Morning journal and courier., 1891-08-21
ssAPoTHEcARrRs, nAIl,, Aftnn.

E < Tho Rear of . Chapel Street DrnE store Badly DAnAaged by FIAaAes- The Damage Estimated at About $7.5o0.
 Box 2l was struck last evening at about 6:30 for fire in "Apothecaries' Hall," Captain E. A. Gessner, proprietor, on Chapel street, between Orange and Church streets. The alarm drew tremendous crowd of bystanders to the scene.
 At 8:25 o'clock one of the clerks fin "Apothecaries' Halr' saw strange illami- nation in the rear of the store, and going back found the furthermost stock room all ablaze. Three minutes later the alarm was sent out from the neighboring corner, and soon fire companies i, 3, 3, and ? had arrived and already begun to fight the flames. Meanwhile the fro had made great headway, bursting through the eeil- ing into the second floor and gutting the studio of Hull's photograph gallery Great difficulty was experienced in getting at the flames, as the fire was confined wholly to the two-story addition in the rear of the block. Hose were intro duced through an Orange street alleyway and played upon a wooden addition, which was in great danger of taking fire After thirty minutes hard work the fire depart ment succeeded in completely subduing the flames without sounding second alarm. When the fire first started the tenants in the third story were much terrified and moved out their trunks and movable property. However, no damage was done the front part of the building by fire, but Apothecaries Hall was somewhat damaged by smoke and water. Hull's waiting rooms also were uninjured. In the rear of the drug store is the labratory and be- hind the labratory the stock room. About half the drugs and chemicals in the laboratory were destroyed. The stock room, where the fire originated, was com | pletely gutted by fire and water and much | of the stores destroyed. In the basement l loss.
 It is estimated that 5000 will cover the damage done to goods in stock in the store | room, laboratory and basement and that done by smoke and water in the front o1 the store. The entire establishment hac been newly decorated and refurnished l within a short time. An insurance of $S, l GOO in the Brooklyn and Coleridge Fire Insurance company and in the Security Insurance company of New Haven was or Captain Gessner's stock.
 The damage to Hull's photograph gallery is put at $400, also covered by insurance The origin of the fire is unknown. Cap tain Gessner said he was utterly unable t conceive as to how it started, as there wal no fire in use on the premises and little i any chance for spontaneous combustion Shere will be no hindrance to the busi ness, which will proceed as usual. Cap tain Gessner was on his way to the stor' and was in front of the Church of the Re t@eemer, when the fire bells rang. Tn
 building is owned by the Bassett estate Mir. Bassett, son of the late s. NJ. Bassett visited the premises after the fire. He dit
 not estimate the loss but thought it woul reach $1,50O. MT. Diebel, the caterer who occupied the Whittelsey's buildin
 next to the damaged premises, was makin
 preparations to move his portable propert
 in his restaurant and in his residence owe
 head, where the fire was at it's height.
 Sons of Veterans.
 The First Connecticut battalion, un formed rank, Sons of Veterans, have bee ordered to assemble at Birmingham, SeI
 tember 23.
 Bishop Goodsell's Return. Bishop Goodsell and wife have arrive at Short Beach. Both were we'll, thoug tired and better than they were on leavin on their long trip to China.