Feb. 4, 1903: HUDSON, MA - Two firemen were killed and four others were seriously injured by falling walls as they battled a blaze that swept through the Parish Hall of St. Michael's Church. The flames had tremendous headway as firemen arrived, so they directed their efforts to protecting exposures, including the new church. A sudden collapse of the roof and steeple of the burning building pushed the walls outward and buried many firemen.
Feb. 6, 1903: PEABODY, MA - A fire started in the stockroom of a shoe company and spread throughout the huge three-story structure. Losses were in excess of $80,000.
Feb. 7, 1903: BRONX, NY - "Mike," a ringtailed monkey residing in the Bronx Zoo Monkey House, had a crowd of 250 people watching his antics when someone in the crowd tossed him a wooden matchstick. The monkey struck the match, then dropped the ignited match onto some straw that began to burn fiercely. "Mike" took off for the top of the cage as a keeper dashed inside and doused the fire. The keeper received a burned hand and the monkey a scorched foot.
Feb. 11, 1903: LANCASTER, OH - Robbers blew up a store's safe, setting a serious fire that killed one man and injured two others at work in the post office next door. The fire building was destroyed and the adjacent post office sustained serious damage. The robbers escaped.
Feb. 11, 1903: TAMPA, FL - Eight fires broke out in several sections of the town at the same time. Firemen battled two major blazes simultaneously as flames gutted the Whitney block of stores at the same time a huge furniture warehouse burned.
Feb. 11,1903: ROCK ISLAND, IL - Shop "A," the principal issue storehouse at the Rock Island Arsenal, was destroyed a flames consumed the structure and its contents. One million rounds of ammunition and cavalry and infantry equipment were lost as well.
Feb. 11, 1903: SALT LAKE CITY, UT - Two blocks of stores, including a large five-story office building, a hardware store and a bank, were lost as firemen battled a fast-moving blaze that spread to the exposures. More than $500,000 in damage was caused by the blaze.
Feb. 14, 1903: PATERSON, NJ - George Coopersmith, his wife and their three children barely escaped their burning home with their lives during the early-morning hours. The entire household was asleep when a fire started in the first-floor living room area. The family dog began to tug on the covers of one of the children and was successful in waking the lad, who then woke his father. The parents scrambled to remove the children out the back to safety while the dog dashed back into the front of the blazing house, returning for the other children. The family was saved, but their valiant pet was lost to the flames.
Feb. 20, 1903: CEDAR RAPIDS, IA - As many as 10 people were killed as fire swept the Clifton Hotel at 2:30 in the morning. The three-story brick-veneered building filled with flames as a rubbish fire in the cellar extended upward. Many guests jumped from upper-story windows to escape the heat and flames. Between 70 and 80 guests were asleep inside when the fire broke out.
Time Capsule
CINCINNATI - FEB. 26, 1903: MAJOR BLAZE DESTROYS HUGE SECTION OF CITY
For 12 hours, firemen battled a tough blaze that originated in the cellar of a grocery store and spread quickly. An explosion of liquor spread the flames to other structures, including a huge book company building. Fire jumped an alley and touched off another block of buildings. Firemen were making several dangerous rescues by ladder when a shirt flew down from the dense smoke above. Written on the sleeve was a message from a man stating he was trapped on the roof. Firemen brought a ladder to the roof adjoining and bridged the gap and rescued him moments before the roof collapsed.
Paul Hashagen, a Firehouse® contributing editor, is an FDNY firefighter assigned to Rescue Company 1 in Manhattan. He is also an ex-chief of the Freeport, NY, Fire Department. Hashagen is the author of FDNY 1865-2000: Millennium Book, a history of the New York City Fire Department, and other fire service history books.
