Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-05-13
Cofal Mus s. Noiifrs
Another Fire at Nortbfie,d

We have to record another fire in the Rail.
buildings at Mortified. We learn from
man who was on the ground immediatelv a."
the first alarm, that when he reached the sr,, :,
flames were issuing from the top of tho a.,
window on the northeast side of the main h,,g,
ing, near the angle of the main BUILDING .nl \,
north wing, and had then caught the Jet. uo,.
the attack was made upon the fire from tho ~,
side instead of from the inside. as ,roh.t,
would have been best and falling to subdr,
the flames extended to the inner Offices IS :,
main building, which were destroyed, le.,,.
both wings unframed In the rear of tho on.
was large vault containing books and ,,,.
this vault was built upon stone pillars. and so.n.
ed by double heavy iron doors, intended >, l.
fre-proof The pillars partially gave wov nnl..
the effect of the fire, and the vault settled
little. However, the contents of this yault ma.
to be unframed. There was another lnroo
safe in the chief Clerks office. con,,;,
cash. vouchers &c.,-the contents of tbis
severely scorched. In the Office of the freirb,
department there was another small safe g..
tanning cash and papers belonging to that dep,-
mcnt. This was most remote from the en-,
where the fire originated, and we learn that NJ.
Sherburne reached this safe, at the rsL =,
scorching and sufiocation, and safely removol
the contents. The loss to the Company in ,bo
building is covered by insurance in fIarto,3
Conn. The loss of books and papers prob,l,.
is not irreparable. We suppose, indeed b,,
every thing touching past money transac,oD,
can be made up from the papers in the chief
clerks safe aud vault and in the Treasurer n
ce at Boston.
We have heard the suspicion expressed ,b.,
the fire is the result OF design; but from On,
knowledge of the building, we are sure that ts
fire took just precisely in the room and in fla
spot where an accidental fire would most probsbl,
occur. On Friday last, by request Of the Pres.
dent, we oursclf made a thorough search Of tb,,
room for the purpose of making up complies
set of the printed reports and documents Of n.
Company. It was the waste room-the deposi.
tory Of waste paper kept in drawers, blanks ana
stationery, ION shelves) In one corner of The
ibnul WIS Aht Htilh lDT NdoulflE. ana over II fha
shelves for candles, lamps, and the iooo,o,,
match SAFE, probably, for lighting. Now he
fire first broke out, according to the description
given TO us by our townsman, Charles Reed. ESQ
just exactly through the window located in Ma
end Of this room, and Immediately adloinis,
the spot where the lamp and candle-stuf s,i
matchbox were kept. Up to - o'clock. 70
learn that the Superintendent, Onslow Stears
Esq.--the Chief Clerk, n. w. l.incoln--and ~,
other clerks were at work in the ofFice.-ar
at about halfpast two the alarm was given an.
It was evident that the fire had but lust s,ar,e
near the window, in this part Of the waste
room, in the second story, and had extended
the outside from the window to the Jet. II of
mind, these circumstances all 20 strongly to %.
pei the suspicion Of design; they demonstrate.
at least, that the fire might have been purely &c.
cidontal, and, without the discovery of circun.
stances strongly differing from any thing we nov
know, we cannot have the slightest doub, tia,