CitCouncil Seeks Aid For Fire-Damaged Area

Cambridge will try to have a neighborhood near Lechmere Square named a disaster area because of Sunday's general-alarm fire, which destroyed a largely vacant seven-story building owned by Swift & Co.

The City Council voted yesterday to seek state and federal aid for residents whose homes were damaged by flying embers and for communities that lose fire-fighting equipment. It directed Mayor Edward A. Crane '35 and City Manager John J. Curry '19 to hold talks with Gov. Endicott Peabody '42 and U.S. officials.

Although it forced some 800 people to leave their homes, the blaze was confined to the 119-year-old Swift & Co. plant at 188 Gore St. It was the third major Easter fire in Cambridge in as many years.

Cambridge Fire Chief Vincent F. Galvine called it the biggest and potentially the most dangerous fire he had seen in 23 years of experience, but said that damage was small in financial terms. Formerly used for meat packing, the building had been scheduled for demolition.

Cork insulation fed the fire, and a 25-mile-per-hour wind whipped the flames until it was visible 50 miles away. According to City Councilor Joseph A. prevented the fire from spreading to nearby homes. the only injuries were two firemen struck by falling debris.

Velluccl's Warning

Councillor Alfred E. Vellucci, in whose district the first occurred, reminded the Council of the warning he delivered last week. Vellucci had said that the old plant was dangerous and unsightly, and should be torn down immediately.

He introduced a motion commending the Fire departments of Cambridge and 11 other towns and cities that helped extinguish the Easter blase, and then amended it to include the proposal for obtaining aid. The resolution was approved unanimously.

Vellucci said after the Council meeting that he thought the Lechmere Square area would be eligible for state assistance under the civil defense program, and that he saw no legal barriers to giving aid.

Cammittee for Relocation

It Council accepted another of Vellucci's proposals by voting to establish a citizen's committee to advise the Cambridge Redevelopment Authority on the relocation of families in the Donnelly Field project.

It approved the hiring of an administrative assistant for city Traffic Director Robert R. Rudolph, whom it has severely criticized in the past. Rudolph said he needed someone to do nontechnical work in his department, such as preparing the payroll and conducting postcard surveys.

The council also asked the Planning Board to continue its study of the Bennett St. M.T.A. yards and report periodically on its findings. The Planning Board recommended last week that the city use the Yards for a redevelopment project instead of selling them to Harvard.