Morning journal and courier., 1885-01-12
|. sas.ooo FIRE IN soUrHrNGroN.

A $25,OOO FIRE IN SOUTHINGTON. A hlaze In WilcOx's Block On Gem
 ter Street-Breaks Out About Two
 o'clock At Night-Five Stores, Two
 Public Halls, Law Offices, A .Iub
 Room And A Billiard Room Dam-
 aged-Fireman Peckss Leg Badly
 Broken By A Fall From A Lad-
 der.
 SoUTHINGToN, Jan. 11-Southington was visited by destructive fire this morning. It broke out at about half-past 1 o'clock in Wilcox's block, a large frame building on Center street, short distance from the main street, and soon gained much headway. It started, as is supposed, owing to defective fue or stove in F. R. Upton's store The fire was discovered by Night Watchman Andrews, who quickly gave the alarm and the bells were rung. The iremen responded quickly but were detained from getting to work fully until they could obtain hose from the private hose carriages of the Stanley Cutlery Go. and the Peck, Stow & Wilcox Go. By resolute and persevering efforts they confined the fire to the structure in which it originated, saving the building from total destruction, while another building a few feet distant owned by John Hemingway was saved without damage. A large part of the interior of the Wilcox building was burned out. Occupying the premises were, beside the store of Mr. Upton, the cigar store of A. w. Bradley, the dry goods and milli- nery store of Hitchcock & Co.,, the hardware store of c. Yeomans, all these on the first floor; while above were the hall of the An cient Order of Hibernians, the hall of the Young Mems Independent Social club, Charles Kelsey's law office and Henry Valen- tines billiard rooms.
 Upton's store was the most damaged. He estimates his loss at about $9, 900; his insur- ance is about $s,OO0. About two-t thirds of his stock was either consumed or badly dam aged by water.
 MT. Bradley's store was damaged 3,200; insured for $2,5OO.
 Hitchcock & Co.'s loss was 3,3OO insur- ance, $2,5OO.
 MT. Yeomans' loss is about s, ,O0O; insured for 2,7O0.
 The Young Mems Independent Social club estimate their. loss at $500; they are insured for $65O.
 The division ofAncient Order of Hibernians udu du 1uSuIduCc Ol SIOO OH lA0 AAGuI6S The splendid flag won by them at their fair year ago last November and costing $750 was destroyed.
 Charles Kelsey, the lawyer, lost some of his papers, but rescued some of his law books.
 MT. Valentines loss to his billiard business he estimates at about $500; insured for $350.
 A large crowd assembled at the fire, the blaze of which was visible for long dis tance The fire was blazing so fercely when the people were aroused that but few hundred dollars worth of goods could be saved from the stores.
 The building was owned by Mr. Frederick Wilcox, of Philadelphia, former resident of Southington, now retired from business. It was insured for $5, ,000.
 The new fire engine which Southington re- gently purchased came fin quite handy for the fire yesterday. The new machine worked very and the popular opinion is strong in it's favor as a good machine. The fire blazed for about four hours, giving the fremen lively nights work.
 Foreman Henry Peck, of the Hook and Ladder company, fell from ladder to the sidewalk and received compound fracture of his leg. He was promptly cared for and received surgical attendance and is doing as we'll as could be expected.
 Many people from adjoining places drove in to-day to visit the ruins.
 It is expected that steps will be taken i'm to rebuild the burned structure.