The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1892-10-21
BETHEL'S BIG FIRE.

structive fires that has ever visited thu
town occurred last Saturday afternoon
At about 80 everyone was startled by
the blowing of the different factor,
whistles and the news that Baird 81 LIE
Wis hat shop was on fire, and so it prov
ed to be.
When the firemen arrived the Who'll,
top floor was sheet of flames and il
flames and IN less than 10 minutes the
shop was blazing furnace. So quick in
fact, did the fire spread, the employees
had to flee for their lives. many of them
leaving their clothes behind and some of
the men left money and watches in theil
haste.
The fire tarted in the stiffening room
story says that it was caused by a work.
man lighting his pipe. Another that he
stepped on match which snapped and
being near IA barrel of wood and alcohol,
ignited with the gas which had escaped
from the barrel.
Anyway it is true, there was an
explosion and the shop was mass of
fire the next instant.
From Baird & Lewis, the flames eaped
to the roofs of Durant's and Richmond
Brothers shop, which nearly joins Baird
& Lewis, and which everyone saw could
not be saved.
While the tiremen were working he
roically to check the flames, citizens
formed buckot lines and wet down the
neighboring buildings. They also re-
moved everything movable from the of
flee and north end of the shop and also
in the stores and hall in the part which
Mr. Durant had raised up and reno
waited this last summer.
At about 3 o'clock, quite a breeze
sprang up and blew from the southwest
1t looked at this time as if several of the
adjoining houses would go and some one
telegraphed to the Danbury fire depart
ment for help. Chief Elwood immediate
ly dispatched the steamer and hose com
pany No. 2. Before they arrived,
however, the firemen had the flames un-
der control. Still their presence gave
confidence to those whose homes had
been in danger.
Nearly everything taken out of Rich
mond Brothers was placed in the park
about the band stand. When the wind
blew up, many of them caught fire be-
fore they could be moved. The band
stand also caught fire and was badly
charred. The residence of Miss Smith
and Frederick and Charles Shepard on
the northeast side were in great danger at
this time, as was also William Shepard's
house on the other side and Cole 6 Am
y
thing was taken out of William Shepard's
house and the house covered with wet
blankets and bucket line kept on the
roof. At 80 the firemen had it under
control, it having burned both factories,
barn, the band stand, spoiled several
fences, loss with the stock at least of
100000. About 300 employees are out
of work. .
All the afternoon a large crowd filled
the square and probably more teams
were in the road than at any time in
years. Fountain Place never presented
the appearance it did on that day. 1t
looked as though cyclone had struck Il
junk shop and landed its contents in the
park. Groceries, crockery, paper and
paint, everything of every description,
even to little printers pie.
On the yards of William Shepard, o.
car Ii. Hubbard and Rev William Morrell
chairs, furniture and crockery were stack
ed. Most of The chairs came from the
republican club rooms and the Knights
of Columbus hal, land many of the crowd,
especially the ladies, awaited themselves
of the opportunity of seat and watched
the fire.
After blazing brilliantly about two
hours, the fire burned itself out leaving
only the badly charred west corner Of
Durant's block. The rest of the shops
were burned clean. Nothing was left
standing save the boilers, all of which
(save the new porcupine boiler Of Baird
e Lewis are badly damaged.
There was probably more machinery
in these two shops than in all the other
shops in town and as one looks over the
ruins, he seems to see nothing but old and
worthless machines, old iron and pipes,
of which there are probably several miles.