The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-11-22
Big Blaze ut Waterbury.

The main building OF G. 9. warren's
tannery in Waterbury, with contents, was
totally destroyed by fire early Wednesday
morning. The PLAN Is the largest Of its kind
In northern New England. The building
was three stories, some 200 by 100 feet ia de
mansions, and located about half mile
from Waterbury's business center. The
building was divided into two floors Of a
story aud bali each, and at the time Of
the fire was carrying the largest stock in
the history of its business, which began in
1870. This is the second time the plant has
been destroyed 10y fire, the first time being
in December, 1888.
About three o'clock this morning James
Greene, the night Waterman, while making
tour Of inspection about tie yards, dis
covered blaze in the finishing room on the
first floor. He Immediately went to arouse
the engineer and foreman, john Weafer,
who resided within few feet of the build
| ing, thinking at the time that they could
| extnguish the blaze with the private hose;
but upon their return, which was within
space of five minutes, they found 1t impos-
sible even TO get into the engine room TO
sound the alarm with tho steam whistle, ~
| the flames had then enveloped the whole
structure. The alarm was then given in
! the village proper aud within fifteen min
utee the fire department had four streams
| playing upon the burning building.
The hremen worked like beavers but it
was OF no avail, so far as this building was
! ed to the ground.
One fortunate feature about the fire was
that the wind was favorable, bio wing the
sparks over into the nearby pasture and
this circumstance, aided by the work OF the
fremen, prevented the burning OF buildings
which were only few feet removed.
The grist mill and residences just across
the brook we're untouched by the fire, as
was also large shed some fifty feet away,
which was open and stored with dry bark,
| Ell wnl l..
the fire, The house occupied by the fore
mans family was about twenty feet from
the burning building, and was practically
uninj ured.
The origin of the fire is as yet unknown
7 and may never be- discovered. There are
two theories entertained, incendiarism and
Spontaneous combustion. The latter has
the most supporters as the building wal
naturally saturated with the oil and grease
used in the process of tanning, 80 that il
4 would require but short time for little
blaze to spread throughout the entire build
ing. Again, the building being heated by
steam, and lighted from its own electric
plant would favor the combustion theory
as 1t would not seem possible for an in
, cendiary to enter the building unseen b.
= the night Waterman.
: The fire was quiet one, one family liv
ing within few rods only, learning Of thu
< disaster from neighbor on arising thi
J., morning.
q A Journal reporter visited the scene OF
u Wednesday and found that the firemen wer
still playing one stream Of water upon thu
smoking ruins. There was still steam oil
:. in the boilers which remained intact, as dit
/ the chimney tower, out OF which smok
Il still issued.
: Everything was in ruins, machinery an,
pipes being warped and twisted in al
shapes. The amount of leather finished, o
in the process Of tanning, which was de
n stroyed, would amount to several carloads
[. Mr.. Warren stated that he could not a
:. present state the amount Of his loss an
[. could not remember the companies in whic
[. he was insured, or the amount carried o.
& the plant. 1t has been learned however
l. that the Vermont Mutual OF this city an
g the Orient OF Hartford, Conn, have a ris
y on the plant and il is also understood tina
q the Tanners Mutual a company in tn
: west which has been operating in the Stat
d without license, also carries risk on tn
10 property.
[. The property last spring, was insure
: for some 1927 900, but since that time tn
At valuation has been increased by large
stock and improvements, so that probabl
the insurance was increased.
Mr.. Warren, while not making an on
and out estimate OF the amount Of his los'
minated that it might reach between S25
10 COO TO $50, 900. L. is hoped that some of th
ir hides in the lower part of the watts may
y saved which will lessen the loss.
D. The fire is great blow to Waterbury
B. business interests, rs Mr.. Warren il Tia
IS heaviest investor in the manufacturing lin
in that village, and between forty and fit
IL men are thrown out Of employment, mos
4, OF whom have families dependent upo
l. them. Mr.. Warren is at present undecidr
as TO whether he will rebuild or not, bJ
T. will not till spring in any event.