. Losses. $12,000,000 $300,000 1,000,000 45,000 5,702,652 880,000 20,106,900 1,731.500 15,220,000 104,000 12,500,000 125,000 5,410,333 600,000 2,400.361 400,000 50,109,293 1,200,000 The following table shows the date of organization and the average annual dividend of the bankrupt insurance companies in this city : When Companies. organized. Boston 1823 Boy Iston 1825 City 1850 Eliot 1851 Faneuil Hall 1871 Firemen's 1831 Av. ann. Div'nd. 90 THE BOSTON FIRE. JV/ieM Av. atm. Companies. organized. Div'nd. Franklin 1823 .og Howard 1856 .10 Lawrence 1870 .00 Manufacturers' 1822 .17 Mercantile 1823 .10 Merchants' 1810 .19 National 1832 .15 Neptune 1831 ,16 North American 1851 .11 Prescott 1856 .07 Shoe and Leather 1855 ,10 Suffolk ., 1859 'OS Tremont 1867 .05 Washington i8s6 .11 APPENDIX APPENDIX COMMOWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. In the Year One Thousand Eight Hundred and Seventy-Two. AN ACT To enable the City of Boston to make and issue its bonds for certain purposes. B. U enacte^ty tke Senate and ^-- "/ f ^"'''''7^1^""'' Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows . SECTION I The city of Boston is hereby authorized to make and issue twenty miUions of dollars, bearing an interest of not more than hve pe TerviL a ^hall be fixed by the eity eouncil, to be pa.d by sa.d aty Tect X The duties and powe,, of said eomm.sstoners shall be as follorthey are hereby authorized to loan, in a safe and judtctous 94 THE BOSTON FIRE. manner, the proceeds of the bonds hereby authorized to be issued, in such sums as they shall determine, to the owners of land, the buildings upon which were burned by the fire in said Boston, on the ninth and tenth days of November, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-two, upon the notes or bonds of such owners, secured by first mortgages of said land, said mortgages to be conditioned that the rebuilding shall be commenced within one year from the first day of January, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and said commissioners to have full power to apply the proceeds of said bonds in making said loans in such manner, and to make such further provisions, conditions, and limitations in reference to said loans, and securing the same, as shall be best calculated, in their judgment, to insure the employment of the same in rebuilding upon said land burned over, and the payment thereof to the said city. The loans upon such mortgages shall be payable in not more than ten years from date, and at a rate of interest of seven per centum per annum, payable semi-annually. When said loans are made, and the mortgages to secure them are com- pleted, the said mortgages, notes, bonds, and securities connected therewith, are to be delivered by said commissioners to the treasurer of the city of Boston. The bonds hereby mentioned are to be negotiated and sold by and under the direction of said commissioners ; but all proceeds received from such negotiation and sale are to be paid to the treasurer of said city. Said commissioners shall have authority to withhold the payment of any portion of a loan agreed to be made to an owner of land burned over by said fire, when it shall be necessary in their judgment so to do, to insure the speedy rebuilding on said land. Sect. 4. A sinking fund shall be established for the payment of the bonds issued under this act, which shall consist of all premiums from the sale of said bonds above their par value, of all receipts of interest upon loans made under the authority of this act, over and above the interest paid on said bonds, and of all payments of the loans made under the authority of this act. The city treasurer shall keep an account of all sums received for said sinking fund, and the same shall be invested from time to time under the direction and authority of the commissioners of the sinking fund of the city of Boston ; and the receipts of income from the sums so invested shall be held as a part of said fund, and be re-invested in the same manner as the principal. [And said commissioners of said sinking fund are authorized to invest any part thereof, in buying and cancelling the bonds issued by virtue of this act.] And when the bonds of said city, authorized by this act, become due and payable, said sinking fund shall be used and applied to the payment thereof. THE CITY LOAN. 95 Sect. 5. Vacancies in said board of commissioners shall be filled by the remaining commissioner or commissioners and the mayor of said city. And upon all matters that come before said board, they are to act by a majority of the board. Said commissioners, or any of them, may be removed from office by the supreme judicial court in their discretion upon complaint of the mayor of said city, or of any ten citizens thereof, beincT tax payers, and said court is hereby empowered to adjudicate upon said°complaint according to the course of proceedings in equity, and to make all proper decrees touching the same. If, from any cause, there shall be at any time vacancies in the whole of said board of commissioners then new commissioners are to be appointed, as is hereinbefore provided for first filling said board. , , r Sect 6 The treasurer of the city of Boston shall have the custody of all money received from the sale of the bonds hereby authorized, of all notes, bonds, mortgages, and securities taken by said commissioners, and of all money paid thereon, and of all money and securities belonging to said sinking fund, and shall give bond to said city with sureties for the faithful discharge of his duties under this act, to the satisfaction of the mayor of said city; and shall receive such compensation for his duties under this act as shall be determined by the city council of said city. He shall pay out the proceeds of the bonds sold to the persons to whom loans have been made under this act by said commissioners, upon the warrant of said commissioners signed by a majority of the board. He shall keep a separate account of all sums received and paid out under this act and in the execution thereof, and also ofahe receipts and payments on' account of said sinking fund, and of its condition, which accounts shall at all times be open to the inspection of the committee on finance and the city council of said city; and he shall, at the end of each half year, make a full report of his doings under this act, to the city council of said city, which shall be published in the newspapers m which the ordinances of the city are published. Sect 7 The said commissioners shall keep a true and careful record of all their doings under this act, also of the loans made, and the mort- gages taken by them ; and for this purpose t^ey are authorized to appoint a clerk, whose compensation shall be fixed by the city council, and paid by said city. And said record shall at all times be open to the mspection of the committee on finance and of the city council of said city. And the commissioners shall at the end of each quarter make a full report of their doings to the city council, which shall be published m the news- papers in which the ordinances of the city are published. g6 THE BOSTON FIRE Sect. 8. No loan under this act shall be made by said commissioners after one year from the first day of January, in the year 1873; but this shall not prevent the carrying into execution any contract for a loan under this act made by said commissioners before the expiration of said year, although the whole of said loan may not have been paid to the borrower before the expiration of said year. Sect. 9. This act shall take effect upon its passage, but no action shall be taken under its provisions until it has been accepted by the city council of said city. