The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-18
THE BURNED DISTRICT.
origin of the FIRE Developments
and Reflections

|
The ruins of the two fires of Thursday
night are still smoking ard have continued
to blaze in spots up 10 the present time.
Center street is still strewn with bricks
which fell from the Meriden block front,
while the rear and the east walls of that
block are still standingi The ruins of both
fires have been pretty thoroughly picked
over, but nothing of any great value has
been discovered. The walls which remain
need to be laid low before they fall and do
serious damage to those who are lettering
or working in that vicinity.
Both locations that have thus suddenly
been made vacant are finely adapted for
business purposes and will, without doubt,
be speedily built up again. The Central
House corner is one of the best places for
good business block thcie IS in Rutland,
or even in the state, and should be rebuilt
in good style. The ground is the property
of Messrs. j. w. Cramton and j. A. Sails
bury, and is one of the most valuable loca-
tions in town. For long number of years
the Central House was the principal hotel
in town, had large patronage and gave
excellent accommodations to the travelling
public 1t has repeatedly caught fire and
been 10 imminent danger of total destruc-
ton several times before its final overthrow
on Thursday night. 1t has changed pro-
prietors large number of times, as was
noticed in the history given of it in The
GLOBE of Saturday morning. While I'M
der the late administration of Major SAILS
bury it gave great satisfaction to large
number of patrons, and was, when burned
the only European hotel in the state. OF
the cold red store" we have previously re-
ferred to at length.
There are numerous important facts
developing all the while in regard to the
origin of the fire, which are of interest to
our readers. The fire when first discover
ed by parties at the Central house, was
forcing itself through the doorway which
led into the basement of the old Red store.
The flames could be easily seen from the
windows OF the Central house, and the very
location identified. The flames were COM
ing out through the door, and the door
must have been open from the circumstan-
ces and surroundings. This door was open
ed only from the inside; while the fasten-
ings inside could have been removed by a
hand thrust through pane of glass in the
window which was situated very near the
door. 1t is quite certain that the fire was
raging considerably inside at the time it
counted for from the fact that the basement
floor was covered with OIL which could be
induced to burn very easily. Mr.. Kings
ley, the owner and occupant, had been
home for an hour or so when the flames
burst out. From the Central house win
dows in the rear part a view was had of
the grocery store directly over the fire ;
the coal stove in the store was burning
brightly and the store itself was perfectly
free from fire or smoke, to all appearance.
1t was thought at this time that the Central
house would be saved without much diff
Guilty. Had there not been such wind,
and in that direction, this might have been
accomplished and the flapes kept within
the bounds OF the store. The wind was
quite strong all night and the many brands
and various pieces of Debris which were
blown all about the town, even to Main
street, give some idea of its force.
The gloomlest part of that terrible night
was at that particular moment when the
gas went out and left the village in total
darkness, only relieved by the light of the
been lighted throughout during the night
was thus thrown into darkness, the blazing
brands from the Central house across the
street were flying on the roof and over it and
the possibilities grew into probabilities that
the Bates House was doomed At the
scene of the Center street fire, another fear
was forming in the minds of all with re-
gard to the spread of the flames. The liv-
cry stables of Quin and Richardson were
watched with breathless anxiety, for had
they caught then the BardwellHouse stables
would have followed, the House itself
would also be doomed and with it the en-
tire block on Merchants Row, including
the Baxter Bank, the globe building,
Quin's and Morse's block. This was the
picture that thrust itself upon the minds
of the crowd at this juncture Happily,
however, it was not realized, but many &C.
cupants of that block were busy packing up
in expectation of the worst.