Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-02-11
THE FIERY ELEMENT.
AN INTERESTING RECORD OF CON-
FLAGRATlONS IN MlDDLEBURY.

Only SIX Buliulng SITES OF business Houses
Have Escaped Being Swept by Flames
One Fire Burnt Out Thirty-eight Firms,
Causing IA Loss of $4,000.
Although Middlebury has had fire So
cetles and fire engines, as advertised,
continuously since 1908, the village has
suffered severely from fire during that
time. Between the railroad, the south
park and electric light station, all but
six of the buildings have at different
times been burned. The old gas house,
Chapman q Co.'s stand, the old store
house on the railroad, the bakery and adj
Joining building are the exceptions.
The first record found of fire was the
Potash of Capt. Jabez Rogers on the
second of February, 1905, which stated
that his distillery had been twice burned
a few years previous. Capt. Rogers was
also the next sufferer, his store with all
its contents being burned March 81, 1907.
1t stood where is now the brick dwelling
of Gov. Stewart, west of the Congrega-
tional church. On the night of January
u, 1914, the cabinet shop of Gen. Has
tings Warren with its contents, standing
on the site of the Methodist church, was
burned.
The great fire of May 3, 1916, was on
the site of the Addison House when the
Mattocks tavern and adjoining buildings
were burned. North of the tavern house
was the dwelling of Samuel Mattocks,
and a large building containing a store,
Ijewelry shop, printing office, Masonic
lodge room, law offices and shops.
There were also five barns. The dwell.
ing house of Daniel Chapman, where
President BTainerd now resides, was
burned Oct. 2S, 1878. His barn and re-
naming furniture was burned by light
ming later. Gen. John Warren's cotton
and gristmill, standing where is now
Clinton Smiths mill, was burned Aug.
%, 1925. Just one year later furnace,
trlphammer, sawmill, gristmill and out
houses, standing Just below were burned
r. and J. Wainwright, Moses Leonard
and James Jewett were the principal
losers. Asa Chapman's dwelling, where
the Hayden house now stands, wa:
burned April 2, 1928. The large brick
house of Col. John Chapman, the pioneer
2 of NIiddlebury, situated near where hi:
! first clearing was made, was burned il
March, 1927.
g The most extensive fire up to this tint
| was March n, 1881, when clean SWEEP
was made at the south end of the bridge
6 burning five business blocks and on,
dwelling on the sites of the presen
Dyer and Union blocks. Eleven bust
ness firms were burned, including tn
r only printing Office in town, the Nationa
q Standard. Oct. ~ of the same year tn
dwelling of Col. Seth Storrs, where tn
f house of the late Geo. G.. Chapman
stands, was burned. Gen. Tasting
. Warren's house on the Methodist corne
. was burned Dec. Il, 1888, and Samue
: Moulton's, east part of the town, Apr
u, 1884. Two dwellings on the O
Severance lot on Weybridge street wer
n burned May IS. and the old Freedom
It LOOMS house near Seeley's July 1, 1881
g A dwelling of James Jewett was burne
O. Jan. 3, 1885. The John Warren wOole
6 factory, owned by NJ. TichnOr Il Co
6 was a second time burned Feb. ~, 1896
Also a house on College green Feb q
1899. Elias Halls dwelling and CUR
IL smith shop, standing on A. p. Upper
IS front corner, was burned Sept. 81, lS4;
n Edward Wainwright's furnace buiC
ings, mile below at the paper mill fall;
e were consumed Sept. IS, 1914. Lockli
# Wainwright's dwelling, half mil
n south of the Seeley place, was burne
Dec. s, 1874. The papermill at til
, falls was burned March 10, 1917. j. "
II Conroes house, Foot street, burne
/ April n, 1850. Feb. 2l, 1852, j. NJ
IS Slade & Co.'s store and stock of good
adjoining the railroad was burned, il
h GLIDING all the probate and other valui
N BILE records. The gristmill and brio
10 stores between the cotton factory an
T. the creek, where the Sheldon store no
~ stands, occupied many years by Natha
;" Wood and others, were burned Sept.
&c 1854. The railroad bridge over Ottt
;t creek south part of the village, Feb. 3
1852 the paper mill and oil mill, OF
ID mile below, May %, 1868; the int rlor {
s. Starr Hall, Middlebury college, Dec. ,
1864 Charles Bruya's house, Weybridg
10 street, first south of Catholic churcI
Vi Aug. 81, 1866, (St. Stephens paris
;, was organized Dec. 2G, 1910, at the dwell
ing house of ARENAS Nixon who owne
bLio hOuSC az t'ioN NAhiS/ O"Afih " NV
er's sawmill and chair factory, tv
" miles east, Aug. 2l, 1866; Gleason
1t Ladd's tannery and the forge at Ea
In Middlebury in 1868. The steamer Vale
IL. Queen, running between this por
ID Brandon and intermediate points,
the genial and accomplished Capt. II.
- Chapman, was burned Sept. G, lSG
The railroad freight depot burned Ju
-, 1871; John A. Hammond's hou
e- and barns, on the west side of Chapman