Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1895-05-24
HEART IN RUINS.
Great Fire Consumes the Centre
of ST. Adams Vt.
Loss Fully Ss5O,OOO and 500 Peo-
pie Homeless.

81. Adams Vt, has been visited by the
greatest cOnfagration ia the history OF YER
( mont The loss is estimated at =75, 600. Prac-
trally six streets In the business PORTION OF
the town were laid waste and with the other
sections burned over, 20 acres Of ground were
covered with smOldering ruins.
The churches. school houses aud the public
buildings were opened for the shelter OF the
homeless. and numerous instances Of pitiful
de-titution demand the sympathy OF the more
fortunate. Forty business houses aud at
least 100 tenements have been wiped out OF
existence The fire originated In the house
Of a French family near W. ID. Fonda's mm-
ber yard. A woman was engaged in heating
her curling irons over Kerosene lamp, when
it exploded and scattered the flames over the
carpet which Immediately caught lire. The
flames spread rapidly to the lumber yard.
A high southerly wind prevailed, and at a
glance it was evident that the most II not the
entire business portion OF the town was
doomed. lhe flames quickly spread to ad-
joining building. The fire was carried by
sparks to the roofs OF houses and business
blocks fully half a mile away, and in five
I minutes was raging in dozen different
places at the same time. The new govern
ment building was completely gutted, nothing
but the walls being left The southern por-
ton OF Main street and the block between
Kingman and Centre streets were saved. Be-
yond that, northward. al the stores were
burned to the ground. except Brainards
drug store. Many of the merchants moved
all the goods they could save into the park,
but the bulk of the goods were more or less
damaged by smoke and water.
The st. Adams Messenger was burned out,
but will start again being printed in Swan
ton. as there is not a case OF type left In town.
The fire covered about 10 acres. Some OF the
hardware stores carried considerable gunpow-
der and dynamite in stock, but in most cases
it was gotten out and only a few explosions
occurred.
The heaviest losses are these: Arthur L.
| Weeks, boots and shoes. loss 512, 600; insur-
ance $4,000. A. J. Lang. clothing. loss ell,
600 insurance $1,000. Harvey i Sullivan,
furniture, loss $4,000; insurance Sc. 1000. Fol-
som K Morton, hardware. loss $4,000; in
surance unknown. c. E. Marceau, boots and
sho :. loss $4,000; insurance "A 900. S. C.
Greene. stoves and tinware. loss $4,000; in
suranca $1,000. Fred r. Woodward, restaur-
ant, loss $1,000; fully insured. H. H.
Farnsworth, insurance agency. loss 800; no
insurance 5. S. Bedard. tenements,
loss $500; covered by insurance.
Michael S. Sullivan, house, loss
: 500; insurance $1,000 DR.. S. W.
Paige. block, loss $1,000; insurance
81 900 Charles Gonyelu loss $500; insur-
ance S400. Mary Pasha, loss $500; covered
by insurance. c. H. Sabine, loss $500; in
(
ance $1,000 j. f. Welch, druggist, loss
Sc 900; insurance 53 500. st Adams gas
company, loss s3, 900; covered by insurance.
4. NJ. Mason loss $1,000; covered by insur-
ance The Curtis Pierce estate. block, loss
3l2, 900 insurance $4,000. Arthur Travers,
household goods. loss $780, Rich
ardson Twigg It Co, loss 81 500: insured.
II. H. Smith, photographer, loss $500. Far
rington 4 Post law office, loss $4,000 partly
insured Mrs Glider, millinery loss o., 500.
Central Vermont railroad, three tenements,
ments, loss $500; insurance $4,000. James
total loss. DR.. J. y. Jenn tenement, and barn,
house. loss 5000; covered by insurance.
st. Albans Messenger company, block and
printing establishment, loss 5000; insur-
ance $4,000 Hanson Lewis six tenements.
loss Sll 500; insurance $780, George Sea.
gel. furniture, loss $500: covered by insur-
ance Sambel Crown, furniture. loss 81 600;
insurance 81, 900; Henry ]. Watson, tailor,
loss s400 covered by insurance; DR.. A. A.
Claliin, loss $500; no insurance; G. W.
Burleson. law office, loss $500; no
insurance; Harry Cannum, loss 5000:
?. Pelky lumber yard, loss $1,000, no in
surance. Rushford 4 Chagnon, loss 5000.
F. ]. Scott loss 1000 insurance $780, St.
Adams foundry company, loss 5000, partly
Insured. Mrs. W. c. Smith, two tenements,
.oss $1,000, insured. DR.. John Sheerar, loss
81, 500, insurance 1900. Peter Breen, two
:enements. loss 5000, partly insured. Charlie
Chung, laundry loss $780, no ins urance.