Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-06-04
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Last Sunday al ernoon Springfield, Mass,
was visited by al sastrous fire which laid
tiny buildings in ruins and eniailed II loss
of rom $780, 900 to SjOd0OO. The fire broke
out about Adlr-past two o'clock, in II. NJ.
Conkey's paning mill on the north side of
Taylor street, formerly used by the Wason
car company is paint shop. The flames
were first seen 10y Il man passing down the
railroad track. aud when first discovered
were confined To q pile of shavings BE.
FIRE an alarm could be given the fire had
burst through the roof, aud rushed in
dozen different directions under the inllu-
ence OF strong wind from the northeast, =,
The fire struck through the large dry shed
to the eastward, lcapcd across the strctt
and igniltd the large lumber shed and tlR
three story wooden building formerly used
for paininI ears, aud thonce into Abhe's
lumber yard aud half dozen houses to
the southwest. The wind increased in fu-
ry, and although the entire fire depart ment
Of tho city, aud the Water Spout steamer
from the armory were qnicGly at work, II
was evident that that section of the city
was doomed. People living In the vlcini-
~ were panic stricken, aud some barely
escaped with their livcs.
The fire extended southwark ON the north
side OF Taylor street 10 the old Wason
buiding and ea,,cry to Dwight street. On
the south side OF Taylor street cvcrythl ng
is destroyed from Dwight treel on the east
to the wing IN the rear of Wighrs Main
street block on the west. On Worthington
u f-.,
Dwight street down to Burl's block occu-
pied by the Sunday telegram and j. w.
Wehber'S fish market and this was burn
ed out on the inside. The open field Of
S;earns's park prevented further destruc-
ton in this direction, but two house 8 on
the south side Of Worthinglon street and
just west Of the park were destroyed.
Large ciLdpIs fell into the lumber yard Of
G. II. Smith & Co.., on Bridge street, but
were quick ~ stamped ont, aud the old
laundry building, on Hilnan street,
caught fire once or twice. The lots in the
vicinity orBridge slrCot and Slearns's park
wcr0 sou flied with goods of every de-
scriplion in pronlscuJus heaps, wet, brok-
en- and blackcncd.
the roof OF Hurbul's granite front block at
the southwest corner OF Main and West
Bridge streets soon attracted attention, the
building having taken Gre from sparks
falling into 4 let OF combnSti bile material
in The rear. From Hullburt's block the
fire spread 10 the I'D Boulevard and a
double tenement house in Bond place.
From Bond place the fire swept through
Wighrs avenue like u whirlw ind, destroy
ing every house on that thoruughrare and
sweeping through into VerLnn street,
quickly wrapped the Bethel church in lis
embrace. Thence eastward the fire de-
stroyed everything ar far rs the house Of
Edward II. Phelps, which was saved only
by the most strenuous exertion. The ele-
ganl brick block of dwellings owned by
the estate o. the late joseph Shaw at the
corner of Vernon aud Walter streets, met
the fate If the buildings east If il, the por-
ton o. il standing being worthless. Fly
ing cirders carried the work OF destruction
directly over several wooden build ngs on
the west side aud house opposite Tasks
block on the railroad tack owned by Hor-
ace Halliday Of Suflield, c., and barn
adjoining were quickly destroyed. AT
this point the further progress Of the fire
was stayed and The anuounc, ment that the
fire was un1cr control brought sense of
relief to thousa DIS Of people. There was
plenty Of WORT for the french 10 do, how
ever, to cXiinguish the flames which were
slill burning tiercely among the rains.
Fire apparatus from adjoining towns and
from Hartford, c., was brought by special
trains to aid in subduing the flames.