Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-05-20
The DanvilIe Fire.

The following interesting particulars
in regard to the great Danville fire will
be of interest. We Gull them from the
Lyndon Union chiefly:
The SevereSt fire ever known in Gale
donia county occurred in Danville on
Thursday afternoon of May 9th, when IL
barns, II dwellings and 13 stores, a total
OF Sc buildings, went up in smoke in three
quarters of an hour, wiping out every
business place but two, and in1icting an
estimated loss of $53, $50, on which there
was $50, $50 insurance, 900 being in
the Vermont Mutual, and S17, $50 in
stock companies of Blodgett & Co. and
Moore of st. Johnsbury.
Those familiar with the old county
seat will remember the location of the
buildings there. The St. JohnSbury road
passes through the village on the north
side of the common, and the North Dan
vile road on the east side. The business
center was at the intersection of the
streets, the principal part being on the
North Danvile road from the intersec-
ton and running north some twenty rods.
The old Kelsey tavern faced the common,
and was on the st. Johnsbury road. West
of it on the same street was the Dole
Bros. store, the old court house, then the
old county record building, and then DR..
Ayers office and residence. The fire
started at 10 p. m. in the clubhouse at
the end of Il. Kittridge's barn; probably
but no one knows by boys playing
with matches. This barn was located 10
rods back from st. Johnsbury road and
about the same distance from the North
Danville road, it being back of the west
end of the old hotel barn. The wind was
blowing a small tornado, everything was
as dry as tinder, the shingles on the old
buildings were weather beaten, loose and
fuzzy, and as soon as the fire started, the
wind took it, and it spread over the pres
ent burned district of five or six acres, as
fast as one could walk. In fact it jump
ed from roof to roof, as if determined to
have the whole thing going on at once.
The Fisher house in the field, third OF a
mile down the ST. Johnsbhry road was
on fire among the first from burning
shingle from the Kittridge barn, carried
down there bv the wind. There was q
scarcity of water and no conveniences Tor
fighting the fire, and if there had been,
the fire fiend was too speedy for human
resistance few got portion of their
household goods out on the common, but
only to see the flames take them there.
Beginning at the western limit OF the
fire we note the pile of ashes in DR.. AY-
er's yard, where once stood his Office.
Next is the brick wall of the Ladies LII
brary, formerly the county records oulld-
ing. and later Bliss N. Davis law office.
How the ladies managed to save 1000 vol
umes of books there is mystery but they
did it.
Next comes the ruins of the town
house, formerly the old court house. III
which was the hearse and other town
property all destroyed.
Then comes the old Dana store Whlch
set out in the street, occupied by the Dole
Brothers as a general store. In the sec
ond story was the Masonic hall, IN Whlch
everything went except the charter, saved
bv the speed of Charles ingalls,.
The old hotel stage barn came next ana
then the Eagle Hotel, so called, or better
known as the John Kelsey tavern. Since
the Elm house was built by Dr. Wood-
ard this building, owned by his widow,
was converted into tenements' ana was
occupied by the families of Ben Badger
Widow Bagby and the offices of DR.. Dun
lrlee and Dentist Beckwith. In the upper
story was Miss Laura French ana the
families of Heath and Geo. Fellows
The tenants lost everything and were not
insured.
This record brings US down to the cor
ner of st. JohnsburY and North DanVlile
streets. Turning the corner on the west
side of that street are the ruins OF the
Bray house in which f. K. Kittrldge had
his ieweler shop, then the J. Currler gro
cery store, and next the Palmer building
in which c. III. Frizzell had saddlers
shon. The contents of this was partly
saved by the speed of few men.
Rack of this building was the kittrldge
barn where the lire started III Whioh h'O-
fridge had, what is claimed the hnest
/ three-year-old colt in the county, ana val
ned him at $1,000. He also had prooo
mare valued at $3.50, and was unable to
save either of them.
Next comes the large Sylvester Day
house, known as the John Paul residence
then the large house of VIM. b. Faimer'
in which /. w. Batchelder had MS resi-
dence and a jewelry store All he couio
save was what he had on his back ana II
being hot day he is poorly prepared lof
cold snap.
The Burdick house, occupied py Mars
Barnes, was the next and last mousse puiii-
ed on the north. The flames ran elfousl
the grass to barn beyond but were tnere
] stopped by the women. HAD TINS gone