Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-20
FIRE AT VERGENNEs.
Destruction of the Stakeholder Com
pAny,s Main Building.

VERGEyNEs, VT, July 15.-The main
building of the Vermont Shade Roller Manu-
featuring Company, located in this city, was
totally destroyed by fire last night. The
fire originated in the furnace: room in the
basement, and is believed to have resulted
boilers. The fire naturally spread with great
rapidly and in few moments the entire first
floor was mass Of flames and en-
trance to the building was effectuaily
barred. Jerry Bortly, the fireman, made his
escape from the third story of the building
aud was somewhat burned. He seems to
have lost his head in the excitement of the
moment, for he failed to put in operation
any of the appliances provided for such an
emergency. There was an arrangement by
which the room in which the fire originated
could he flied with steam in second, with
out entering the room; end there was also a
stand pipe with full complement Of hose.
None of these appliances were used, how
ever, and when the fire had once got under
Roadway it made clean sweep of the whole
building. Nothing whatever was saved eX-
cept piece of betting valued at $50. All
the valuable machinery and tools aud 100, 900
curtain sticks were lost. The company
safe too, was not removed from the build
ing, bat it is believed that its contents are
intact.
From the main building the flames ran to
the company's two shavings houses and the
barn, and these were destroyed, with their
contents. A large quantity of valuable lum-
Der was also burned.
The flames also communicated with the
store and dwelling Of Thomas Mack and a
| tenement house belonging to DIR. WIS. Hop
kins, and destroyed them both.
Losses and Insurance.
The Shade Roller Company's buildings
aud contents were valued at about $35, 600
and the insurance Gin j. S. Hickok's agency
is $50, 100 in the following companies Aetna,
Insurance Company of North America, Ger
man-American, Springfield, North British,
Mercantile, Niagara and Star.
| Mr. Mack's loss is $1,000 insured for $l40(
in the Vermont Mutual and the Sun.
DR.. Hopkins's loss Is $500; insured fol
$500 in the Continental.
A. Graveline lost u storehouse and CON
tents and barn and sheds. His loss is $500
fully insured in the Springfield.
was of wood, 1870 by 60 feet and three store.
high. 1t was only four years old having beer
built in 1879 to replace the former building
which was also destroyed by fire, in Apr
of that year. They have another building
40 by 60, where the stats are made, and thi
was not touched by the flames. The concer
had a capacity Of four car loads of finishe
| goods per week. and at the time Of the FIR
the company employed 33:hands.
7 The original partnership was established !
January, 1878, and consisted of W. & u.
Crane, Burlington, f. Ii. Foss & Co., FAN
! field, Maine, aud George ID. Wright, Bul
= lington. The present company is a stoc
D company and was organized March 5tl
e 1888, with the following officers: Willar
e Crane, Burlington, president; d. W. Roblr
5 son, Burlington, vice-prcsidcnt A. q. Cran'
: Burlington, secretary and treasurer; J. 1
G Foss, Vergennes, manager Willard Gran,
s Burlington, d. W. Robinson, Burlington,
: ii. Foss, Vergennes, George ID. Wrigh
{ Burlington, G. IL. Morse, Burlington, dire
tOra