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Chapter 375. AN ACT To authorize the formation of Insurance companies, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Sena^ and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows Section i. Any ten or more persons residents of this Commonwealth, who shall have associated themselves together by an agreement, in writing, such as is hereinafter described, with the intention to constitute a corpora- tion for the purpose of transacting the business of insurance, either upon the stock or mutual principle, against loss or damage by fire, by lightning, by tempest, or by the perils of the sea, and other perils usually insured against by marine insurance companies, including risks of inland naviga- tion and transportation, shall become a corporation upon complying with the provisions of section nine of this act, and shall remain a corporation, with all the powers, rights, and privileges, and subject to all the duties, liabilities, and restrictions set forth in all general laws which are or maybe in force relating to insurance corporations. Sect. 2. Such agreement shall set forth the fact that the subscribers thereto associate themselves with the intention to constitute a corporation, THE INSURANCE ACT. 97 the name by which the corporation shall be known, the class or classes of insurance for the transaction of which the corporation is constituted, the plan or principle upon which the business is to be conducted, the town or city, which town or city shall be within this Commonwealth, in which it is established or located, and if a joint-stock company, the amount of its capital stock, and if a mutual company, with a guarantee capital, the amount thereof. The capital stock of a joint-stock company insuring against loss or damage by fire, or by fire and lightning only, shall not beless than two hundred thousand dollars if the company is located in Boston, and not less than one hundred thousand dollars if located elsewhere. If insuring marine or inland risks, either alone or in conjunction with fire risks, its capital stock shall not be less than three hundred thousand dollars if the company is located in Boston, and not less than two hundred thousand dollars if located elsewhere. Sect. 3. Any mutual fire insurance company may be organized under the provisions of this act with a guarantee capital of not less than one hundred thousand dollars, and not more than three hundred thousand dollars, divided into shares of one hundred dollars each, and no policy shall be issued by such corporation until the whole amount of the guar- antee capital fixed by the articles of association has been paid in in cash, and invested in accordance with the provisions of section thirty-one of chapter fifty-eight of the General Statutes, and chapter twenty-nine of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-four. Sect. 4. Any mutual marine and mutual fire and marine insurance company may be organized under the provisions of this act, with a per- manent fund of not less than four hundred thousand dollars, subscribed ujider the provisions of sections thirty-five and thirty-seven of chapter fifty-eight of the General Statutes ; and no policy shall be issued by such corporation until one half said permanent fund has been paid in in cash, which shall be divided into shares of one hundred dollars each. Such corporations may increase said permanent fund to an amount not exceed- ing one million of dollars. Sect. 5, Any name, not previously in use by any existing corporation or company, may be adopted : provided, that the words " insurance company " shall constitute a part of the title ; and if the business is to be conducted upon the mutual principle, the words " mutual insurance com- pany" shall constitute a part of such title. No certificate shall be granted to any corporation as hereinafter provided, if, in the judgment of the insurance commissioner, the name adopted too closely resembles the name of an existing corporation or company, or is likely to mislead the public. 5 98 THE BOSTON FIRE. Sect. 6. The first meeting for the purpose of organization shall be called by a notice, signed by one or more of the subscribers to such agree- ment, stating the time, place, and purpose of the meeting, a copy of yvhich notice shall, seven days at least before the day appointed, be given to each subscriber, or left at his usual place of business or residence, or deposited in the post-office, postage prepaid, and addressed to him at his usual place of business or residence. And whoever gives such notices shall make affidavit of his doings, which shall be entered upon the records of the company : provided^ hovoever, that when organizations shall be commenced prior to the first day of January, in the year eighteen hun- dred and seventy-three, the foregoing notice may be waived by a written acknowledgment of the receipt of notice signed by the subscribers, which shall be sufficient evidence that due notice has been given. Sect. 7. At such first meeting, including any adjournment thereof, an organization shall be effected by the choice by ballot of a temporary clerk, who shall be sworn to the faithful discharge of his duty, by the adoption of by-laws and by the election, in the manner provided by law, of directors and such other officers as the by-laws require; but at such first meeting no person shall be elected director who has not subscribed to the articles of association. The temporary clerk shall record the proceed- ings until and including the qualification of the secretary of the corpora- tion by his being duly sworn. Sect. 8. The directors so chosen shall elect a president, a secretary, and any other officers which under the by-laws they are authorized to choose. Sect. 9. The president, secretary, and a majority of the directors shall forthwith make, sign, and swear to a certificate setting forth a copy of the articles of association, with the names of the subscribers thereto, the date of the first meeting, and, of any adjournments thereof, and shall submit such certificate and the records of the corpora- tion to the inspection of the insurance commissioner, who shall examine the same, and who may require such other evidence as he may judge necessary. The commissioner, if it shall appear that the requirements of the preceding sections of this act have been complied with, shall certify that fact, and his approval of the certificate, by indorsement thereon. Such certificate shall thereupon be filed in the office of the secretary of the Commonwealth by said officers, and upon being paid by them the fee hereinafter provided, the secretary shall cause the same, with the indorse- ment thereon, to be recorded, and shall thereupon issue to said corpora- tion a certificate in the following form : THE INSURANCE ACT. 99 Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Be it known, that whereas [here the names of subscribers to the articles of association shall be inserted], have associated themselves with the intention of forming a corporation under the name of [here the name of the corporation shall be inserted], for the purpose [here the purpose declared in