The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-20
HEAVY LOSS.
Many Families Are Homeless
at St. Albans.
Business Houses and Dwellings De-
stroyed by Fire.

ST. ALBANs, VT, May 20.--A disastrous
fire swept st. Albans yesterday afternoon,
destroying dwellings, business blocks and
public buildings and large amount Of
other property. The loss will exceed $780,
000
Fire broke out shortly after o'clock In
the lumber yard of w. Is. Fonda, and in a
short time several large piles of lumber
and the business Office had ignited. A
high wind prevailed, and all efforts to
check the fire were unavailing. From the
lumber yards IL spread to adjoining build
ings, destroying the blacksmith shop of
Louis st. Cyr, Chisholm Bros store, and
a tenement house and drug store owned
and occupied by +. Eldred
The fire next spread TO the big building
occupied by the Crown Furniture com.
company and Collins meat market The
blocks of Wood g. Fayro, j. III. Montifore
and w. t. Bean, adjoining, were also dc.
stroyed.
AT this point the wind had increased to
miniature hurricane, and burning embers
were carried in every direction. The local
lire apparatus aud a large force of towns.
men endeavored tc prevent the fire from
extending to Main street, where the large
business blocks were located, but their
efforts had little effect.
Assistance Called For.
Swanton and Burlington were called on
for help, and at half-past four the first
piece of apparatus arrived. A steamer
from Burlington arrived at half-past five,
and all streams were directed to the build
ings on Main street, which had ignited.
1t was found impossible to prevent the
Main street blocks from burning, and a
dozen buildings were soon on fire at once
The first Main street structures that ignitsd
were the stores Of w. s. Bailey and K. b.
Morton. The Wallace Printing Co. .'s
building, the stores of Lombard &c Win.
throp, Marceau 81 Vincent and Fuller's
livery stable were laid in ashes soon after
The horses and most of the carriages, har-
nesses, etc, in the latter were saved
The government building on Kingman
street caught fire a few minutes after 3
o'clock, and was gutted Most of the
papers, furniture, etc, were saved. Tho |
Hill block, occupied by j. Il. Welch and |
w. N. Adams, was leyelled TO the ground. !
AT b:30 the Messenger building caught |
fire and burned fiercely, the fire extending
TO the block occupied by w. ii. Ellis and |
w. b. Woodward's stores.
Most of the buildings were Of wood, and
burned like tinder before the strong gale,
many occupants not having time to save
their effects
Moore's marble works on Foundry
street, Ryan's grocery store and IL tene.
ment houses In the vicinity on the same
street Were destroyed. Shortly before six
o'clock the entire Burlington fire depart
ment arrived and all companies joined
forces in an attempt to check the fire on
Main street.
Flames Under Control.
The attempt was partially successful,
and the fire was checked in time to save
The best blocks on Main street. The stores
OF A. l.. Weeks, A. j. Lang and G.. III.
Harvey, however, were burned, and at
This point the progress of the fire was
stayed. The fire was gotten under control
or Foundry street, six blocks north of
Moore's Marble works The fire made al.
most clean sweep from Stebbns street to |
doyt. AT 0:SO the fire was under control.
Inc nre sweptalong the following course,
after leaving Fonda's lumber yard: North. |
erly, along Catherine street, after ignitino
many wooden buildings nearby, then
sweeping Kingman street. Centre and
Hoyt streets wero next visited by the
hungry element. Main street from Hovt
TO Centre on one side and from Kingman
70 Z. d. Haryey's on the other, was laid in
hshes.
Fully 30 families are homeless. tho
wooden tenements having been swept like
Under, giving the occupants hardly time
70 save their effects. The hotels used
Kerosene and candles last night as the Gas
and electric services were cut off. The
only light in the streets was from the I
embers. No serious accidents {