The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-06
BERLIN'S EASTER BLAZE
THE TOWN THREATENED WITH
DESTRUCTION.
New Britain Goes to Her Assistance hu
the Steamer Rendered Intellectual by the
Water Famine-Several Incendiaries.

New Britain Goes to Her Assistance bu
the Steamer Rendered Intellectual by the
Water Famine-several Incendiaries.
Berlin. Conn.,, April 5.-The biggest
fire which this town has seen in ten
years started at 1880 this afternoon and
destroyed four barns, the Mechanics.
hall and dwelling house. All but one
of the buildings were located on Ber-
lin street. For time it seemed that
the fire would spread over the great
er part of the town. One of the barns
burned was located an eighth Of mile
from the buildings where the confiagra-
tion originated, and at the time the
residents We're working with all their
might to fight the flames at the original
point.
This fresh outbreak discouraged Them
temporarily and a large number Of men
who hastened to the north end Of the
town left the group Of burning build
ings almost without combatants. The
fire started in an unused barn belong
Ing to John Ktley. This building, which
was almost in state of collapse, was
soon mass of seething flames.
The fire spread rapidly and soon the
dwelling house of John Webber, jr., and
the barn connected with it fell a prey
to the flames. The public library was
in great danger Of destruction, but the
work OF fifty men with wet blankets
saved the burning building after every
volume had been removed and heaped
upon the sidewalk across the street.
Next in o-der was Mechanics hall.
This is the old Methodist church, which
had been remodeled and converted into
an assembly room for the Order Of
United American Mechanics. The barn
in the distance. which is supposed to
have caught fire from a flying brand,
was owned by Lase GLADDEN.. This was
located in what is known as the Hol-
low.
1t was $3.50 o'clock before the fire had
been reduced to smouldering condi-
ton.
A barn owned by a Mr.. Warren was
also totally destroyed. Assistance was
asked for from New Britain and steam
er No. 2 was sent here There is no
water supply and it could do but little
work. Three or four wells and cisterns
were pumped dry in no time, and the
steamer was OF no more use. 1t is
deemed fortunate that the fire occurred
on Sunday, when all the male inhabi-
tants were at home. If it had broken
out during the week, when more than
half Of the inhabitants are engaged IN
their work out OF town, there is not the
least doubt here but that good part
of the town would have been razed.
All the burned buildings are located
to the north of the Strickland Broth
ers' store. The loss is especially heavy
on John Webber. jr. He suffers the
severest of any Of the fire victims. He
was able to save only his cows and car
riages and a few articles of furniture.
What started the fire is matter OF
conjecture.
The Riley barn is known to have been
out of service for some time. One the
ory is that boys or tramps concealed
themselves in it and that while smok-
ing spark accidentally set fire to the
rotten boards. At six o'clock the ruins
We're still smouldering, but all danger
was thought to be past. A watchman
has been placed over the district for
the night.
The loss is roughly estimated at 49,
900, upon which an insurance Of not
more than 900 at the highest was car-
ried
The particular losses were as followss
John Webber, jr, $4,000, insurance $2,-
$50, Of which $1,100 was on the house
and $500 on the furniture He was In
sured with the Aetna Fire Insurance
company. William A. Riley carried an
insurance Of $780, of which $3.50 was on
his barn and $3.50 on the hay and grain.
He was insured with the Middlesex
company His actual loss is $500. AL
bert D. Warrens loss Is $400, of which
$500 is covered by insurance. Lafayette
GLADDEN. was fully insured. His prop-
erty destroyed is 5000. Mechanics hall
was insured for $1,000. 1t was valued
at $500.
Later.-About an hour after the fire
had been subdued several incendiary
fires broke out in the Beckley quarter.
between Berlin and East Berlin. This
tends to show that the first fires were
of an incendiary origin.