St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-03-24
Another Fire---The Old Steam Mil
Burned

Another Fire.---The Old Steam Mill
Burned
AT a quarter of ~ o'clock Monday
noon, fire was discovered breaking out
of the second story of the old steam
mill building, just east of the passenger
station, IN Il room occupied by Leonard
Howard, stair builder and coffin maker
Mr.. Howard was out of his room at the
time. and the fire was first discovered
10y persons outside the building. and
when Mr.. Howard and others ran up to
his room, it WAS filed with fire and
smoke, and they could get ONLY To the
door. 1t was too late to put out the
fire with any appliances at hand. and
all efforts were directed to saving ma
chinery and material in the building.
The fire had got such Roadway. and
spread SO rapidly, that little was saved
from the second story, which was occu-
pied by Horace and Charles l.. Carpen-
ter. as sash and door manufactory. and
by Mr.. Howard, us aforesaid. The
lower floor WAS occupied by MeSSrs.
Carpenter as Il planning mill Icy james
VI. Warner as moving machine repair
shop; by the ST. Johnsbury Tool Com
pany, manufacturers of bcNels and try
squares and by Z. b. & K. w. Laird.
as polishing rooms for granite monu
with the ready help of those who came
to their aid. succeeded in saving nearly
all the movable property in these lower
rooms, including Carpenters heavy
planners, Warmers large latheS. and
Laird'S monuments though some of this
property is in damaged condition.
Ii WAS evident from the first, that the
building where the fire caught. was
doomed and how much more would
z" with it. was a matter of conjecture
1t WAS surrounded with wooden build
ingS, five or six in number. \ brick
ell, running east, was connected with
it. Directly east of this. and only about
twenty feet distant. WAS the manutac-
tory of the Miller Carriage Association
while on the north of the building on
fire, and only Il few feet away. were
four wooden buildings. occupied 10y
Nuts file works, Humans blacksmith
shop, Eugene Cutters wood repair shop.
the StoIchOuSc of the carriage aSsocia-
ton, and Jenkins marble works 1t
WAS so doubtful whether these build
mgS could he saved. that they were all
cleared of nearly every thing valuable
Meanwhile the fire progressed rapid
ly. and when it reached the lower floor.
and WAS fed 10y the shavings and oily
wood of these shops. it burst out with
great fury and Il most powerful heat.
About this time and just in time T."
save other buildings the fire compa-
mics arrived. and placing their engines
upon the Ice of the pond. brought
streams t" bear upon the exposed build
iuy> north of the fire. 1t WAS Il terrible
ordeal for the hoScmep. hut they stood
III that >c"rchin" heat. keeping those
four buildings 81 wet that they did not
take fire at all. Torrent engine gave
two streams. Deluge one. and an inch
stream WAS thrown from Il hydrant on
Railroad street. through nearly thou
sand feet of hose. All the water being
directed t" these buildings on the north.
the Miller carriage shop WAS allowed t"
take fire. After the fire WAS well under
way in that building. the tiIcmcn turned
their attention To it. and uucnrhc,l it
after the roof was nearly burnt of and
il WAS otherwise badly damaged In
saving this building. they saved the
wheel and tiumc house. and the power
which runs all the machinery in this
cluster of shops.
In about an h"ur after the alarm WIS
given thu large wooden building in
which the fire took. and its brick ell.
were burned down. and all danger of
the fire spreading further. WIS over.
The quietncss of the day. and the heavy
buildings, WAS favorable To prevent the
fire from spreading. Yet il WAS only
10y the most strenuous efforts of citizens
in throwing SNOW and water. that the
paint shop. ear house and wood shed
on the southwest were saved. These
were badly $curchrd. and at one time il
spite of all effort.
The heat of the fire WAS most intense.
and several persons were hli>teicd.
The wonder WAS that the hoScIhcn could
stand the heat but 10y being frequently
wet down with the hose. and having
doors held on the hot side of them as
their ground. Although there was III"
wind. burning cindcrS were thickly
spiinkIed all about in the radius of Il
mile or more. No accident occurred.
One or two were overcome by heat and
exhaustion, and some were slightly hurt
in removing articles from the buildings.
Wallace Ladd was too near when the
north end of the frame fell out. and
was grazed by Il falling timber, but not
hurt.
Great credit is due the fire depart
ment. for without them seven buildings
must have burned. instead of two.
While there is prospect of having still
greater and better protection against