the articles of association shall be inserted], with a capital or with a permanent fund of [here amount of capital or permanent fund fixed in the articles of association shall be inserted], and have complied with the provisions of the statutes of this Commonwealth in such case made and provided, as appears from the certificate of the president, secretary, and directors of said corporation, duly approved by the insurance commissioner, and recorded in this office. Now, there- fore, I [here the name of the secretary shall be inserted], secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby certify that said [here the names of the subscribers to the articles of association shall be inserted], their associates and successors, are legally organized and established asj and are hereby made an existing corporation under the name of [here the name of the corporation shall be inserted], with the powers, rights, and privileges, and subject Vo the duties, liabilities, and restrictions which by law appertain thereto. Witness my official signature hereunto sub- scribed, and the seal of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts hereunto affixed this day of , in the year of our Lord . [In these blanks the day, month, and year of execution of the certificate shall be inserted, and in the case of purely mutual compa- nies, so much as relates to capital stock shall be omitted.] The secretary of the Commonwealth shall sign the same, and cause the seal of the Commonwealth to be thereto affixed, and such certificate shall have the force and effect of a special charter, and be conclusive evi- dence of the organization and establishment of such corporation. The secretary shall also cause a record of such certificate to be made, and a copy of such record, duly certified, may, with like effect as the original certificate, be given in evidence, to prove the organization and establish- ment of such corporation. Sect. id. No policy shall be issued by a purely mutual company or- ganized under the provisions of this act, until the sum of five hundred thousand dollars shall have been subscribed to be insured and entered on the books of the company : provided, however, that in any town of less than four thousand inhabitants, a company may be organized under the provisions of this act, to insure dwelling-houses, farm buildings, and con- LOFC. lOO THE BOSTON FIRE. tents only, within the limits of the town where said company is located, and may issue policies when fifty thousand dollars have been subscribed to be insured. Sect. ii. The holders of stock in mutual fire insurance companies with a guarantee capital, organized under the provisions of this act, shall be entitled to a net semi-annual dividend not exceeding six per cent, on their respective shares, if the net profit, after providing for all expenses, losses, and liabilities then incurred, including a sum sufficient to reinsure all outstanding risks, is sufficient from time to time to pay the same ; and if any such dividend is less than six per cent., it shall be made up when such net profit becomes sufficient therefor. Three fourths of said net profit, after the payment of said dividends, shall be credited to, and, at the expiration of the policies, divided among the insured, and the remain- ing one fourth shall be invested and be a reserve for the security of the insured ; but when, from time to time, the reserve shall exceed five per cent, on the amount insured, the whole of said net profit in excess of said reserve of five per cent, shall, after the payment of said dividends, be divided among the insured at the expiration of their policies. The guai-antee capital shall be applied to the payment of losses only when the other cash funds have been exhausted ; and if the guarantee capital shall at any time be reduced, it shall be replaced from the first ac- cumulation of the reserve, or the directors may, at their discretion, replace the whole, or any part of it, by assessments upon the contingent funds in the possession of the company at the time of said reduction. Shareholders and policy-holders in corporations referred to in this sec- tion shall be subject to the same provisions of law in voting at all meet- ings of such corporations as apply respectively to shareholders in joint- stock companies and policy-holders in purely mutual companies, and the directors may be elected from the stockholders or policy-holders, not less than one half being from the holders of stock. Such companies may insure property located in any part of the United States, and for its full value, and shall be subject to the provisions of chapter two hundred and eighty-three of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five. Sect. 12, The holders of shares ii-uthe permanent fund of any mutual marine, or mutual fire or marine insurance company, shall be entitled to a semi-annual dividend of not exceeding six per cent., and the makers of the promissory notes constituting any part of such fund shall be entitled to a semi-annual dividend not exceeding two and one half per cent, of the amount of such notes, if the net profits and income of the company, after providing for all expenses, losses, and liabilities then existing, including a THE INSURANCE ACT. lOI sum sufficient to reinsure all outstanding risks, as provided by the laws of the Commonwealth, are sufficient to pay the same ; and if any dividends are less than those amounts respectively, the same shall be made up when such net profits and income become sufficient therefor. The directors may declare, each year, a dividend of the remainder of such net profits and income on the premiums received on risks terminated during the year, and issue certificates therefor, as provided in the general laws relating to mutual marine or mutual fire and marine insurance com- panies : provided, that no such certificate shall be redeemed until the accu- mulation of net profits exceed the sum of five hundred thousand dollars, and no certificates shall be redeemed until the directors so determine. The shareholders in corporations referred to in this section shall be the members of the company, and subject to the same provisions of law in voting at all meetings of such corporations as apply to shareholders in joint-stock companies. All such companies shall be subject to the pro- visions of chapter two hundred and eighty-three of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and sixty-five. Sect. 13. Any joint-stock insurance company organized under the provisions of this act may, at a meeting called for the purpose, increase the amount of its capital stock, and the number of shares therein, and, within thirty days after the payment or collection of the last instaln:\ent of such increase, shall present to the insurance commissioner a certificate set- 'ting forth the amount of such increase, and the fact of such payment, signed and sworn to by the president, secretary, and a majority of the directors of such corporation. The insurance commissioner shall examine the certificate, and ascertain the character of the investments of such increase; and, if the same conforms to law, shall endorse his approval thereof, and such certificate shall then be filed with the secretary of the Commonwealth, and thereupon the company shall be authorized to transact business upon the capital so increased, and the insurance commissioner shall issue his certificate to that effect; and