The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-06
Rutland Werklu Gtobc.
4, Il
POcis & BOnjnmin's Clothing store.

AT 90 minutes past ii Wednesday night,
the shrill cry of Fire was raised in our
streets, and soon the whistle was sounded.
The fire was found to be in the clothing
store of Messrs Peck & Benjamin, on Cen
ter street. A crowd rapidly collected about
the front door, while the smoke was already
pouring out of the second story windows
and the heat in the store could be readily
ascertained by the heated condition of the
glass front. The members of the firm
soon arrived, who gained an entrance to
the store room, which was densely filled
with smoke. At this time n Babcock ex-
tinguisher was being used at the back door
by an attache of the Hcr0d Office, and
with probably somc effect. The Wash
ington Fire Engine company, No ., soon
put in an appearance and n stream was
soon brought to bear upon the fire in the
store. The Killington steamer followed
soon after and carried their hose up the
stairs leading TO the rooms overhead which
were by this time filled with sunocating
smoke. About halt an hour was spent in
a well directed fight against tho flames,
when they were quenchcd and the fire was
over.
.happears from the condition of the
store that the fire was started under or
against one of the counters, and on the
floor. within some three feet of the stove,
where a coal fire was continually kept.
The cause of the c%onilagration, of course.
cannot be with certainty stated, but from
the appearance it must have caught from a
match or cigar which was allowed to
shoulder on the floor and which Nindled
the flame. The fire was not allowed to do
much damage Of Itself only burning a hole
in the counter and the floor. The room
was, however, completely flooded with
water, as it was sometime before the real
locality Of the fire could be asccrtained by
the firemen on account of the dense and
overwhelming volumes of smoke, and an
unnecessary and damaging waste of water
was the result.
Much of the clothing was carried out
during the fire and some of the show cases,
but most of the goods were in a damaged
condition from water. They were taken
after the fire by a team kindly furnished by
Clark Richardson to the unoccupicd room
in the Bardwell House block, next to Bill
lings' store.
The rooms in the second story, directly
over the store, are occupied by three diff
ferent parties: Mrs. Kelley, Mr.. n. b..
Lewis and Mr.. Benjamin, all Of whom
were necessitated to remove most of their
goods and furniture from the evident proX-
unity to the flames beneath. The third
-tUry- was occupied by Mr.. Morgan and
Mr. Shambo who were also disturbed but
none of these parties will necessarily suf-
fer much damage. The store of Mr.. j. b.
Kilburn. next west, was in some danger
for a time, but none of the goods were re-
moved and no damage was done to that
block.
The block in which is the store of Peck
II Benjamin is owned by Francis Il Nal
Ion Of Boston, insured in that city, but
damaged comparatively little.
INSURANCE.
Peck & Benjamin were insured on stock
and fixtures with Mr.. NJ. J. Francisco, for
$4,000, in the following companies: North
British, $4,000; Queen, $4,000; Niagara,
81, 500; Continental. $1,000.
The firm cannot account tor the cause of
the fire, everything being apparently right
when they closed the store about 0 o'clock.
They had a valuable stock of clothing, hats,
caps, furnishing goods and trunks, which
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