The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-05-22


heating a curling iron over kerosene lamp
in a tenement house in Fonda's lumber
yard, St. Adams. The lamp exploded, scat
tering flame that ignited the worst con-
flagration ever known in Yer mont Inside
OF three hours the heart OF the business por-
ton of the village had been Quilted, forty
business houses and one hundred tenements
had been swept out OF existence, and prop
erty valued at more than half million
dollars had been destroyed.
The fire at once communicated with com.
bustible material in Fonda's lumber yard,
close to the Central Vermont freight depot
A wind OF almost gale velocity was blow
ing, and before the hose companies could
reach the scene of the conflagration the
lum ber-sheds and store-houses were mass
of flames A high south wind prevailed at
the time aud carried the blazing brands far
to the north, setting the roofs OF buildings
on fire half a mile off The flames spread
with great rapidity, and dozen buildings
situated in different parts of the town were
on fire at the same time. Great excitement
prevailed among the merchants and tenan
in the exposed district, who began moving
their stocks OF goods and household effects
to the street and public park. Many mer-
chants lost their entire Stocks and most of
the families burned out saved nothing from
the devouring element The fire bafflsd the
efforts of the firemen, who fought gallantly
10 bUdy lbS DTORl cbo. hO huhOo III thOil
fury swept to the northward and crossed
Lake street and began the work of destruc-
ton on Foundry street, near Kingman.
The new United States post-ofice and GUS
tom house was located on this corner, and
little further up Kingman, toward Main
street, stood the establishment of the St.
Adams Messenger Company, publishers OF
the Daily and Weekly Messenger. The gov
ernment building and the Messenger block
are in ruins. The loss to the government is
nrnn H. al.
was $40, 600, with insurance of $4,000. The
files Of the paper and copy and cuts for the
June number Of the Vermonter, to have been
issued june by Colonel G. s. Forbes, were
all that was saved.
During the hours that the fire ragged and
gained Roadway, the people Of st. Adams
were laboring under an excitement that
cannot be told in words. 1t really seemed
| as though the heart OF the whole village
was doomed. The fremen would make
stand only to be driven from it, and to
hurry to another critical point, and soon be
surrounded by sea of fire, compelled to
| flee for their lives. Help was asked from
| Swanton and Burlington, and the response
was swift. The Swanton fremen arrived
first, and were sent to the fire on Foundry
| street. The Burlington department was
sent to the aid OF the: Swanton companies,
and there the fire was stayed.
Only the bare walls OF the new federal
building remain, and the structure is
total loss down to the foundation. 1t would
have been ready for occupancy August 1,
pended upon it. Johnl W. Burroughs Of
Portland, Me-, had the contract to finish the
interior and the work would have been COM
| pleted by July /. Unless the government
protects him, his loss will be fully $4,000.
With such conflagration within such
| limited time, it seems almost miraculous
that there were no fatalities and 80 few &C.
| cidents. Several fremen sustained slight
| injuries, as did Mrs. K. J. Dougherty and
Miss Kate Gallar. Bert G. Greene, clerk
rious internal injuries by falling from a
building on which he was fighting the
| flames.
| The citizens of St. Adams held meeting
at the Weldon House, Sunday evening, and
| prompt action was taken to relieve the me-
| cessities Of those made homeless by the fire.
In this matter the citizens pledged their
support to the village trustees. Major j
H. Mmms, A. l.. Weeks, Colonel e. A.
Chittenden, H. K. Lewis and f. f. witch
| ell were appointed committee to have
| charge of this work.
The St. Adams Messenger Company, Of
which Colonel e. G. Smith is president, had
the finest newspaper and job printing plant
| in Vermont, but its officers and the editor Of
| the Messenger are not built of the right ma
terial to be discouraged. When asked by
WATCHMAN reporter. Monday evening,
when they would rebuild, Colonel Childs
promptly replied: "Just as soon as the
bricks get cold" In fact, before the fire
was out, e. M. Prouty, the Swanton con-
tractor, had been engaged to set gang OF
men at work on the old site as soon as the
ruins are cold enough to handle. A new
| block will rise on the site OF the old plant
guaranteed by the president to be as good
as the one destroyed, II not better. With
ranged for and got out Mondays edition Of
| the Messenger from the Office of the SwantOn
Courier. II contained an accurate and
graphic story of the fire. For the present, the
Messenger will be issued from the Free Press
office, Burlington. George Blair, foreman Of
the job department of the Messenger, went to
Boston, Monday night to purchase new
| supply OF type and presses and temporary
quarters will soon be established in St.
Adams. 1t was literally true that after the
fire there was not stickful of type in st.
Adams.
The insurance and losses cannot be &C.
curately stated at present. The total loss
is about $4,000, with insurance at perhaps
half that sum. Among the heaviest losers
were the following Government building,
loss $50, 900, no insurance; ST. Adams Mes.
senger Company plant, loss $4,000, insur-
ance $4,000; W. B. Fonda, loss lumber
yards, $4,000, insurance 5000; Winfield
S. Bailey, loss $685. insurance $4,000;
$4,000; W. N. Adams. loss $4,000, insur-
ance $4,000; W. Fl. Ellis, loss $4,000, in
surance SO 600; Folsom & Morton, loss
$4,000, insurance 5000; Merrill j. Hill,
loss S14, 800, insurance $9,700; Collins Bros.
loss $1,000, insurance $500; St. Adams
Foundry Company, loss 600. insurance
5000; A. j. Lang, loss S14, 900, insurance
$1,000; Henry G. Morton. loss $1,000, in
surance 50 900; Charles Atwood, loss $lo,-
600, insurance 5000; Or. s. W; Paige loss
So 900, insurance 5000; n. Vincent, loss
$1,000, insurance 81 900; II. E. Lewis, loss
$11, 800, insurance $7,875; Mary L. Sey-
mour, guardian of Robert Seymour, loss
$4,000, insurance $1,000; Mary L. Seymour,
guardian of Walter II. Seymour, loss $40, 900,
insurance $500; DR. j. N. JENNIE, loss
"a, 600, insurance $1,000; Marshall Mason,
loss $3, 500, insurance $500; St. Adams
Gas Light Company, loss $1,000, insurance
$1,000; Fl. P. Seymour estate, loss 81. 800,
insurance 81, 600; James Burns, loss $12,-
900, insurance $500; P. Pelkey, loss So, 600
no insurance.
DON'T treat guests exactly as II all their
time belonged to you, or yours to them
They may want to rest let them. They may
want to 90 about: 90 or send some one with