any mutual insurance company with a guarantee capital may, within the limits authorized by this act, in- crease its capital in the same manner as a joint stock insurance company. Sect. 14. The fees to be paid for filing and recording the certificates required by sections nine and thirteen, to be filed with the secretary of the Commonwealth, shall be as follows : For the certificate required by section nine, twenty-five dollars. For the certificate required by section thirteen, five dollars. Sect. 15. Corporations organized under the provisions of this act may hold real estate for the purposes of their business, to an amount not exceeding twenty-five per cent, of their cash assets. I02 THE BOSTON FIRE. Sect. i6. No insurance corporation or association of any other State or country shall be hereafter admitted to do business in this State, unless it has at least the amount of unimpaired capital stock or funds required of like corporations or associations hereafter organized in this State, located in the city of Boston ; and the provisions of this section, relating to capital stock or funds, shall be held applicable to all insurance corporations or associations of any other State or country doing business in this State, after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and seventy-four. Sect. 17. No joint-stock insurance company organized under the laws of this Commonwealth, and doing the business of insurance under such organization, shall declare cash dividends exceeding in amount six per cent, semi-annually on their capital stock ; but any such company may issue /r<7 rata to its stockholders certificates of such portion of its profits and income as the directors may from time to time determine, not includ- ing therein any portion of the premium money of risks not terminated, and after providing for all expenses, losses, and liabilities then incurred ; and the capital stock of such company shall be increased by the amount of the certificates of stock so issued ; and whenever any increase of capi- tal shall be made by any insurance company under the provisions of this act, a certificate thereof shall be filed with the insurance commissioner, whose duty it shall be to certify to the amount of the capital stock of the company so increased, in like manner as by law is provided in case of the organization of joint-stock insurance companies. Sect. 18. The mayor and aldermen of the several cities, and the selectmen of towns having more than four thousand inhabitants, shall, before the first day of O.ctober, in the year eighteen hundred and seventy- three, divide their respective cities and towns into fire-insurance districts, and, immediately thereafter, file plans and specifications thereof with the insurance commissioner, and the same shall be subject to his approval; and if he disapprove the same, the mayor and aldermen or selectmen shall forthwith redistrict such city or town in conformity to his requirement. And no company or association transacting the business of fire insurance in this Commonwealth shall, after said first day of October, take or have at risk on property other than dwelling-houses, farm buildings, and their contents, in any town or such fire-insurance district of a city or town therein, an amount exceeding its net assets available for the payment of losses in Massachusetts ; and in computing the assets of such company or association insuring property upon the mutual principle, its premium notes shall be included. When, from any cause, the net assets, as aforesaid, of any such company or association shall be reduced to a sum less than the THE INSURANCE ACT. I03 amount taken or held at risk in any town or any such fire-insurance dis- trict, as provided in this section, such company or association shall forth- with either cancel or return to the holder the unearned portion of the pre- mium upon policies upon property in such territory, to an amount equal to the difference between the net assets and the amount taken or held at risk, as aforesaid, or effect reinsurance upon such property for a like sum ; and no such cancellation shall take place except after notice to the holder of the policy. Every such company or association shall, annually, on or be- fore the fifteenth day of January, return to the insurance commissioner a sworn statement of the amount taken or held at risk in each town or fire- insurance district of a city in this Commonwealth, on the thirty-first day of December next preceding. The insurance commissioner may, when- ever he deems expedient, require of said companies or associations such a statement, or any part thereof; he may also require such other informa- tion, and adopt such rules and regulations, as he may deem proper and necessary to procure reliable information upon this subjects For every policy issued in violation of the provisions of this section, by an insurance company incorporated under the laws of this Commonwealth, the presi- dent and secretary thereof shall, severally, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of fifty dollars. Any agent of company or association not in- corporated under the laws of this Commonwealth, but duly authorized to transact business therein, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of fifty dollars for each policy issued in violation of the provisions of this section, and upon a second conviction, his certificate of agency or license shall he revoked by the insurance commissioner. Sect. 19. Any existing mutual fire insurance company, at a meeting specially called for that puipose, may, by a major vote of the policy-hold- ers present and voting thereon, acquire a guarantee capital, as hereinbefore provided for mutual fire insurance companies with a guarantee capital ; and, within thirty days after the payment or collection of the last instal- ment of the subscription to such guarantee capital, shall present to the in- surance commissioner a certificate setting forth the fact of such vote and of such payment, signed and sworn to by the president, secretary, and a majority of the directors of such company. The insurance commissioner shall examine the certificate, and ascertain the character of the invest- ments of said capital; and, if the same conforms to law, shall endorse his approval thereof, and such certificate shall then be filed with the sec- retary of the Commonwealth , and thereupon such company shall be' authorized and required to transact business as a mutual fire insurance company with a guarantee capital under this act, and the insurance com- missioner shall issue his certificate to that effect. I04 THE BOSTON FIRE. Sect. 20. If any corporation organized under this act does not com- mence to issue policies within one year after, the date of the certiticate of its organization, its corporate powers and existence shall cease. Sect. 21. The provisions of this act, and the franchises, rights, powers, privileges, duties, and liabilities of insurance companies organized under this or any other general act, may be altered, amended, or repealed, and the legislature may annul or dissolve any such corporation. Sect. 22. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Approved, December 18, 1872. Chapter 371. AN ACT In addition to an act to provide for the regulation and inspection of build- ings, the more effectual prevention of fire, and the better preservation of life and property in Boston. