St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-05-16
THE DANVILLE FIRE.
The business Portion of the Town Wiped
Out Last ThurSday.-Thirty Buildings
Burned and Twenty Three Families
Homefess.--Loss Not Far from 500 900 !;
Insurance SIS, 500.


Burned and Twenty Three Families
HomeIess.--Loss Not Far from 500, 900 ;
| Insurance $zS,5oo.
About 1 o'clock last Thursday af-
ternoon fire was discovered in the
Baxter barn at Danville which is on
the north side of the business part of
the village and very near the Congre-
| gatiOnal church. There was strong
west wind blowing at the time and
almost within an hour the flames had
swept through the business portion
of the town, leaving only the Caledo-
MIA bank and the Elm house stand
ing The fire burned over a district
of 8. acres and took everything from
the Baxter barn around to DR.. ]. M. :.
| Ayers house. On the west side of
| Main street the fire extended to Alb
bic GSsw IFS and on the east side as
far as William Dole's place, while
down the ST. Johnsbury road the
flames destroyed every building to
and including the Hiram Fisher house
The cause of the fire is unknown
but there are two theories. One is
that it started from a manure pile in
the Baxter barn by spontaneous
combustion and others think that it
was caused by children playing with
ma atches. The buildings burned with
great rapidity and at one time 20
houses were on fire The wind which
WASH the west when the fire started
veered a little when Dole Brothers
store was burning and the fire start
ed up toward DR.. Ayers house in
stead of ofcrossing the street and con-
suming the bank and eventually
the hotel.
The loss is estimated at 100000
and the insurance is $2S, 500. The
Vermont Mutual carry about Sc, 900 !;
P. D. Blodgett & Co. $500 and
Moore & Co. $4,000. Many of the
families lost everything and had no
insurance. At least Is families are
in great need having lost all but the
clothes they had On.
1t is impossible to give the exact
losses of the fire but the owners es-
| Inmates are taken.
The Baxter house and barn was
owned by William B. Palmer; loss
$500, insurance, $1,000. Isaac w.
Batchelder and family lost nearly
everything and Mr.. Batchelder lost
all the tools in his jewelry shop.
Mrs. Mary Barnes occupied the
small house owned by N. w. and
Frank Burdick The house was
valued at $500 and there was no in
surance. Mrs Barnes lost nearly all
her household goods and provisions.
Sylvester Days brick house and
barn was insured for $500 and the
loss above the insurance will be about
$500.
c. H. Frizzell, the harness maker,
was one of the few who saved most
of his property including his stock of
leather and harnesses. The building
was owned by William B. Palmer.
1t was valued at $500 and insured
John Currier lost his entire stock
of groceries and building. His total
loss on building and goods was $3,-
900. insured for $500.
Frank K. Kittredge lost nearly
everything in his jewelry store and
household furniture in his brick house
He had two carriages and two horses
burned in the Baxter barn In this
barn stallion valued at $1,000 was
burned to death This horse was
owned by Zenas T. Kittredge. Frank
Kittredge's loss was $4,000 with
$500 insurance. William B. Rich
ards and family lived in the Kittredge
house and their loss on furniture is
about $500 with an insurance of
$50
The Eagle hotel and barn, or the
old Kelsey Tavern, was owned by
Mrs. Dr. Woodward. Her loss was
$4,000, with $500 insurance The
building was occupied by tenants
who saved little or nothing from the
flames, and carried no insurance.
Benjamin Badger and Mrs. Bagby
occupied the lower floor. DIR. Dunk
Iaa>S oa1ce xUoS or, t1,iS floor an6 n
the doctor was away he lost every
thing DIR. Beckwith saved some of
his dental instruments, and estimates
his loss at $50. The upper floor
was occupied by w. c. Heath, Geo.
Fellows and family and Mrs. Laura
French. Mr. Fellows had just moved
into the hotel. Mrs. French was
sick abed, and had narrow escape.
She fell down stairs in trying to get
out of the building, and was found
at the foot of the stairs by friends
who speedily cared for her.
Dole Brothers saved little from
their store, and estimate their loss at
$1,000. The goods were insured for
$4,000. The building was owned by
E. ]. Dole, whose loss is $4,000 and
insurance about $25OO. In these
figures are included the loss and in
surance on the Masonic hall, where
$500 worth of furniture was burned,
and nothing saved but the charter,
which was rescued by Charles In
gals.