Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-04-05
THE INCENDIARY'S TORCH.
Heavy Fire in Hopkinton, Mass
Loss, $3.50, 900.
The Business Portion Of the Town
Laid in Ashes.

BosToS, April 4.
fire in Hopkinton, Mass, this morning,
destroyed thirteen dwellings, also the Ortho-
dox church, town hall. hotel and . large
boot factory employing 1000 hands.
HoPKISroN, Mass, April 4.
The most destructive fire that ever oc-
CURED in Hepkipton, Mass, broke out at 8
A. NJ, Tuesday. commencing at the town
hall and sweeping that and the building &C.
cupied by p. W. Smith, clothing; H. c. Will
bur & Co., groceries and telephone Office
sweeping Bridges & Co.'s boot factory ad-
jacent.
The blocks occupied by the postoffice and
A. A. Sweet, dry goods; hotel and barn; the
Chapel building. occupied by Miss Leonard,
millinery, DIR. O.C. White, dentist, J. Shank
land, dry goods, B. f. Dewey, drugs; Con-
gregational church; L. ii. Wakefield's house,
and Mahon's building, occupied by Mahon
Bros, dry goods and groceries; Toher, bill
lard hall; NJ L. Parker, and Barbour: the
residence of Patrick McGowen and Timothy
Curran.
Bridges Co.'S big factory, owned by
Clafin, Coburn & Co. of Boston, was the
main-stay of the town, employing some $50
hands in the shop, and giving employment to
many outside-some 600 in all. From 5000
to 5000 cases of finished goods were stored in
their store house. Their loss will be some
thing like $500, 900 on stock and finished
work, while the building and machinery cost
about $50, 900.
1t is understood that their insurance
amounts to about $50, 900. Losses and in.
surance on other property is given by the
losers as follows: Town Hall, Sl5, 900; in
sured for $4,000 in the Etna, Home, Hano-
yer, and Phoenix, equally. P. W. Smith,
$1,000, insured for $500 in the Liverpool
and Globe, $1,000 in Home, $500 in Fire
and Marine. S. c. Wilbur & Co., $1,000
insured $1,000. The accounts are in old
safe, which are probably lost, and will
amount to $4,000. What postoffice mail was
in the Office was saved. A. A. Sweet & Co.
saved most of their stock, losing about ST.
500, insured $500, The building occupied
by Sweet & Co., was owned by Bridges 4
Co., loss $4,000.
The fire probably was incendiary, and it is
thought that powder was exploded in the
basement just under back room attached
to p. w. Smiths clothing store. The ex.
plosien was quite loud, and was heard by
many, The loss will aggregate $3.50, 200.
The hotel was owned by Currier Brothers,
Norwich, Conn. Loss Sc, 900, insured a :
POO in the .Etna and Hanover, the barn 81 :
900, insured $500. The hotel was occupied
by b. +. Sibley, whose loss is estimated at
$500, insured $500.
The chapel building was owned by DR.. G..
S. Albee, loss $1,000, insured $500 in the
Farmers and Mechanics of Worcester, and
occupied by J. Shankland, who removed his
goods; B. f. Dewey, loss $1,000, insured
81 200 in the Worcester Mutual. DIR. o. C.
White, So 900, insured 81 600; Miss Leonard,
$500, uninsured; Congregational church S25,
600, insured $4,000; Malone Bros. build
ing, SG.000 insured $4,000, on stock 81 900,
insured; I. Joher, 900, insured $500 in
the First National of Worcester; N. l..
Parker, $500, insured $3.50.
The house and barn owned by Mrs. Betsy
Barbour was valued at So, 500, insured 81,
500, occupied by l.. H. Wakefield, loss $500,
fully covered. The town library was insured
1900.
Several efforts to burn the town had pre-
viously been made. More than half the bu-
siness part of the town is destroyed by this
fire. Several firemen were burnt and other
wise injured, but none seriously.