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Conrt assembled, and by the azithority of the same, as follows : Section I. Section three of chapter two hundred and sixty of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and seventy-two is amended, so that the same shall read as follows : Buildings other than dwelling-houses shall have walls of the following thickness : For buildings in which the walls do not exceed thirty-five feet in height, the foundation walls shall be laid of block stone in horizonial courses not less than twenty-four inches thick, the external walls shall not be less than sixteen inches thick to the top of the upper floor, and not less than twelve inches thick for the remaining height For buildings in which the walls exceed thirty-five feet in height, the foundation walls shall be laid of block stone in horizontal courses not less than twenty-eight inches thick, the external walls not less than twenty inches thick to the top of the third floor, and not less than sixteen inches thick for the remaining height. All party walls shall not be less than twenty inches thick to the top of THE BUILDING ACT. I05 the second floor above the street, and not less than sixteen inches thick to the under side of the roof-boards, and not less than twelve inches thick for the remaining height. In all buildings over twenty-five feet in width, not having either brick partition walls, or girders supported by columns running from front to rear, the external walls shall be increased four inches in thickness, for every additional twenty-five feet in the width of said building. The amount of materials above specified for external walls may be used either in piers or buttresses : provided, the external walls between the said piers or buttresses shall in no case be less than sixteen inches thick. The bottom course for all foundation walls resting upon the ground shall be at least twelve inches wider than the thickness above given for the foundation walls. Sect. 2. Section twenty-one of chapter two hundred and eighty of the acts of the year eighteen hundred and seventy-one is amended, so that the same shall read as follows : For dwelling-houses with walls not exceeding thirty-five feet in height, foundation waifs, laid with block stone in horizontal courses, or in brick laid in cement, shall be not less than sixteen inches thick, and external and party walls of brick shall be not less than twelve inches thick for the entire height. For dwelling-houses with walls exceeding thirty-five and not exceeding fifty-five feet in height, foundation walls laid with block stone in horizontal courses shall be not less than eighteen inches thick; if of brick, the foundation walls shall be sixteen inches thick, and laid in cement. Ex- ternal brick walls shall be not less than twelve inches thick ; party walls of brick shall not be less than twelve inches thick for the entire height. For dwelling-houses with walls exceeding fifty-five feet in height, foundation walls", laid with block stone in horizontal courses, or brick laid in cement, shall be not less than twenty inches thick. External and party brick walls shall be not less than twelve inches thick for the entire The thickness of foundation walls laid with irregular rubble-work shall be one fourth greater than the thickness given for block stone walls. Sect. 3. The height of every external or party wall, as referred to m this act, or in the act of which this act is an amendment, or in any act in amendment thereof, shall be measured from the level of the sidewalk to its highest point. Sect. 4. The external walls of buildings intended to be used for stables or for workshops of a light character may be built of a less thick- 5* I06 THE BOSTON FIRE. ness than hereinbefore specified : provided, that any such building shall not exceed thirty feet in height to its highest point, and forty feet in length or width, and that the said walls shall in no case be less than twelve inches thick. Vaulted party walls may be used instead of solid walls. They shall be built at least twenty inches thick from the foundation walls to the under side of the roof boarding. Said walls shall be constructed of two outer walls of equal thickness, with an air-space between them of four inches, and tied together, perpendicularly with continuous withes of hard-burned brick of good quality, which shall not be more than three feet apart. The air-space shall be smoothly plastered. Sect. 5, In every brick wall, every ninth course of brick shall be a heading course, except in walls built with some bond in which as much as every ninth course is a heading course, and except where walls are faced with face brick, in which case every ninth course shall be bonded into the backing by cutting the course of the faced brick and putting in diagonal headers behind the same, or by splitting face brick in half, and backing the same by a continuous row of headers. In all walls which are faced with thin ashlar, anchored to the backing, or in which the ashlar has not either alternate headers and stretchers in each course, or alternate heading and stretching courses, the backing of brick shall not be less than twelve inches thick, and shall not be built to a greater height than prescribed for twelve-inch walls. All heading courses shall be good, hard, perfect brick. The backing in all walls, of whatever material it may be composed, shall be of such thickness as to make all walls, the facing of which is less than four inches thick, independent of the facing, conform, as to thickness, with the requirements of sections one and two of this act. Sect, 6, Every building hereafter erected, more than thirty feet in width, except churches, theatres, railroad-station buildings, and other public buildings, shall have one or more brick or stone partition walls running from front to rear, and carried up to a height not less than the top of the second -story floor joists ; said wall or walls may be four inches less in thickness than is called for by the provisions relating to the thickness of walls ; these walls shall be so located that the space between any two of the floor-bearing walls of the building shall not be over twenty-five feet. Iron or wooden girders, supported upon iron or wooden columns, may be substituted in place of partition walls, and shall be made of sufficient strength to bear safely the weight which they are intended to support, in addition to the weight of material employed in their construction, and shall have a footing course and foundation wall not less than eighteen inches in thickness, or piers of a size and strength equivalent thereto. THE BUILDING ACT. I07 Sect, 7. It shall not be lawful to erect, construct, or build any rear, front, party, division or partition wall, upon wooden girders, rafters or lintels, or to support any such wall by any wooden support whatever; but all such supports shall be of iron, brick, or stone, and of sufficient size and strength to support the superstructure. All lintels used to support walls or other weights over openings shall be of sufficient strength and bearing to carry the superimposed weight, and shall, when supported at the end by brick walls or piers, rest upon an iron plate at least two inches thick, the full size of the bearing. No floor-beams shall be supported wholly upon any wood partition, but every beam (except headers and tail beams) shall rest, at one end, not less than four inches in the