Morning journal and courier., 1894-02-12
CoLr,s ARmoRx ON FIRE.

| It was Partially Destroyed Involvlni Loss Of Nearly . Quarter Of . NH Hon Dollars-Piremen Had Hard Work to Save the Entire Plant From Destruction-Flame Rat Their Way Through . Foot Thick Fire wall- 1t was . Brilliant Spectacle. HARTFORD, Feb. 11.-Colt's Patent F.rt
 Arms company msnufastory was partially
 destroyed by fire this afternoon, involving
 loss of nearly $250, 0,00O. The fire started
 near the boiler house and when discovered had communicated to an elevator and (
 tier of closets running up three stories near the main wall of the east armory. The building where the fire originated
 was of stone and brick, three stories and
 nearly 400 feet long, connecting the east
 and west srmories. Before the fire depart.
 ment got to work the hlszs had worked its
 way up Into the attio and had got beyond the control of the engines, which the first alarm called out, 80 e general alarm was sent In calling out the entire fire depart ment.
 The firemen on the first engine that got to work laid line of hose up the stairway near the closets, but the flames made such rapid progress that the hose was burned of and the men were obliged te leave. By the dime the department got fairly to work ons-half of the long building connecting the two armories was sblaze from base to attic and the ef- forts of the fremen were then directed to saving the east armory. The doors leading to 1t were of iron. These were soon red hot and remained so au hour or more. The flames had begun to com- municate to the windows of the east fac tory on either side of the burning build ing. Lines of hose. however, were soon run up into the third and fourth floors of the east armory and the progress of the flames was headed off in that direc- tion.
 The fire in the meantime was slowly working it's way toward the west srmory, a building 500 feet long and three stories high. It had already eaten through brick fire wall foot thick and was working its way through the attic over the heads of the firemen, who were bravely trying to stop its progress on the floor below. For some reason the stairs leading to the attic could not be found and the flames made rapid progress in this direction among ths combustible material here stored.
 Finallys line was run up into the attic of the west armory and in through sn iron door the fireman faced the smoke and fire for nearly half an hour. It WAS their last stand and 1t was what saved the west ar mory. As soon as the fire burned through the roof the smoke was drawn away from them, and the fremsn then followed up their advantage and quickly had the fire under control, It started at 1 1:20p. m. and before 8 o'clock was under control. In two hours from that time 1t was practically out.
 The three story building connecting the two armories is practically destroyed. East of the dividing brick wall 1t is all gone and west of 1t the roof and top story Is burned of Tho loss of the building is es- timatsd at $75.Oo0. There were seventy five Universal presses ready for shipment which vera totally destroyed. In the attic were 5O, 900 black walnut gun stocks sea.- oning. These were also total loss. L. lost most of his machinery. All the other floors were occupied by the Colt company for storing and packing purposes. The COZ rcerns in the west srmory lose little and that by water. The total loss will reach $250, ,000, covered by insurance to the amount of $200,000. The seventy five presses, valued at $30, ,000 were not in sured.
 Thirty years ago this month, on Febru- ary 5, Colts factory was detroye1 by fire. At that time the east armory was totally destroyed. The cause then was tb ought to be of rebel origin. Five hundred hands are thrown out of employment, but If the boilers are intact as 1t IS believed they are, the shops will be running in 8 week.
 The Colt works are about mile and ha1f oouth of the oify tho rfuar front They occupy a large tract of land and are a notable feature in the landscape. The fire made a brilliant spectacle, which attracted 8 throng of people to the scene.
 Heavy Gale Tn Great Britain.
 LONDON, Feb. II A southwest gale has hln,ru cuar Graaf Rritair, for tha last