Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-11-07
THE ST. JOHNSBURY FIRE.

From the Caledonian and Republican
we condense the following facts in re-
gard to the great fire in ST. Johnsbury.
These papers showed commendable
energy in getting out in a very Few
hours a full report of the great ca
tastrophe to the town:
The usual serenity of Sunday even
ing was disturbed by a ire alarm
sounded about seven O'Clock, and the
alarm was followed by what proved
to be the most serious blaze that st.
Johnsbury ever experienced.
y Never did fire do its work more
quickly. Never we're buildings licked
I'D by the flames with more av1dlty;
and within half an hour after the
alarm was given the entire row OF
business blocks, from Harvey's store
TO Eastern avenue, as well as Girls
void, Pearl & Co.'S establishment, was
ablaze and it was apparent that no
mower on earth could save any of that
property.
Not only that, but the Avenue
House, the depot and all the manu-
featuring establishments east OF the
track were seriously threatened on
account of the intense heat and
perfect shower of sparks which filled
the air. crossing the river and even
threatening houses in SummerVllIe
The Avenue House especially seemed
doomed. at one time, and if that had
taken fire there is no telling where
the flames would have been checked.
Chas. Varney, who, with the fam1-
" of F. A. Balch, the photographer,
occupied the upper story of the Cald-
beck building, wherein was situated
the Lougee Bros. & Smythe store, tells
a thrilling story of the beginning OF
the fire. He was the first to discover
it, and to give the alarm. He heard
noise proceeding from the stove or
furnace in the basement of the build
ing, under the store, and was fearful
of trouble. Soon an explosion, and
then the flames leaped up some fifty
feet, covering the rear of the build
ing and forcing themselves into the
windows of the upper tenement
There was no time to save anything
Mr.. Varney and Mr.. Balch with their
families had simply time to escape
with their lives, and were thankful
enough for that chance. The people
whom Varney notified seemed slow to
appreciate the fact of fire; but the
flames waited not for them, and in al
most less time than it takes to tell 1T
the entire building was afire and the
flames were pushing hungrily on tow
ards other valuable property that lay
in their path.
In short time the large and valua-
BILE stock of Lougee Bros. & Smythe
was wiped out. A fierce wind was
blowing from the northeast, and, find
ing directly in the rear of the blocks
much material. to feed upon, the
flames worked both north and south,
and before they were checked these
buildings were laid low; The Drouin
block, containing Abbott's shoe store,
Moore's hardware store, Spaulding
Bros. grocery, and several tenements;
Caldbeck's block, with the Lougee
Bros. & Smythe store, Balch's studio,
and tenements; the small block oc-
cupied by Daniels meat market;
Bank block, containing the Merchants
National Bank, Spencer's Jewelry
store. Sargent's insurance office, Mont
gomery's law Office, Lynch's hall, and
tenements; Wards four story brick
block, containing Bagley's drug store,
Gilmore's shoe store, Roderer's cigar
store, Provencal's clothing store, Syl-
vesters' meat market, Lynch's restau-
rant, and large number of tene-
ments; "a building occupied by Knapp's
livery stable; Griswold, Pearl & Co, IS
wholesale flour and grain establish
ment; besides several old wooden
buildings Immediately bordering OH
the track.
1t became evident, soon after the
fire started, that nothing could be
done to save that section of Railroad
street, and the firemen, keeping just
streams enough on the main fire to
hold it down a little, directed their
efforts to saving the Avenue House,
the depot and other buildings near
the track The front of the hotel was
kept thoroughly wet down, but it was
not certain that it could be saved I'M
til Wards block had fallen in heap;
had the walls of that burning build
ing fallen ont into the street the fire
men would have-tbeen driven away
and there would have been small
chance to save the hotel
Sparks set fire to several buildings
in that locality occupied by the gran