wall, or upon a girder, as authorized by this act. And eveiy trimmer or header more than four feet long, used in any build- ing except a dwelling, shall be hung in stirrup-irons, of suitable thickness for the size of the timbers. No timber shall be used in any wall of any building where ston,e, brick, or iron is commonly used, except bond timbers and lintels, as hereinbefore provided for, or as may be approved of by the inspector of buildings ; and no bond timber in any wall shall in width and thickness exceed that of a course of brick. No bond timber shall be more than three feet in length, and such bond timbers shall 'be laid not less than eighteen inches apart, parallel to each other, and there shall be eight inches of brick or mason-work between the ends of the same. The butts or ends of all floor beams and rafters entering a brick wall shall be cut on a splay of three inches in their width. All main partitions, supporting in any manner the floor beams or rafters, shall be placed directly over each other, and shall rest on a wall, girder, or hard pine capping, and shall head and foot against each other as far as practicable. Sect. 8. All piers shall be built of good, hard, well-burnt brick, and laid in clear cement, and all bricks used in piers shall be of the hardest quality, and be well wet when laid ; and the walls and piers under all compound, cast-iron, or wooden girders, iron or other columns, shall have a bond iron at least two inches in thickness, and if in a wall, at least two feet in length, running through the wall, and if in a pier, the full size of the thickness thereof, every thirty inches in height from the bottom, whether said pier is in the wall or not, and shall have a cap of iron, at least two inches in thickness, satisfactory to the inspector of buildings, by the whole size of the pier, if in a pier, and if in a wall, it shall be at least two feet in length by the thickness of the wall, and of the thicknesses above specified. All brick walls in buildings other than dwelling-houses shall Io8 THE BOSTON FIRE. be corbelled to receive floor timbers, and such timbers shall be supported thereby. In case vaulted walls are used, the corbelling to receive floor timbers may be dispensed with. In any case where any iron or other column rests on any wall or pier built entirely of stone or brick, the said column shall be set on an iron plate at least two inches thick, of the size of said pier. When any outer wall is supported in whole or in part by columns or pillars, the depth of base and head of such columns or pillars shall be equal to the required thickness of the wall thereby supported. Sect. 9. In all calculations for the strength of materials to be used in any building, the proportion between the safe v/eight and the breaking weight shall be as one to three for all beams, girders, and other pieces subjected to a cross strain, and as one to six for all posts, columns, and other vertical supports, and for all tie-rods, tie-beams, and other pieces subjected to a tensile strain ; and the requisite dimensions of each piece of material is to be ascertained by computation by the rules given by the best authorities, using for constants in the rules only such numbers as have been deduced from experiments on materials of like kind with that proposed to be used. Sect. 10. In no case shall the side, end, or party wall of any build- ing be carried up in advance of the rear walls. The front, rear, side, end, and party walls of any building hereafter to be erected shall be anchored to each other every ten feet in their height, by tie-anchors, made of at least one and a quarter inch by three eighths of an inch, wrought iron. The said anchors shall be built into the side or party walls not less than thirty-six inches, and into the front and rear walls at least one half the thickness of the front and rear walls, so as to secure the front and rear walls to the side, end, or party walls. The side, end, or party walls shall be anchored at each tier of beams, at intervals of not more than ten feet apart, with good strong wrought- iron anchors, at least one half inch by one and one half inch ; well built into the side walls, and fastened to the top of the beams, and where the beams are supported by girders, the ends of the beams resting on the girder shall be butted together, end to end, and strapped by wrought iron ■straps," or tie-irons, at the same distances apart, and on the same beams as the wall-anchors, and shall be well fastened. All mortar shall be of the best quality for the purpose for which it is applied. Sect. ii. All party walls shall be carried up to a height of not less than two and one half feet above the roof covering, with the full thick- ness of the party wall, and shall be coped with stone or iron, securely THE BUILDING ACT. IO9 fastened. And where there is a flat, hip, or pitch roof, the party wall shall be carried up to a height of not less than two and one half feet above the roof covering, at every part of said roof, and shall be corbelled at least twelve inches, or to the outer edge of all projections on the front or rear walls of the building. And where the roof is of the kind known as Mansard, or French, or of any style excepting as above specified, unless the same is constructed of fire-proof materials throughout, the party wall shall be carried up to a height of not less than two and one half feet above the flat or upper slope of said roof, and shall extend through the lower slope, at least eighteen inches distant from the parallel with the roof covering, and be corbelled out at least twelve inches, or to the outer edge of all projections, and shall be coped with stone or iron: provided^ that if a gutter-stone of suitable dimensions and properly balanced shall be inserted, it shall be equivalent to corbelling. All roof or floor timbers entering tlie same party wall from opposite sides shall have at least four inches solid brickwork between the ends of said timbers. Sect. 12. All stores or storehouses that may hereafter be built in said city, which are more than forty-five feet in height above the curb level, shall have doors, blinds, or shutters, made of fire-proof metal, on every window and entrance where the same do not open on a street. When in any such building the shutters, blinds, or doors cannot be put on the outside of such door or window, they shall be put on the inside, and if placed oh the inside shall be hung upon an iron frame independent of the woodwork of the window-frame or door; and every such door, blind, or shutter shall be closed upon the completion of the business of each day by the occupant having the use or control of the same ; and all fire-proof shutters or blinds, that now are or may hereafter be put upon the front or sides of any building on the street fronts, must be so constructed that they can be closed and opened from the outside above the first story. Sect. 13. All buildings hereafter erected, to be used for railroad sta- tions, public assemblies, schoolhouses, hotels, lodging or tenement-houses, and manufactories, where there are to be more than twenty-five persons resident, assembled, or employed, above the first floor, shall be provided with staircases of, and enclosed with, non-combustible materials, and of a width to be approved by the inspector of buildings, and provided with doors opening outward. Sect. 14. Any building already erected, or that may hereafter be