Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1849-05-24
From the Watcrto,pn Joayn0I Extra, Of
Nay 1871. II +
The WATERFOWL Fire.
OVER ONE HUNDRED HOUSES
BURNEDl


This morning at three o'clock, fir
broke out in the rear buildings OF tn
American Hotel or the back store Of l.
Padding, uncertain which, and in d very
few minutes, owing to the explosion o
some inflaInable substance, the adjoining
buildings were in flames. There was
gentle breeze blowing from the southeas
at the time, which conducted the fire VI
Arsenal and Court SITS. On the former i
extended on both sides so far as the stage
barns and buildings adjacent.
On the latter it swept both sides as fal
as the County Clerks Office. The build
ing is FIRE proof. for here the element vas
stayed by tipping off the wooden ROOF,
and leaving nothing but the stone and
brick for the fire to act on.
The destruction is appalling, far ex-
ceeding anything Jefferson County has
experienced before. At first the suppo-
sitjon prevailed that the fire was the work
of an incendiary; bnt we are happy to
state for the credit of out village, and
human nature, that it probably arose
from the spontaneous combustion OF
some kind of chemicals, stored by MIR.
Druggist Camp, in Paddock's back store.
Tho heart of our village is in ruins ;
and where the buildings were of better
order it is difficult to discriminate but we
cannot forbear mentioning that the loss
of the Iron Block, put up last season at
great expense by N. NJ. Woodruff, Esq.
is a matter of general regret, as it was
real OF nament to the place.
The remains of human body were
found where some stage carriages were
burned, supposed to be those of a frail
sister who had been refused admission
during the evening, where she had called
for lodgings.
Some six or eight horses were burned.
The progress of the flames was so rap
id that the loss of Goods among the mer-
chants must be very great as most OF
them had received then Spring supplies.
The old brick building, formerly own
ed b, Silas Marvin on the west side of
Washington street, as hat store, had
lust been purchased and torn down by
L. Paddock. The vacant spot thus
made prevented the further progress Of
the destroying element in this direction
But for this fortunate circumstance it /:
believed the whole central part of oul
city would have gone by the board.
We cannot present better idea of the
extent of the fire to those at a distance
who are unaequainted with our localities
than to state that the following blocks, o.
buildings and establishments are number
cd among the missing:
The American Hotel and all its out
buildings.
All Paddock's stores on Washington
street.
All Fairbanks block, and store beyond
All tie block of stores opposite, o.
Court street.
Woodruff's Iron Block.
The Episcopal Church.
The Columbia Hotel.
The Northern State Journal Office
total loss $3OOO-insured $3.50.
The Democratic Union Office, los
$1,000.
The Printing Office of Joel Green.
About thirty of our most extensive
stores are numbered with the things tina
were-most Of them just filed with new
goods.
The Post Office and all its contents.
Black River Bank, valuables saved.
Wooster Sherman's Bank, yaluables
saved.
Henry Keeps Bank. valuables saved.
Surrogate's Office, papers saved.
The loss in buildings altogether is es-
timated to be within the bounds of $685.
900.
The amount of personal property it is
impossible to give till next week. AS a
general thing the whole is fairly covered
by insurance.
The Post Master desires us to say thu
all the mails in for the north and west
were lost, including letters, &c. for the
delivery at this place. The eastern mail
had left before the fire occurred.
~A little daughter Of Mr.. Joseph
Woolley, of this city, Tuesday evening,
put her mouth to the spout of teakettle
which was boiling on the stove, and in
Il IL