Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-04-14
AN EARLY BLAZE.


Tho Tire on tho Morn Ing of the 9th Did
50, roo Damage Before EStinguished.
A fire alarm was rung in from box 43 on
the morning of the 9th at 2.l2 o'clock and n
few minutes afterward a general alarm was
sounded from box 81 for fire in two
buildings on Maple street owned by Spauld-
ing IL Van Sicklen and rented by the Con-
sumers' Ice company for stables. The ire
had gained great Roadway before it was dis
covered and the alarm sounded. Officer
Doxie whose beat is on Church street, saw
the blaze and thinking the fire was just back
Of the Van Ness House rang in an alarm
from box AZ which was the first alarm
given. By this time tho people In the
neighborhoo1 Of the fire were awakened
and a general alarm was sounded from box
81. The fire companies responded quickly
considering the hour the Ethans reaching
the scene first, followed in rapid succession
by the other companies.
In tho meantime, sparks set fire to large
wooden tenement house in Drew's lane and
the building was all on fire, while the roof
of the stables was nearly ready to fall in
before the first stream of water was put on.
The upper parts of the stables were filed
with hay and straw, which made the prog
ress of the fire very rapid. The tiremen,
however, succeeded in subduing what seem
cd probable would De great conliasration
ond kept the fire confined to these buildings.
The stables were burned to the ground and
the tenement is total loss, the interior OF
the building being completely Quilted and
the eastern half of the roof having coll
lapsed.
The house was occupied by five families,
and all escaped without in jury, though they
lost their household goods, and Mrs. Gilbert,
who resided in one of the east teuement',
had narrow escape, being nearly suifo-
Gated by smoke when she was rescued.
There we're 10 of the Consumers Ice
compnny's horses IL the two stables and
four, pair OF large bays and two other
valued beasts, which were in the old stable,
persisted. A sleigh, wagon, robes, harnesses
| and ice tools that were in the building also
burned. Two ice carts were saved some
what damaged The origin Of the fire is
unknown.
MIR. A. y. Ferguson, manager of the Con-
sunsumers's leo company, said that he
heard the first stroke OF the bell, jumped
up and looking out saw the blaze. He
partly dressed himself and ran, being
| among tho first to reach the stables. The
fire had almost destroyed the old stable and
the four horses kept there were dead. He
| loosened tho six horses in the other barn
| and succeeded in getting them out after
some difficulty. The flames soon atterward
made further saving of property impose bic
| He does not know how the fire could have
| started, but il was quite a loafers' resort
and may have beon started by some fellow
carelessly dropping a match after lighting a
pipe. 1t is possible that the fire was incen-
diary Conservative estimates place the
loss as follows: $4,000 on tenement, which
is almost totally destroyed; $1,000 on sta.
bles; $1,000 on hay, wagons, sleighs and
horses belonging 10 the Consumers Ice com
pany. The tenement is insured for $500
The Consumers Ice company carried pol
icy of 5000 and the stables were insured for
$500. The insurance was all placed in the
agency OF T. $. Peck and the losses arc in
process Of ad justmsnt.
The flames shot up into the air 30 feet or
more and many people were at the scene in
| a short time. The strong south west wind
| carried sparks as far as the Van Ness House
aud other fires would doubtlessly have
kindled had not the buildings been moisten-
ed by the rain in the evening.