erected, in which operatives are employed in any of the stories above the second story, shall be provided with such fire-escapes as shall be directed no THE BOSTON FIRE. and approved by the inspector of buildings. And the owner or owners of any buildings upon which any fire-escapes may now be, or may here- after be erected, shall keep the same in good repair and well painted. And no person shall at any time place any incumbrance of any kind whatever upon any said fire-escapes now erected, or that may hereafter be erected in said city. Sect. 15. All buildings in the city of Boston hereafter to be built shall have scuttle-frames and covers, or bulkheads and doors on the roof, made of or covered with fire-proof material, and all scuttles shall have stationary ladders leading to the same, and all such scuttles or ladders shall be kept so as to be ready for use at all times, and all scuttles shall not be less in size than two by three feet ; and if a bulkhead is used or substituted in any building in place of a scuttle, it shall have stairs with a sufficient guard or hand-rail leading to the roof; and in case the build- ing shall be a tenement-house, the door in the bulkhead, or any scuttle, shall at no time be locked, but may be fastened on the inside by movable hooks or locks. Sect. 16. No smoke-pipe in any building with wooden or combusti- ble floors and ceilings shall hereafter enter any flue unless the said pipe where it enters the flue shall be at least twelve inches from either the floors or ceilings ; and in all cases where smoke-pipes pass through stud or wooden partitions of any kind, whether the same be plastered or not, they shall be guarded by a soapstone ring, not less than four inches in thickness, and extend through the partition. In all cases where hot water, steam, hot-air, or other furnaces are used, the furnace smoke-pipe must be kept at least two feet below the beams or ceiling above the same, unless said beams or ceiling shall be properly protected by a shield or tin plate suspended at least one inch below said beams or ceiling above said smoke- pipe; and the top of all furnaces set in brick must be covered with brick, supported by iron bars and so constructed as to be perfectly tight ; said covering to be in addition to and not less than six inches from the ordi- nary covering to the hot-air chamber. If, however, there is not height enough to build the furnace top to at least four inches below the floor- beams or ceilings, then the floor-beams must be trimmed around the fur- nace, and said covering and the trimmers and headers must be at least four inches from the same. The top of eveiy portable furnace not set in brick shall be kept at least one foot below the beams or ceiling with a shield of tin plate, made tight, and suspended not less than one inch below the said beams or ceilings, and extended one foot beyond the top of the furnace on all sides. All hot-air registers hereafter placed in the THE BUILDING ACT. Ill floor of any building shall be set in soapstone borders not less than two inches in width. All soapstone borders to be firmly set in plaster of Pai'is or gauged mortar. All floor register-boxes to be made of tin plate, with a flange on the top to fit the groove in the soapstone, the register to rest upon the same. There shall also be an open space of one inch on all sides of the register-box, extending from the under side of the ceiling, below the register, to the soapstone in the floor ; the outside of said space to be covered with a casting of tin plate, made tight on all sides, to extend from the under side of the aforesaid ceiling up to and turn under the said soapstone. Registers of fifteen by twenty-five inches, or more, shall have a space of two inches. No woodwork shall be placed at a less distance than one inch from any tin or other metal flue or flues, pipe or pipes, used or intended to be used to convey heated air in any building, unless pro- tected by a soapstone or earthen ring or tube, or a metal casing so con- structed as to permit free circulation of air around said pipes or flues. In all cases where hot-water, steam, hot-air, or other furnaces or ranges, are hereafter placed, or their location changed, in any building, due notice shall first be given to the inspector of buildings, by the person or persons placing said furnace or ranges in said building. In all cases where ranges or boilers are set, the outside of the flue to the same shall be plastered on the outside directly upon the bricks up to the ceiling of the room. Sect. 17. If any chimney, flue, or heating apparatus on any premises in the city of Boston shall, in the opinion of the inspector of buildings, be dangerous or unsafe by reason of endangering the premises by fire or otherwise, the inspector shall at once notify, in writing, the owner, agent, or other party having an interest in said premises, and shall require him to make the same safe ; and upon neglect of said person so notified to com- ply with the provisions of said notice, for a period of twenty-four hours after the service of said notice upon him, he shall at once become liable to a penalty of not less than twenty, nor more than fifty dollars, for every day's continuance of said unsafe structure. Sect. 18. All boiler or engine-rooms hereafter constructed in any building other than dwelling-houses shall be constructed of brick and iron, and shall be so arranged that all openings between the said boiler or engine-room, and other parts of the building in which it is placed, shall be closed by iron or metal covered doors, which shall be securely closed at the close of each day. Upon a license being granted by the mayor and board of aldermen of the city of Boston for the erection of a steam-boiler, engine, or furnace 112 THE BOSTON FIRE. for melting glass, iron, or other metal, in any building in the said city, the person or persons receiving said license shall, before setting, erecting, or placing said boiler, engine, or furnace, file an application for a permit therefor, with the inspector of buildings, who shall prescribe such regula- tions for the setting or placing thereof as the public safety may require ; and no person or persons shall erect, set, or place any boiler, engine, fur- nace, or oven without a permit from said inspector. All flues for ranges, boilers, furnaces, and ovens, shall be of brick- work, eight inches in thickness, to a height of twenty-five feet above such ranges, boilers, furnaces, or ovens. Sect, 19. No Mansard or other roof shall be constructed more than one story in height, nor more than twenty feet in height from the upper floor of the building upon which it is placed, to the highest part of said roof, unless the same is constructed of fire-proof material throughout. No bay window shall be constructed of wood, which shall extend more than three feet above the second story from the street. All the exterior parts of any building or buildings hereafter erected, which are more than forty-five feet above the level of the sidewalk, shall be made of or covered with non-combustible material, to be approved by the inspector of buildings. All fire-proof cornices shall be well secured to the walls with iron anchors, independent of any woodwork ; and in all cases the walls shall be carried up to the planking of the roof, and where the cornice projects above the roof, the wall shall be carried up to the top of the cornices, and all