Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-04-09

to the creditors of Charles Paine, its former
owner, and were valued at 50 400 Mcssrs
Edwards, who occupied the room last sum-
mcr, had a lathe and some other machinery
remaining there, to be destroyed The total
loss in this room was about 81 900
LAwRrNcE BARNES had two planning ma
chimes in the lower story, which, with pile
Of lumber burned. gives him a share of
( 100 in the general loss
y. W. BANCROFT occupied an apartment
in the south half, as small mechanic and
repair shop. His loss in lathcs and tools is
$500, which he can ill afford to lose lie
saved nothing.
Messrs. HAMILTON " SEAvER occupied and
were running the foundry under the bank
east Of the main building. Their loss is
from 10000 to $1,000, including all their
| patterns.
The Foundry Of W H. Roor was saved,
| by the timely efforts Of Ethan Allen Com
| pany, and the large iron fan belonging to
him, which furnished the blast for the fur
mace, was dragged uninjured from the main
building, with fre-hook Mr. Roots loss
is only $50.
The number Of men directly employed in
these various concerns was about one hundred
and fifty. That number would doubtless
have been increased to over two hundred
the present season. Indirectly many more
derived employment and support from them.
The building and engine was the property
Of our townsman Mr.. II. p. IIlcKok, whose
loss Is Of course very heavy, as he had no in
surancc
The total loss, if the building is rated at its
cost, is from Sl2O,O to Sl25 900, and the
total insurance so faras we learn, is : Il 900.
| Tho small amount of the insurance is ex-
plancd by the fact that the property was
considered risky one by insurance compa-
nics, who refused to take risks upon it to any
great extent.
The origin Of the fire is a mystery. 1t
commenced on the second story in the
packing room of Messrs. Kilburns' establish
mont. There had been no fire in the room
since Il day or two before, and Mr.. Martin
the bookkceper, had passed through it but
ten minutes before the fire broke out Per
hars the most plausible explanation, where
all is mere surmise. is that a spark from a
locomotive, which passed up the Vt. Central
track to the south of the shop, about half
past seven, was carii led by the wind through
broken pane Of glass to the piles of shay
in-, and plpD + which were used in the pack
ing room The night watchman had gone,
the worllmcn, who commonly will every room
were absent, and the flames. once started, had
full sweep.
The fire companies did noby. The engines
were placed upon thc,Vt Central wharf, and
drew their water from the lake. The old
Boxer got the first stream upon the fire, and
kept it on. For an hour and ten minutes its
stream never Stacked. and then only for the
frightening Of the hose. The packing of
the cylinder, gave way under the unusual
strain. ocoasioning a great waste both Of
water and power, but the brakes and the stout
arms which manned them never stopped foi
that; throwing sometimes one stream and
sometimes two, they kept at work, and stop
ped only when there was nothing left foi
them to do.
The Ethan Allen, No. /, was also prompt
ly at the fire, and did admirably. The en-
ginc was in perfect order, wasted not a tea
cup-ful Of water, and threw Il stream whicl
did ones heart good to look upon. Its com
cnccd in the use of their machine, and com
posed Of young men whose cmployments ar
not such as to titthcm for violent and continued
labor, worked like veterans. Their Strcam
never stopped, except when it was necessar.
e to move the engine, to the last. The Ethan
if it should never throw another DROP ha
already saved hundred times its cost,
These two companies, assisted of course b.
many citizens outof their ranks, fought the fir
for tour hours and when it is remcmbere
that their work was done in the face of. prob
ably, the hottest fire ever known in this yicin
itv, extending Tor 500 feet in length at tn
same time, and surrounded by quantities q
the most combustibc materials, it will b
allowed by all. we think, that some crcdi
belongs Somcrbre
The Volunteer was occupied at first, in cX
tingulshing the dwclling-hou,e of Mr.. Vain
: wright, north of the camp-ground, whic
caught fire in several places from the sparks
After which the engine did good service upo
- the burning lumber,
Chief Engineer Huntington, with his a.
.. sstants, Messrs ii Loomis, Sweet and ShedC
. were conspicuous wherever their presence wa
;, needed, and labored long and well, as di
many private citizens.
The Vermont Central Freight-house WI
. kept wet, with buckets mainly, and was III
injured \ train of cars was run by han
=. out of danger, the paint upon them blisterin
;, with the heat as they passed the fire. Til
pine lumber between the freight-house an
! the Pioneer shop, was repeatedly on fire, br
-, was as often cxtinguishcd
~, The companies, after their cxhausting Il
hors, Friday. took dinner the Boxers at II
.n Howard House, and the Ethan Aliens at Il
=. American Hotel The bills of the form
T. were settled by Mr. Appleton for the Y
Central Road, and of the latter by :. Wire
-, Esq, as agent of several Insurance Con
, panics, who had large risks ON the lumb
nv, saved
m 1uE PIoNAfR MEcuNNl, SHor was the rcsu
a ola conviction on the part of many of OF
y citizens that Burlington was favorable sp
20 for manufacturing on a large scale, and tn
We AN increase of its manufacturing interest VI
as essential To- the growth and prosperity Il