Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-07-30
THE RUTLAND HERALD
TGvPspAy, July %, 1868,
The Fire wednesday Evening.


At ten minutes past seven o'clock last
evening the whistle attached 70 the ma
chine shop Of the Rutland Railroad sound
I'd the alarm of fire, and casting about US
lor the cause, dense volumes Of smoke
were seen issuing from the roof and up
per windows Of the shop with which the
whistle WAS connected, and for a time
fears We're entertained that the building,
with great portion Of the valuable ma.
chinery which it contained, embracing
four first-class locomotives in dismantl.d
condition, and some OF the best machinery
sumed, but the force pump of the shop,
gctting speedily 10 work, throwing a
powerful stream upon the aames, which
being quickly followed by streams from
the fire engines, the progress Of the de-
vouring element was soon stayed, and, by
,he persistent efforts of the fremen and
citizens, was, in the space OF an hour,
completely subdued.
Our citizens have become accustomed
20 the fire alarm, and are, be it said to
their credit, one and all, willing and ever
ready tn do their utmost to stop the pro-
uuss Of fire, and though it has been
eur province 10 speak Of many instances
~ which they have displayed cool courage
tad discerning wisdom amid the trials Of
numerous cpnhagrations, we must here
s,y that never, in this COMMUNICATIVE
Nc witnessed 80 unanimous a spirit Il
save property aS was manifest at the firt
'n-t evening In fact, all seemed to have
an interest IL living the property Of III,
Rutland Railroad, and firemen and citi
ems lid nobly, and succeeded in accom-
li~hiue in a great degree, their object.
The fire caught in the ventilator of tn,
blacksmith shop, where a spark had prob
ably lodged late in the afternoon, and ig
aiting the wood work, which the heat o
;he shop has rendered dry and eombusti
ole. spread rapidly to the main building
the machine shop. 1t was discovered
Ivy Mr.. Bates, yard watchman, who imme
'liately gave the alarm.
The loss we are at the present writin.
unable 10 ascertain, though it is probabl,
in the neighborhood Of $1,000, and i
fully insured
Among the various incidents of the fir
We could not help noticing the successful
ettoris to save the locomotive Noun
Holly" which was dismantled and mount
ID on blocks. for repairs, in the machln
bop Tho superintendence OF the atTai
va, conducted ly Nj. George Howe, fore
man ot the ,hop, who did his duty in a
tHwjru, manner, and whose every ordc
Ma, carefully observed, though execute
~itA, IS il were, lightning rapidity, unit
muck, we're placed under the looomotiy
add ,hc was carefully lowered upon thel
.nI moved safely from the burning buill
iug. As events turned out, her remov'
- Is unnecessary, bat the precision an
,,oiness with which the work was a
,.9mph-le1 renders it equally commendi
t-uN.
At numerous previous fires in our Vi
ttge has the necessity of steam fire er
ziuc~ been impressed upon our citizen
"ut mover. perhaps, was it more fully
la-tyatol than at the FIRE last evenjn
he force pump of the Rutland Railroa
.jway- ready, by the kindness Of the Of
...r> af the road. when the location pc
u,f,, to ala in suhluing fires, last eycnir
threw much more water than both OF Il
hand engines combined, and proved itse
II rpal fxtinguisher." We make tn
Statement in no disparagement to Il
hand engines, tor they were worked ma
trylly and willingly, to the best of the
ability. but impossihlities cannot
~.rmouulej, anl it il no disparag
fnrpt to them to say that thu
tnnot compete with steam powt
Moreover, the human force working the
eventually becomes exhausted, while stea
II yer does as, long as wood and water ho
bat, and it always does, in the same tim
much more efficient service in the su
preston Of fires than can be expect
from physical force, as applied to hai
engines, We believe our citizens are mo
satisfied than ever with their vote to pr
chase steam fire engine, and that it m
make its appearance in our village at
early day is the hearty wish Of all