Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-10-27
A Dangerous Fire,

1he flames soon made their appearance,
however, in the rear of the building and
promised lively work for the firemen.
On the north side of State street. inst
east OF the Winooski Branch, is the wood
en- building owned by J. w. Ellis, and oc-
cupied by the dry goods store of Ellis &
Gleason. and the drug store of Bascom &
Dewey 10 the east of this ancient pile
of woodwork is the old wooden structure
owned by Mr.. Walton. The occupants
are Z. Fullerton, boot and shoe store; A.
}. Robinson Successor to Fri Gunnison,)
eating rooms; and Al. Braley, with whom
Is VIM. Mcclure, groceries. The Braley
and Mcclure store is in the east end of
the building, next to, and separated by the
width of an outside stairway from, the
Montpelier National Bank, in LYONS brick
block. Back Of the Mcclure grocery and
of the bank is an old wooden rookery
which serves as Il barrel and box and GEN
eral combustible receptacle.
The fire was we'll going in the north east
corner of the basement under McClure's
and soon worked its way to the outside on
that corner and began to blaze up to the
top OF the building, getting ready to reach
out to the rear for the old store house
above described. 1t had been first discov-
cred by Mr.. Robbins, who occupied the
third floor of McClure's, the second floor
having been vacated 4 few days before by
INV L.
removed to better quarters in the new Ri
alto. Mr.. Robbins and Waterman Dumas
gave the alarm.
No. was Oh the ground with great
deal of - suddenness - after the alarm was
given, and set by the river bank close to
the rear of Ellis and Gleason's store A
little delay WAS experienced in getting 4
stream started and the men were in
hurry to work the brakes. Bat the hose
was soon rightly attached and two streams
set going. J. w. Page, who directed the
men ut the brakes, had to use considerable
language to get them to save their muscle.
knowing they would need it farther along.
Meantime the fire was blazing up the
north east corner Of McClure's, and began
lighting tie sky. No. t had arrived
and set in the edge of the river three or
four rods north of No. ), and had Just
cot 4 stream on the fire when they We're
ordered by Gen. Pitkin to hold up. Their
hose was then passed through Fullertons
to State Street and so around in front of
McClure's, when the No. / men put a
stream on the State Street side of the build
ing and in the stairway east of it.
The basement was thoroughly on fire,
and after No. , had quickly disposed of
what fire WAS in sight on the outside, they
poured water into the basement at random,
is it WAS impossible to see in there or for
any one to breathe in the dense smoke
Black clouds of smoke kept pouring out
from all the eastern part of the house and
the fire was evidently working in the walls
and was hard to find No. ) in front ran
their hose into the second story and tried
to drown the fire from above but they could
not get ut it.
The axes Of the hook and ladder COM
panv were brought into play and a part Of
the east side of the house stripped. AL
though the fire was woi king in such fine
iire-trap, the fircmen after they got the
first streams from No. , upon it had no
fears but what they could handle it, for the
night was still.
The hose belonging to Bailey & Park 5
mill had been laid soon after the alarm,
along NJ lin street. reaching we'll in front
of Frcnch's new block, and the water had
been let through it once 50 that it was
known to be all right 1t was thought to
be Il good time to see whether the mill
pump could be relied on in time of danger
and SO hose was attached to that of Bailey
& Park AMI laid around the corner of
Main and State streets to the scene of the
fire. When the boards had been cut away
50 that an opening to the fire on the east
side wa, made, the force pump was set ut
work and poured perfect torrent of wa
ter upon the struggling fire. The quantity
was sufficient t. have drowned out the
blaze hui the Building been half consum
ed
The usefulness of this force pump was
demonstrated beyond question. The only
sense of insecurity were this working in
case of i biz fire would be the fear that
the hose would burst. What ought to be
done for the safety of the business portion
of the village is to run an iron main from
Bailey and Parks mill, at least rs far as
the head of State Streat. At that point
two or three hvlrants should 9 i've 4 chance
to attach rs many lines of hose. and there
is no trouble but what the pump will sup
ply them water.
Wherever fire could be found it was put
ont. and soon after three O'Clock the crowd
dispersed, well pleased that they had not
been brought out to see another great fire
Montpelier people have got bravely over
any desire for sight seeing in th1t drec-
ton.
Bradley AMI McClurc,s grocery WAS not
cleared out the night of the fire: it was too
hot and smoky in their rooms to do any
thinr. Robbins did not clear out much OF
his stuff. Fullerton moved his goods. The
furniture of Robbins in the third story
over McCures, was taken out OF the
smoke and put in Il more healthy place
The owners of goods in adjacent buildings
packed Il few things, but mainly kept
sharp lookout to ascertain whether remov-
al was Il iudicious proceeding.
Sunday fire was still working in parts
of the building. but WAS extinSulshed
without difficulty.
The following is an estimate OF the va
rious losses and Il statement of the lnsur-
ancc:
A. J Braleys goods were injured by ire water a
and estimate Is that ne lost 49,