Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-08-22
Then and Now.
TOWNS NEW HOTEL.

before or since The fire started in a
wooden block ON what is now portion
Of the site of Union block, and owned
by Dir. o. f. Woods. The total loss was
estimated at $4,000. 1t burnt all the
buildings on the present sites Of Towns
hotel and Union block, and also two
story brick store on the site of what is
now o. ID. Gray's store then occupied
by Gray d Alexander, and also build
ing on the now vacant lot just west of
the TIMES building, occupied by p,
w. Taft, photographer. The building
in which our office is now, Arms q, Will
sons store, Amadon's, &c, was on fire
several times but the arrival at day
light of fire companies from Charlestown,
Keene and Brattleboro, prevented the
conhagration from becoming even more
disastrous.
The fire was believed by some to have
been set by +. f. Streeter who had a
BARRIERS shop in DR.. Woods building,
and who was executed for murder in
Ohio In 1864. The first discovery of it
was at midnight by DR. Woods, who
was called up By his little daughter,
Emma" which phrase sounds little
odd just now that she has grown to be a
woman with family of her own,) who
wanted drink, and but for this incident,
some or all of his family might have
persisted in the flames. As it was the
DR.. carried his aged mother cut of the
building in his arms amid smoke and
flame, having first cried the alarm in
the street. and the family escaped losing
nearly all of their clothing and most val
ued keepsakes. OF other incidents at this
fire Capt. Walter Taylor was thoroughly
drenched 10 water and came near being
thrown from the roof of the portico over
j. ID. Bridgman's office, on the third sto-
ry, having a narrow escape. Mr.. Albert
Derby, who had been working with him,
sank down exhausted in the TIMES office,
but soon recovered, while several ladies
who had worked serving fremen and cit
liens with refreshments in the muddy
and almost impossible streets, were sick
for days after their heroic efforts.
We have given the above as of inter-
est to those who have come here during
the past ten years. The burnt district
was partly rebuilt by DR.. Woods and
Oliver King, aud again destroyed by
fire, and now nearly the entire district is
rebuilt with substantial brick buildings,
the most prominent of course being
Charles Towns new hotel just opened to
the public.
TOWNS NEW HOTEL.
This building is brick, four stories,
French roof, 127 feet in length by As to
70 in width, containing 80 rooms of
which 60 are sleeping apartments, the
whole finished and furnished in elegance
and with every modern improvement.
Beginning with the basement we find
spacious billiard room, we'll lighted,
store and pastry rooms together with
laundry and gentleman's bath room
which is accessible from the flee. The
ground floor is divided into office,
gentleman's reception room, reading
room, drawing room and kitchen. The
main entrance of the office is west,
the one upon the south connecting also
with the main building. The gentle
mans reception room is fitted up su-
perbly and the Office second to none in
the State. The dining-hall leading from
the office is large, commodious, cool and
neat as new silver, linen and table ap-
pointments of latest style and convent
ence can make it. The kitchen is a
treat to look in upon. The spacious
range seems capable of supplying food
without limit and so ventilated as to
give no intimation of what is going on
in its different compartments, an arrange
ment seldom found in hotels. Ascend
ing to the west floor we find the draw
ing room elegantly furnished, and suits
Of rooms, private parlors, ladies' bath
room and guest chambers. The third
floor is very much the same as the sec
ond, many of the parlors and suits of
rooms being occupied by resident board
ers. The fourth story is devoted to
sleeping rooms. The furniture of course
is like the house new and OF latest style.
In the parlors the upholstery is velvet
and the carpets Brussels. Excellent taste
has been exercised in the blending of
colors and shades, and to Mrs. Towns
undoubtedly is the credit due for the
successful fitting up of the house, as
well as the arrangement and location of
the rooms and the petfecting of the
culinary department.
The building is to be warmed by
steam and lighted by gas, The plumb
ing, by which wateris carried to all parts
of the house, and which includes very
numerous conveniences, was done by
Mr.. Armstrong of Keene, n. H., and