The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-31
LARGE FIRE IN WHITEHALL.
TIE uNCENDIaRY,s TORCH
RenOls Building Partly Destroyed.
LOSS $4,000 O0i


and shoes and hats and caps, and E. c.
Pratt, dealer in ready made clothing and
gents furnishing goods. The fire was
first discovered by night officer j. II.
Policy. Mr.. Policy had just left the office
Of Halls Hotel, when he detected the odor
of smoke. Suspicion Immediately dawned
upon him that some building in the vicini-
ty was on fire. lie quickly passed down
Canal street, by the burning building, but
discovered no indication of fire.
He met two men, ID. A. Nichols and
Teddy" Henderson, and inquired of them
if th5y knew where the fire was? Hender-
son then led officer Policy and pointed to
the store in the Renois building, corner of
Canal and Saunders street, occupied by the
firms mentioned Officer Policy then
burst omen the dool and entered the build
ing.
He discovered fire in the rear, close by a
large kerosene case, placed there by p. +.
X. Renois who was to occupy the store in
place of the two firms who were preparing
to vacate. The faucet of the large kero-
sene reservoir was turned on, the oil rum
ming on the flames, thus producing a lake
of burning flame, which was spreading
over the floor, sending forth its hot fangs
of fire, licking up and destroying every
thing with which it came in contact. In
an instant officer Policy comprehended the
IaI oil md
flew to Halls Hotel and soon returned with
a Babcock fire extinguisher. BY this time
the flames had spread and enveloped the
inflamable goods and his efforts to extin-
guish the fire were fruitless. A blaze
broke forth from.the windows in the rear
of the building. Great clouds of dense
black smoke rolled out of both ends of the
store. By the time the alarm had aroused
our citizens and fire department, smoke
burst forth from every window and door
in the building
G. A. Hall, who had lately purchased
the hardware stock of Pierce, Cowen &
Co., had moved the same into the corner
store.
The steamers Whitehall and Independent,
hand engine w. II. Cooke and Doren,
I.acca, Geo. Brett, Jr., Feely hose COM
panies and Empire hook and ladder COM
pany. under the direction of Chief Engi-
| neer Baker, were soon on the ground and
did excellent execution. Steamer White
| hall 3, succeeded in getting the first stream
on the burning building. Independent
soon followed.
The bright flame that poured forth its
venom from the rear window of the store
was soon quelled which gave place to a
dense column of black smoke. The build
ing was occupied on the first floor with
stocks of firms mentioned, as well as the
stock of p. f. X. Renois, druggist, which
was being moved from the corner store
into the one burning.
The second story was occupied by Judge
Joseph Potter as an Office; Tanner & Pot
ter, lawyers, and J. Reed, club room. The
third story was occupied by the Whitehall
Chronicle office. and st. Joseph's French
society.
The flames soon broke through into the
second story, but well directed streams
went to the spot and quickly extinguished
them. The fire lasted about an hour. The
efforts of our fire department were toe
much for the insatiate destroyer.
DAMAGE TO BUILDING AND STOCKS.
The damage TO the building is about "a,
500. The store where the fire originated il
completely Quilted. The adjoining store
occupied by G. A. Hall, was damaged bad
ly by water, which passed through from
the second story. The second story i
smoked badly, and the floor timbers ar
burned in many places.
The upper story is damaged by smok
and water, but not by fire at all.
j. e III. Adams lost their entire stock o
boots and shoes, and hats and caps.
Il. c. Pratt had part of his stock packe,
in cases, preparatory to moving into hi
new quarters. He also had two large case
of new goods just received. The PORTO
of his stock remaining on the shelves. an
a lot packed in papers, were destroyed.
TIE LOSSES.
The losses are as follows
Renois Bros, on building, $4,000 in
sured for $4,000.
j. & II Adams, stock, $4,000; insure
for $4,000.
L. G. Pratt, stock, $1,000 insured fc
, $500.
G. A. Hall, stock, 81 1000 insured fc
$4,000.
4 Judge Potter, library and furniture, $500
: fully insured.
Tanner & Potter, books and furniture
5000; no insurance.
F. f. Y. Renois, druggist, $1,000 il
a sured for $4,000.
a j. Reed, furniture and fixtures, S300,0
no insurance.
! st. Joseph's society, $25OOO no insu
ance.
Chronicle officer stock, 500 fully il
sured.
:. The insurance policies are distribute
8 among the following local agents;
q Doren Il Earl, S. G. Bull, Baldwin
y Eddy, Nathan Hall.
# TIE CAUSE OF THE FIRE.
l. There is no doubt but that the fire W,
the work of an incendiary. The fact tn
q kerosene was running upon the fire
!. pretty good evidence that the work VI
Is laid out and executed by some person {
IS persons unknown.
:, Officer Policy, after trying to extingul
a the flames, went in search of and arrcst'