Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-01-16
The Central House Fire.

trail House, corner of Merchants Row
and Evelyn street, and abutting on De-
pot Park, John A. Salisbury. proprietor,
was the apparently doomed building.
Let us say, right here, that the Central
House, so widely known through the
last presidential campaign as the Lib
eral Republican Headquarters for Yer
mont, seems to be either
sALAMANDRR OR DOOMED,
as this is the fifth time, within five years,
that she has met and battled with the
flames and come off victor. Twice fired
by incendiaries during their raid on Rut-
land in 1868-69, once taking fire from a
defective chimney, and afterwards in a
servants sleeping room from careless
ness. One more may be added to these,
if we take into account the fire in the
fish market NOW Engrem's) next the old
red store, in March, 1872, on the theory,
and sometime to be demonstrated fact,
that lone goes all go" With this, by
way of introduction, come we to
THE FIRE OF YESTERDAY.
The hotel, as is the case with all others
in Rutland, is kept open, with some per-
son connected Herewith up and around
the house at all hours, both night and
/ day. with the exception of Sunday
nights, when there be no outgoing or in
/ coming trains on the several railroads,
during the night of Sunday or the early
hours of Monday morning, so that
all hands may enjoy at least lone
good square sleep" during the week. In
! accordance with this custom, the house
was closed at its customary early hour,
and remained so closed until about four
o'clock Monday morning, when Major
/ Salisbury, the proprietor, called up the
porter, who bears the historic name of
"Andrew Jackson" and who with an
other promising colored gent, known, for
short, as Harry" occupied
ROOM NO 30,
/ on the north side of the rear or ell part
/ of the building. A candle was furnish
/ ed them, or rather one already in the
room was lighted, and after performing
their toilet" they repaired to the office,
/ where they entered upon their customary
avocation Of 'mopping out, " all unmind-
I full of what they had left behind them
in the room they had so lately vacated.
The Major, in the meantime, had again
retired to bed, but had hardly composed
himself to slumber when he was again
aroused, at about half-past four, by a
shrill, sharp cry of
FIRE FROM MARGARET ROE,
one Of the laundry girls, who occupied a
room directly under No. 80 She was
awakened by the cracking of the fire,
the smell of smoke and, more particu-
larly. if there can be any difference IN
simultaneous experiences, by the
DROPPING OF BURNING BRANDS
from the wall and floor above. The fire,
by the time the alarm had been fully APP
pretended throughout the house, was
burning fiercely on the second and third
floors, and was between the rooms occu-
pied by the hotel servants and the stairs
to the story below, forming their only
means of escape from the burning build,
ing. The terrible sacrifice of life at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel fire instantly flashed
upon Major Salsbury's mind, and the
girls were aroused and their safety Sc
cured. BY this time, or soon after, the
oIa,r,, haoo,,,a rro,oroI o,,J Tho
FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED WITH
ALACRITY.
and soon streams of water were pouring
from every direction on and into the
burning building. From the situation OF
the building as well as the location OF
the fire, it was a work of some difficulty
to do the most effective service. Flames
were sweeping through the second ant
third floors, forcing their way through
the roof and from the windows on boil
the north and south sides, yet the water
was so used that il soon began to Obtair
mastery over the fire, and the well con
sidered opinion of all, both firemen anC
citizens, was that the Roadway of the
destroying power was checked and al
danger was passed. The progress of the
fire had been slow, very slow, and thi!
with its sensible dimlnuion was sufficient
ground for the belief that it was undel
control, when at seven o'clock. it wa
announced that
THE WATER had BEEN USED UP
in the Depot Park reservoir, from whicl
the main supply had been drawn. Tn
Hotel had, of course, been during al
this time rapidly cleared of its furniture
etc, so that, with the exception of til
billiard rooms and the sleeping rooms il
the rear part, there was but little move
able property remaining. The ten o
fifteen minutes, subsequent to the fail
ure of water, were passed in "nNiou
suspense by citizens, and efficient worl
ON The part of the fire department in th
endeavor to obtain fresh supply o
water when ut fifteen minutes pas
seven, it was discovered that the fire ba
passed to the extreme south part of tn
building, passed down between the wall
and outside and was breaking out at tn
southwest corner. No water yet, an
all hope vanished, and with it the g oil
red store, Levi G. Kingsley's worksho
/ and lumber room, and the market o
: John Engrem were rapidly emptied o
their contents. The whole force of tn
department was now transferred to tn
old wooden reservoi near the corner G
; West and Grove streets and with TIL
2 new and ample supply of water, an
with the almost heroic exertions of til
firemen,
THE FIRE FIEND WAS CONQUERED
at last, and an half hour or more {
steady, persistent, well directed wor
and the Are was out. 1t is impossible I
the present time to fully estimate ii
! loss, but it is placed by competei
judges, as well as by the owners of Il