St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-11-15
Sparks from the Hub.


them ingenious and decidedly Iaughahlc
Candles We're the common substitute.
hut some kerosene lamps were seen.
The hotels used candles and the spa
ci"us and elegant dining rooms at Park
cr> We're lighted 10y tallow dips; and
not Il candlc>tick WAS to hc seen i'll the
house. but each candle was inserted i'll
the nose of Il liquor bottle -(probably
the best Use the bottles were ever put
toD The small tables had but IL single
Illuminated bottle in the centre: the
larger ones supported two. The bottle
WAS seen everywhere. The guest regis
tered 10y the light of bottle: the
clerk kept his books with IL single can
die. and the reading and writing rooms
were filled with people III the form of
hollow squares back to back trying
to write. OF read the last edition of the
daily papers. by the primitive vet very
useful tall"w candle. The full moon
made street lights as unnecessary as
they were impossible.
The total loss 10y the fire is now
placed ut eighty millions instead of two
hundred. AZ the first accounts had it.
Some idea of the extent of the disaster
can hc gained when it is known that on
the sixty acres burnt over. nine hun
drrd and sixty business establishments
were destroyed. and sixty dwelling
houses.
The current rumorS on the street that
thrmilitary shot three men last night"
and that incemdiaIieS caught in the act
we've hung t" lamp posts. answered for
II topic of conversation. hut no one saw
ANY dead bodies lying about. OF hang
ing up. and the inevitable conclusion
WIS that nothing of the kind occurred.
Boston has never been 50 we'll protect
ed, non has she in ten Years seen three
days of such immunity from rowdyi>m
and violence a> the three following the
tie.
y strange sight Monday evening was
the frequent passing i'll the streets of
military companies. going to act as
guard about the fire district Officers
hurry ing through the streets on horse
back reminded one of Washington in
I'll !.
There was no way tor outsiders to
approach the burnt district. \ guard
of police "r military stood behind Il
drawn rope half dozen rods from the
>moldcIing ruins on all sides. Fortu-
natrlN the elevated position of Brom-
field and Beacon streets. and the State
House. gave the inquiring and inquiSi-
tive ankcc It chance to peer into the
fiery vortex in spite of military law. As
late ~ Monday evening the burning
ruins reflected Il red glare upon the
heavens which WAS seen for many miles
in I'LL directions: and the city WAS filled
with smoke.
The new and beautiful Transcript
huldiug on Washington street. was
anon" the destroyed but the paper
appeared Monday a. usual not having
MISSED an issue in thirty Years. Its
Jokes were as keen and ringing as
though lis pet idol had not been de
>troNcd.
y" one knows the number of lives
lost, but few comparatively seem to
have been sacrificed perhaps not more
than dozen or twenty. While the fire
WIS raging in the store of Weeks y
Potter. sunday morning. two men. who
WcI" thought to hc connected with the
establishments were struck down in
their efforts tn save stock. 10y fall of
Il portion of The side wall. One WAS to-
tally buried. hut the other was caught
Gully 10y the legs. He shouted for sic
con. >aliu" that if his legs were cNtrica
ted he could get ont easily. several
tircmcm responded 10y da>hing into the
which was even then tnttcrimg. and
making frantic efforts to relieve the
poor fellow. suddenly they were start
led by Il cry that the massive front wall
was going over. There WAS Il dcspcr-
ate rush for life. and a silent horror
seized the spectators as the wall fell
with laundering crash, and it seemed
that tw" of the trcmcn had shared the
fate of those whom they had So nohly
tried to save. Fears are entertained
also that four others. six in all. persisted
in the same building.