exterior wooddn cornices that shall here- after require to be replaced shall be constructed of some non-combus- tible material, as required for new buildings ; and all exterior wooden cornices or gutters that may hereafter be damaged by fire shall be taken down, and, if replaced, shall be constructed of fire-proof material. All buildings hereafter erected shall be kept provided with proper metallic leaders for conducting the water from the roof to the ground, sewer, or street gutter, in such manner as shall protect the walls and foun- dations from damage ; and in no case shall the water from the said leaders be allowed to flow upon the sidewalk, but shall be conducted by drain- pipe, or pipes, to the street gutter or sewer. Sect. 20. All buildings hereafter erected, the eaves of which exceed sixty feet in height above the level of the sidewalk, shall have the roofs thereof constructed in a fire-proof manner, as hereinafter specified ; but the total height of such buildings, exclusive of chimneys and party walls, shall not exceed seventy-five feet. All joists, beams, rafters, purlins, jack rafters, plates, struts, ties, arches, THE BUILDING ACT. II3 shall be made of cast or wrought iron, or some other metal, stone, brick, cement, mortar, or other incombustible material, and covered with corru- gated iron, sheet or cast iron, tin, copper, zinc, or other metal, or slate, stone, brick, cement, mortar, or other incombustible material. All structures or projections above or outside of the roof, such as domes, cupolas, pavilions, towers, spires, pinnacles, buttresses, lanterns, louvres, luthem and dormer windows, skylights, scuttles, ventilators, cor- nices, gutters, shall be made, constructed, framed, and covered with cast or wrought iron, tin, copper, zinc, or other metal, or stone, slate, brick, cement, or mortar, or other incombustible material. Sect. 21. No building already erected, or hereafter to be built in said city, shall be raised or built upon in such manner that, were such building wholly built or constructed after the passage of this act, it would be in violation of any of the provisions of this act. And before any build- ing built of stone, brick, or iron, or any wooden building with or without a brick front, in any part of said city, shall be enlarged, raised, altered, or built upon, the same shall be first examined by the said inspector, to ascer- tain if the building or buildings, or either of them, are in a good and safe condition to be enlarged, raised, altered, or built upon ; and no such build- ings as aforesaid shall be enlarged, raised, altered, or built upon until after such examination and decision ; and the decision of said inspector, under such examination, shall be final and conclusive in the premises, except as hereinafter provided, and shall be made without delay. Sect. 22. The inspector of buildings shall have full power to pass upon any question arising under the provisions of this act, relative to the manner of construction, or materials to be used in the erection, alteration, or repair of any building in the city of Boston, and he may require that plans of the proposed erection, alterations, or repairs, shall be submitted for inspection before issuing his permit : provided, however, that should any question arise between the inspector of buildings and the owner or architect of any building, or should the owner or architect object to any order or decision of said inspector, the matter shall be referred to a com- mittee of three persons, who shall be either architects or master-builders, one to be chosen by the inspector of buildings, one by the owner or other interested party, and these two shall choose a third ; and the decision of these referees, submitted in writing, shall be final and conclusive in the premises. PENALTIES. Sect. 23. If any person or persons, whether owner or owners, con- tractor or contractors, builder or builders, shall begin to erect, construct. 114 THE BOSTON FIRE. build, or alter any building or structure, within the city of Boston, without first obtaining a permit from the inspector of buildings of said city, such person or persons shall forfeit and pay the sum of not less than one hun- dred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars, for each and every such offence ; and if any person or persons, as aforesaid, shall proceed to com- plete any building or structure in the city of Boston, without having the same inspected as by law required, or shall violate any or either of the pro- visions of this act, or the act of which this act is an amendment, or of any other act in amendment thereof, for the violation of which no other pen- alties are therein or hereinbefore provided, he or they shall forfeit and pay not less than one hundred dollars, and not more than one thousand dollars, for each and every such violation, and the further sum of one hundred dollars for each and every week that he or they shall maintain any build- ing or structure in violation of any provision of this act, or of the act of which this act is an amendment, or of any other act in amendment thereof. All penalties under this act shall be recoverable by the city of Boston in an action of tort. If any person or persons, whether owner or owners, con- tractor or contractors, builder or builders, shall erect or alter any build- ing or structure in the city of Boston, in violation of any or either of the provisions of this act, or of the act of which this act is an amendment, or of any amendment thereof, it shall be lawful for the supreme judicial court, or any justice thereof, either in term-time or in vacation, to issue forthwith an injunction, restraining such person or persons from further progress in said work until the facts of the case shall have been investi- gated and detennined; and if it shall appear to said court, or to any jus- tice thereof, upon such investigation, that such building or structure does not in all respects conform to the provisions of this act, and of the act of which this act is an amendment, and of all amendments thereof, said court or justice shall issue an injunction to restrain the continuance of the work upon such building or stracture, and shall order the removal, within a time to be fixed by said court or justice, of so much of said building or struc- ture as may be decreed by said court or justice to be in violation of the provisions of this act, or of the act of which this act is an amendment, or of any act in amendment thereof. Sect. 24. The provisions of this act shall not apply to the passenger stations of the Boston and Lowell, and Boston and Providenae Railroad corporations, now in process of erection in the city of Boston ; but such precautions shall be provided for protection against, and for the extin- guishment of, fire, under the penalties of this act, as the inspector of pub- lic buildings shall require. THE BUILDING ACT. II5 SECT 25 The inspector and assistant inspector of the department for the survey and inspection of buildings in the city of Boston, shall be able and experienced architects, builders, or mechanics, competent to perform all the duties of the office to which they are appointed, and such mspectors shall not be employed or engaged in any other vocation, or be interested in any contract or contracts for building or for furnishing materials. Sect. 26. This act shall take effect upon its passage. Approved, December 14, 1872. ^ . ^^6 (D