Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-10-10
Destructire Ere al Brandon.

Tue BRANDoS SCALE CoNrANY.-Loss $50,
600.
About ten minutes before seven, Saturday
evening, fire broke out in the store house,
Immediately north of and back Ct Simonds'
block, Brandon. When first discovered the
fire was in the northeast corner, and the
building being dry made good food for the
flames, and in less than twenty minutes it
was one complete sheet of flame From
that it went to the Office Of the Brandon
Scale Manufacturing Co., which stood i'm
medlately in front of and about sixty feet
from the store house. This was soon de-
stroyod, but the contents were mostly
saved. The scene at this time was one
of the widest that could be imagined.
\ line Of men and women (mostly
women) was formed to pass water to
Simonds' block, which was in imminent
danger of falling prey to the fell destroyer.
Now the attention ofthc crowd was directed
to the dry-house just north of the store
house, which was on fire in several places,
and was only saved by the exertions Of
Washington Engine Go. Of Rutland, which
had Just arrived, and then only BY the loss
Of most Of the roof and much damage to the
building otherwise. 1t was only by great
and incessant exertion that the grist mill of
Mckee Bros. was saved
There was no particular damage to any
other buildings, the only damage to
Slmonds block being the destruction of the
cornicc, window frames and glass.
The store house was owned and occupied
by the Brandon Scale Manufacturing Com
pany, and was valued with is contents at
about $4,000.
The hrc is said to he the work of an in
ccndiary, as there had been no fire in the
building for months
The Scale Company invited the members
Of the Rutland Fire Company to the Bran
don House, where they partook Of the bonn
ties ola Widespread board After supper
three cheers were proposed for the Rutland
boys, and three to the propriotors of the
Brandon House, which were given with
a will, and a tiger, after which the Eut-
land Company returned home with good
wishes and many thanks from the people
of Brandon for their kind and timely as
sistapcc.
The Rutland papers have the following
additional particulars concerning the fire
The substantial and fine brick block built
by the late John Simonds. standing q few
feet south Of the st0rchouse Of the scale
company. and occupied By l. Clark, rohrc-
coni>t. Ozro Meacham, clothing, Del.
Robert Forbes. Druggist, and simonds and
Osg0od. dry goods. was in INN Ineut peril
from ;bc burning bliiine. and it seemed
inevitable Tor long time chat DC must be-
come 20 victim for the flames. But. through
the efforts OF the citizens, not OF the Bran
don fire company. the buiding was saved.
When il became evident that 10 efforts were
TO be made by the Brandon tiremon in the
direction of Simonds' block, DR.. \. I.
Woodward and $. l.. GO0dcll formed a fire
brigade consisting of women and men, or
ganizine line reaching from the upper
dam to the building, the men pas
sing mp the pals flied with water.
ana the ladies passing the empty
paii- back. Men were stationed in thc up
per story. hanging out Of the windows in
dangerous positions with dippcrs- Carpets
were thrown over the burning c1ruice while
thecnd off, the huiidingwas kept wet hY pals
of water being poured upon it, but the
flames were so intense that the carpciinL
caught fire and burned. Nearly five hum
dred dollars in value was tha- destroyed.
After an hour of persistent work hy this
organized line, the people saved to Brandon
Its most substantial business block.
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