The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-06-20
THE WOLGOTT FIRE |
10 900 Loss ; Insurance $500 I
The Most Disastrous Fire that La
mobile County has Suffered
For Years.

One OF the most destructive fires
that ever occurred in Lamoille county
broke out in the new store being erect
ed by S. A. Fife, at about a quarter
past two yesterday morning. The
building was IN an advanced stage Of
The basement and first
story, also a large hall in the second
story, were plastered and nearly ready
to occupy. A good single floor had
been laid all over the attic, and a good
double floor all over the rest Of the
building. The attic and second story
had been thoroughly swept, and not
so much as a shaving was left above
the first floor. When first discovered
the entire attic was in flames, which
burst through the roof in twinkling,
but as yet no fire was seen in the sec
ond story. The building was sc feet
long, and as the red flames shot into
the air they were blown against the
two-story tenement house of E. NJ.
Clifford, which was only about twenty
five feet distant, and quick as thought
the flames covered the entire top of
the building, in the rear of which was
a large barn, connected with the
house by shed. The building con-
tanned four nice tenements, two Of
which, on the first floor, were occu-
pied, one by NJ. H. Gray and the
other by Alpheus Nichols, who lost
the most Of their household goods by
fire after they were removed from the
house. By this time quite a strong
breeze was blowing from the south,
carrying the fiery demon to the "Hol-
brook House," the residence of j. j..
Robbins, and with such terrible rapid
ity did the fire leap from one building
to another, that there was scarcely
time to remove the furniture in the
lower part Of the house, before the
roofs would fall in and put an end to
further endeavors.
Just below, with only a driveway
between, stands the fine dwelling Of
S. A. Fife, from which the costly fur
niture and carpets were all removed,
but, fortunately for him, at this june
ture the wind veered more to the west,
and the hungry flames were cheated
of their prey. But by this freak
new impetus was given to the fire i'll
another direction. The store where
the fire first started was now COM
pletely enveloped, and by this shift
the fire was driven through lot Of
old rubbish, put in to fill up hole
between the gristmill and the burning
store, which in a few days would have
been covered with dirt, and in few
minutes the gristmill of William Ham
ilton and the sawmill of S. II. Peck
which joined the gristmill, were in
flames, and past redemption. Imme-
diately opposite the starting point
was the store Of Edison Pinney, which
? took fire simultaneously with the mills,
I and scene of the widest disorder
prevailed
The constant changing of the wind
= was all that saved the village from
e complete destruction. The buildings
were all burned before outside help
;, came, but the friends from Hardwick
and the fire department from Morris.
e vile assisted very materially in quench-
1 ing the fire among the logs and in pre-.
venting its further spread and the
9 people Of Wolcott feel that they owe
: them their heartfelt thanks for theil
/, assistance. Several became very mucl
exhausted by the excessive labor annie
. such heat, and Mr.. Timothy Arbuckl'
g and his son Chandler, fell helpless
4 and were carried home. Mr., A. wal
k unable to open his eyes for more thai
y an hour. Many had their hair singeC
= and faces burned to a blister. Tn
ladies deserve especialmention for as
% sisting as they did in carrying water
y clearing the houses, and providing
= refreshments for the fatigued men
r Mrs. j. G. Taylor alone furnishe,
" about 100 meals, andmany others sup
5. piled the men with the good things c
this life. The M. E. Church caugh
Is in two or three places, but M. Conan
A. got some ladders and alone extinguist
l. ed the flames.
e. The following is a brief statemen
Of estimated losees:
r Value. In
y S. A. Flies store, 1880 Loo
4 J. III. & w. Peck's sawmill, 5000 LOO
d W. Hamilton's gristmflI, 5000 200
ar u. Gifford's block, 1880
e. Pinney's store, 800 sc
s. stock, $500 Loo
OIL Pinney & Terrill's block, 1850
a. 100 Nj fl. stacked lumber be-
k. longing to j. I'll. 81 r! Ii.
M Peck, 800
Nv 100 NJ H. lumber in log 800