Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-03-30
The Fire of Saturday.
SCARCITY OF WATER NECESSITY OF
NEW RESERVOIRS.

The fire fend seems to have selected
Saturday as its favorite day to make it's
occasional and too frequent visits to Rut-
land. At about nine o'clock in the NOR
ming of last Saturday, a boy in the en-
ploy of John B. Reynolds, residing on the
southeast corner of Center and Court
streets, hearing disturbance among the
horses and other animals in the barn, i'm
mediately went to investigate the cause,
and finding the barn filled with smoke,
rushed to the house to inform Mrs. Rey-
nolds, Mr.. Reynolds being absent from
town. At about the same time, gentle
man passing in front of the United States
Court House, on Center street, seeing
smoke issuing from the barn, gave the
alarm of "fre," and at once proceeded to
the barn, and upon arriving near there, it
is reported, saw two boys leaving the yard
in hurried and frightened manner. Up
on entering the barn he found the upper
part, which was stored with hay, envelop-
ed in flames, and the lower part filed
with smoke.
In the meanwhile the alarm had become
general, the bells of the different engine
houses being rung and the usual fire
whistle of the Rutland machine shop
sounded, and other men had arrived at
the scene of the fire, and with the help
thurs secured the lower part of the barn
was soon cleared of its contents consist
ing IF horses, cows, carriages, sleighs,
harnesses, etc. etc.
The several companies, constituting the
fire department, were promptly on hand 4,
but OWN g to the difficulty of procuring
water, sorue time elapsed before they were
able to get to work as it was they were
TO draw their water from West
and Washington streets, some distance
from the scene of the fire. When an ad
equate supply of water had been found,
they worked with their accustomed will
and energy, and done good service in
staying the ravages of the flames, and
preventing its spread to the adjoining
buildings.
The result was that only the barn of
Mr.. Reynolds, with the hay in the upper
part thereof, was consumed. The barn
which was attached to the dwelling house
of n. s. Stearns was situated east of the
burning barn, and almost adjoining it,
was saved by great exertion, being par
TALLY covered by carpets, ETC.. and kept
constantly wet; sparks occasionally fell
in the hay of this barn, but by constant
watchfulness and care was prevented from
doing any material damage. In the rear,
to the southeast, was the barn of Wal
lace G.. Clement, and to the southwest,
that of Henry Hall, and these were also
saved by the exertions of the fremen and
citizens.
We learn that the house of DR.. E. V.
N. HARDWOOD, on Washington street, and
some others were fred by falling sparks,
but the flames were quickly extinguished.
The barn of Mr.. Reynolds was compar-
atively new, and was built at cost OF
some over seven thousand dollars, on
which there was an insurance of four
thousand dollars in the Etna Insurance
Company of Hartford, Conn, represented
in Rutland by Burnham & Temple,
agents.
The fremen were furnished with hot
coffee for 'refreshnnent by Mrs. Reynolds
and Mrs. Stearns, and Mrs. Pierce, also by
the Ladies' Temperance Society through
Mr.. o. l.. Slader Wallace @. Clement
and family also very generously provided
refreshments of eatables and coffee for the
fremen and citizens whose efficient SER
vices had so amply protected their prop
erty from destruction. These acts OF
courtesy and liberality were fully appreci-
ated by our vigilant and faithful fremen.