The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-02-19
THE BENNINGTON BANNER, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 49, 1892
The Fire of sunday morning,


Sunday morning, between seven and
eight o'clock, a fire was discovered in
the buildings owned by VIM. E. Hawks
just north of the BANNER Office. These
are two wooden structures, attached, and
last year Photographic operating room
was built out over the back way of the
first floor front, leaving an open space
under that portion of the main build
ing's second story. The first floor of the
larger building was occupied by the Ma
tiOnal Express office, the second floor by
ii. l.. H0tsvu, u.,let, .l.i. .. 80.
building, partly to the rear, was occu-
pied by c. NJ. Lambert, marble and
granite dealer; the Crown File Band
Company had an Office on the second
floor Just where these two buildings
Join, the flames broke out. 1t is not
known how the fire originated, the point
apparent being quite distant from Ell ther
stoves or chimneys. Coal stoves were
used except in the stone shop and no fire
had been built therein since the Friday
before. On Saturday both Mr.. Watson
and Mr.. Lambert thought they smelled
burning wood and search was made
twice to find it, but no traces being dis
covered the matter rested until the next
morning when the flames burst out
Watson was asleep in bedroom adjoln-
ing his receptiOn-rOOm and had to be
aroused. He barely escaped with few
of his clothes, the valuable cameras and
negatives going down in the general
wreck.
The fire department was quickly on the
ground. The great value of the electric
fire alarm in at once locating the fire
helped to make assistance prompt and
h, tlo &c hn E,n
spreading to other and contiguous
wooden buildings. This promptness
was quite marked for, before the bell
ceased tolling the water was on the fire.
The hydrant at the corner in front of the
postofice ''stuck" a little but was not
frozen as reported. A basin of hot
water relieved the difficulty and the fire
was actually drowned out" The new
operating room of the photograph gal
lery, above referred to, was burned
above the floor, the roofs of both fronts
about half-burned and considerable dam
age otherwise resulted. Had it not been
for the fire alarm locating the exact
place Of the fire as it rang, the result
might have been much more disastrous,
1t appears to us that with the hydrants
and present fire alarm the village is
measurably safe from those disastrous
COntiagrations that have visited Middle
bury, ST. Adams and other Vermont vii
lagos during the year.
The property was not insured. Mr..
Hawks began rebuilding Monday morn
ing, and at night the roof of the main
building was on and the Express Office
was moved back Wednesday. The pho
tograph gallery will be at once rebuilt
and Watson will resume business within
three or four weeks. He lost everything,
but desires us to say that he will be ION
deck' again just as soon as it is posi-
bic to procure another outfit. Watson
is an excellent artist and deserves well
at the hands of our readers. The blow
falls with great force upon him, as the
only articles saved belonging to his bust
ness were one lens and one camera. A
large number of negatives of historic
buildings and other landmarks now gone
and of prominent men now dead were
destroyed. The negatives were the ac-
emulation of many years labor by the
late Calvin Dart, and the loss is irepara-
bic. The cash value of his loss, aside
from the historic negatives, is about
$500. He had been isured up to late
date and the lapse of the policy is due
to one of these instances that sometimes
occur to business men.
MI: Lambert's stock was damaged
considerably and he estimates that it
will cost from 5000 to $500 to replace the
carved and finished work, some of which
If not destroyed will need recruiting and
polishing. The loss to the Express Com
pany was incOnsiderable as their prop
erty was carried out of the building and
temporary Office opened with n. II.
Saunders on the corner.
AT one time had there been high
wind this fire would have endangered
large amount OF business property. The
air was still however and the flames were
soon subdued.