Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-05-25
THE GROTeN FIRE.
Great Destruction of property-NcU
Thrown out of Employ mcnt.

A fire which originated in the burning of
| some brush by two men named Eunis upon
| a lot half mile to the west in Gro,on, al.
most instantly burned the large steam mill
at Giot1u Pond aud all the buildings and
cars in the vicinity, between twelve and one
Saturday afternoon. With such rapidity did
the destruction proceed that the inhabitants
about hundred IL number, men, women
and childlcn-only saved themselves and a
few personal effects by running On to lumber
ailoat in the pond, where they remained for
some hours beyond the reach of rescue and
with the flames roaring around and some
times over them. The mill, the machintry,
the building aud all the lumber were ownc
| by A. r. and Erastus Baldwin Of Wells
| River. Their loss is estimated to be 500,
coo and their insurance is only $50, GOO.
Forty men are thrown cut of employment.
The buildings burned were Il steam mill, with
a capacity Of 10000 feet of lumber
in ten hours, fitted with modern
machinery, IA plancr and hatcher,
single and lathe mills an engine and boiler
house; two-storied boarding house SO feet
long; a boarding house, so feet long three
dwelling houses, a two-storied store, 80 feet
long, filled with groceries, clothing, dry
goods, flour, feed, etc. two barns, one 10
| feet long and the other 90 feet, in which Il
large number of horses aud oxen had been
kept until few days ago; a blacksmith
shop; two storehouscs and (hali mile up
the pond) two-storied white dwelling house
and barn and school house, which 20
scholars attended. There is about five mil
lion feet of lumber in the pond unsawcd,
which the fire did not touch. There were
about two million feet of boards, large pro-
portion of them hard wood, which were
burned twenty-five cars, about seventeen
of them loaded, were burned. a curious
freak of the fire was the leaving Of one I'M
loaded car almost uuscorchld while cars
shackled to it on each side were destroyed.
The depot at Groton Pond and about 45O
cords of wood belonging TO the railroad were
burned The railroad also lost about $50 cords
at Peabody station, some two miles north.
| The fire extended from the Ennis lot in a
northcrly direction about four miles and a
halt to a point north of Peabody Station, and
burned over about 1900 acres of land Most
Of il had been cleared and was covered with
| dead tops and brush and partly grown up
| with bushes The dead stuff burned like
finder. There was u high wind, and it is
said that the flames rose to the height OF a
hundred feet, and with dreadful roar COW
cred all the ground between the railroad and
the pond from Groton Pond station to Pea
body station in about 30 minutes from the
time it left the Ennis lot. In the course OF
the afternoon it lcaped across Tie pond, 4
distance of a third of mile or more,
and at last accounts it was burning
on the east side upon the cleared
lots toward the Peacham liue. Engine
No. o. James Crossett foreman, accompanied
by Fire Warden Joel Foster and some fifty
men, lett Montpelier for the fire Salur-
day afternoon and did efficient work in
preventing its further extension. No trains
ian through on the Wells River road Sa,ur-
day afternoon but they were iun regularly
Monday, as everything was put to rights on
Sunday.
The Messrs. Baldwin have the sympathy OF
every one in their misfortune. They are
active and cnterprlsing business men who
have succeeded during the last two years
(sincc they came into possession OF Ing
property in making business in which
their predecessors had lost, pay, and have
given support 10 many families. The insur
auce Unfortunately much smaller than theil
loss) is 10 stock companies. They vii
Immediately begin rebuilding Very li,tlC
standing timber was burned,
The railroad loss is comparatively small
and the interruption to travel little, owing
to the forethought of the section boss a
Groton Pond. AS soon us he heard OF the
fire, he collected his men and drew all The
spikes from the rails, so that they lay on the
track loose when the fire came and were moi
warped SO but what they were easily replac
ed Sunday and the track Is now in goot
order. All the old slnntics at and arount
Peabody station are destroyed, to the adj
vantage, 1t is said, Of the st. Johnsbury
Savings bank, which has been carrying al
insurance of $1,000 on them to secure itsel
against loss upon claim it holds against
Dick Peabody, the lorger.