Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-06-27
Fires In Barre.

| to be on fire The alarm was promptly given and
a crowd soon collected The fire was in the south
end of the bsrn, and farthest from the hotel. The
flames spread rapidly and by the time the fire
engine arrived IL evident that the hotel and
out-buildings and also the furniture shop occu-
| pied by Sheplee & Jones, could not be saved
| from the flames. The Methodist Episcopal Par
sonage stood about fifteen feet east of the hotel,
and the Congregational church about twenty feet
west OF the furDiture-shop, and for While 1t
seemed as though these must also go; and II the
Congregational church was burned 1t seemed rs
though the fire could not be stopped until the
l'niversalist church and the residence Of Horace
fifeld, Esq, were swept away. Meanwhile the
" Barre boys" were king their engine In
a splendid manner playing two streams from
their machine, which was placed at the upper end
of the common, near the fire, occasionally turn
ing their hose so as to wet down the church or
parsonage both Of which frequently caught fire.
The hotel was cleared OF furniture, doors, win
dows and blinds, as was the larger part Of the fur
niture shop and the parsonage was cleared Of fur
niture and partly Of windows and made as nearly
ready AS could be for the devouring element, II
it must take possession. The night very
still, and what little current of air there was
and helped to beat back the flames, which, with
the streams of water continually poured on the
fated buildings, caused the fire to burn slowly.
About one o'clock the reservoir at the east end of
the common was empted of water, and the en-
CINE was moved down near the bank to another
reservoir-this, in turn. soon gave ont, and Barre
engine was moved to the river, down by the Full
Ter bridge.
Meanwhile help arrived fom Montpelier and was
greeted with rousing cheers. The Montpelier
boys" placed their engine Mt the river, near
Averils store, and were soon doing splendid work
BY two o'clock the danger of the fire spreading
was considered past, and at four o'clock the aid of
the Montpelier bows was no longer needed and
they soon returned to their homes The hotel
buildings were entirely consumed. The main
part of the furniture shop was built of brick
This was badly damaged though not completely
destroyed the roof being burned off, and the south
end and second story being badly burned The
parsonage, with ell and barn. was badly scorched
on the end next the fire, and somewhat damaged
inside by the liberal use of water No insurance
The church was not injured to any extent. The
furniture shop was owned by A. W. Lane and
occupied by Sheplee Il Jones, who had a large
stock of goods on hand The building was insured
for two thousand one hundred dollars Sheplee g.
Jones loss is not known, but is probably in the
vicinity of thousand dollars. Insured for two
thousand dollars in the Amazon and Royal
Canadian companies. MI Ordway's loss is some
four thousand five hundred dollars Insured for
five thousand one hundred dollars, as follows
Three thousand six hundred dollars on buildings
and four hundred dollars on household furniture
and clothing, in the Vermont Mutual; six hun
bred dollars on furniture, three hundred and fifty
dollars provisions and produce fifty dollars on
silver ware and one hundred dollars on live stock
in the Windsor County Mutual. The loss is
mostly on the buildings as the furniture, ETC.,
was mostly saved Some three thousand four
hundred dollars Of the insurance on the buildings
goes to the mortgages, for whose benefit it was
| insured.
The fire evidently the work Of incen-
diary, as it was discovered in the rear end of the
barn, and no one connected with the hotel had
been in there during the evening with light, or
anything by which fire could have caught Sus-
picon seems to fasten on a young man by the
name of George Carr. States Attorney Plumley
was telegraphed for on Monday morning, and
put in an appearance in the afternoon Carr was
arrested and brought before Eli Holden Esq G.
L. Stow appeared as his counsel and asked for
continuance of the case, which was granted and
the hearing was continued to Wednesday, the
27th at eight O'Clock A. NJ. Rumor has it that
Carr has had some trouble with Mr.. Ordway, and
made threats against him. This loss will fall
| heavily on Mr.. Ordway, who il not able to re-
build The property was purchased by him in
April 1874 he paying for the real estate five thou
sand five hundred dollars, and he has since spent
some three or four hundred dollars In improving
the buildings,
| The thanks of the people of Barre are due to
the Montpelier company for the prompt and eff
cient aid rendered by them. Every member of
| the company did his duty faithfully and well
| Ample provision was made in the line of refresh
ments for all their wants. The only unpleasant
feature Of their visit was the fact that lot of
boys, not members of the company, but " loafers,"
who did not belong 10 the company, nor do any
thing to help extinguish the flames were present,
They stood with their hands in their pockets until
| the refreshments came on. Then their hands
| were at full liberty and they pitched into the pro-
visions in manner which dsgnced themselves,
and disguised every one else. This explanation
is due as matter of justice To the Montpelier fire
men, who fully appreciate the generous hospital
| ity shown them by the people of Barre.
The barns of William Mears situated about a
mile from Barre village were burned about nine
| o'clock Thursday morning Of last week. The
| barns contained ten tons ofhay two horses valued
at five hundred dollars, thirteen hogs and two
calves, ali of which destroyed. 1t is sup
posed that the fire was caused by smoking as a
gentleman had called at the barns with Mr. Mears
about half an bOur nreyous to the fire To look nj