Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-09-25
The 81. AIhans Fire.
BURNING OF BUTCHERS DRUG sToRE-NAR-
ROW ESCAPE OF OTHER BUILDINCs-Loss
$50 ,OOO-INSURANcE Sl5 nnn

BURNING OF BUTCHERS DRUG sToRE-NAR-
ROW ESCAPE OF OTHER BUILDINGs-Loss
S2O,OOO-INsURANCE SIS 900.
About half past three O'Clock Tuesday
morning. employees in the St. Adams Ad-
rerfiser Office discovered fire in the second
story Of the rear building of L. L. butcher
and Sons drug store, on Main street, and
gave the alarm. Washington and Frontier
Hose Companies were soon on hand, and
attached their hose to the nearest hydrants.
Their streams for time checked the pro-
gress of the fire, but there was then slight
interruption in order to make the most eco
nomcal use Of the hose and set two more
streams playing, and meantime the fire had
extended throughout the building where it
originated and reached low wooden struc-
ture between that and the front store. occu-
pied as a storehouse. 1t was filled with
combustibie material, kerosene and sperm
oils. benzine, turpentine, varnish and yari-
Gus chemicals. and made a hot fire. The
front building was in imminent danger and
was promptly cleared. The next building
SOUTH three story wooden structure, &C.
cupied on the first floor by L. P. Kimp-
tons ladies' store, and above that by Mrs.
Julia W. Fsrrar for residence, was in
almost equal danger. and was completely
cleared. The next building north was
low. ancient wooden structure. occupied
by Jacques Bros grocery and boot and
shoe store, and by one or two tenants in the
chamber and rear. This was also in great
danger and was cleared. J ust east of the burn
ing building, and only twelve feet from it
stood the spacious Weldon House, and the
proximity of the fire created great excite
ment, amounting to almost panic, among
the guests Upon all these buildings the
hosemen occasionally directed their streams
for moment, and when it became evident
that the rear buildings in butchers estab
lishment must go in spite of effort, the en-
tire attention Of the department was given
to save the adjacent buildings. The heat
was intense. and occasionally there were
explosions of barrels and cans ofinflammable
oils. The cOrnice and window frames of
the Weldon House caught several time, but
was quickly extinguished
In staying the spread of the flames, the |
fremen were successful, thus saving the en-
tire square bounded by Main, Congress
and Bank street. and Maiden Lane, includ- |
ing the Weldon House, Brainerd's Block,
the Advertiser building, the Messenger
building and several other structures,
valued at an aggregate of 100000. |
All these buildings are closely packed to-
gether, none of them are fire proof, all have
wooden Is and sheds attached. and con-
sidoring the inflammable nature of Dutch
ers' stock. the entire locality has long been |
regarded as the most dangerous in town.
butchers brick front, with riddled parti-
tons and partially consumed roof, stands
as a monument to the efficiency of the
water works
The MeSsrs. butcher are the principal
sufferers. 1t is presumed that some one
or two thousand dollars worth of their
goods were saved. The more valuable
part of the stock consisted in heavy goods
stored in that part Of the building where
the fire originated, and it is presumed that
at least Sl2 900 worth was destroyed. The
building was owned by Mr.. Butcher, scuior,
and it Is total loss, or nearly so. The
main part was erected about fifty years ago
and Of course had seen its best days The
value of the buildings has been variously
estimated at from $1,000 to $4,000 exclu-
sive of the site, which is very valuable.
The other losses arc confined to damage
only, save the destruction of small barn
owned by f. 4. Smith, in the rear Of kimp-
tons store. Mr. kimpton estimates the loss
and damage to his stock at $1,000 or up
wards Mrs Farrar's loss was light
Jaques Bros. estimate their loss at from
81 900 to s., 900.
Insurance L. L. butcher, on buildings.
Il Sons, on stock and fixtures. 1000. dis
tributed as follows: $4,000 in the Orient of
Hartford, 81 900 in the Insurance Com
pany of North America OF Philadelphia and
= .NbO III inc alOmc OF new OK. ,ttb
IN the Vermont Mutual, and s 900 in The
America of Philadelphia. kimpton's in
surance was 81 600 on the stock and fix
lures, in the Hudson of New jersey.
Jaquos Bros. were fully insured. The
Messenger, from which we condense the ac-
count. says
The cause of the fire is a mystery and
likely to remain so. There had been q fire
in the stove in the rear building during the
loren DON, but all the 1ues were safe and the
floors and wall. were protected by zinc.
Luther Carpenter, one of the clerks, went
all through the building, without a light,
as late as half-past eight in the evening, in
accordance with the practice of the house,
but saw nothing and smelt nothing unusual.
But Chief Engineer Kirkpatrick. who lives
on Congress street, a short distance north,
says he smelt smoke as early a half-paSt ten
in the evening. 1t Is presumed that the
cause was spontaneous combustion or the
work of rats, as there are no evidences or
suspicious OF incendiarism.
The loss. although falling rather heavily
on the Messrs. butcher, does not, by any
means. amount to a destruction of their
business. Their large iy-killer manufacto-
~ Is on Pearl street, and, of course, not
harmed. They are partners in ii. ID. Bailey
& Co : drug store on Lake street, also in
the drug firm of butcher & Neville, in Swan
ton, and are the sole owners of the Richiord
drug store. Their local trade has, for many
years, been large and their sale of proprie-
tary articles of their own manufacture has
been extensive throug hout the United States
and Canada. They have removed such OF
their stock as was saved in good condition
to their Lake street store, and before the
flames that turned them out of their old and
wel!-known stand had been subdued, with
characteristic energy and promptness they
despatched orders by telegraph for more
goods.
While regretting the loss, the public yet
feel in Joyous mood arising from the lar
greater consideration of what was saved,
and again have they reason to thank the hre
department for its faithful and well applied
service and to rejoice in the complete
triumph of the water-works.
The Clcrkship OF the House.
MIDDLKBURY, Vt, Sept. Il.
To the Editor Of the Free Press and Times.
Dear Sir The mention of nv name IN
connection with the clerkship of the lower
house in the next Legislature, has never