St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-03-15
FIRE AT LYNDONVILLE.

The following account OF tue DlS uIc a.
Lyndonville is taken from the columns OF
the Lyndonville Journal which will be
printed from the Caledonian office
tomorrow:
The most destructive fire in the history
of the village, saving only the great one
of November 81, 1894, got a foot
hold in Ide's block early Wednesday
evening, the night for closing the stores,
and completely destroyed the building,
driving out the tenants of the second
floor with barely their lives safe. The
occupants of the first floor, excepting
]. S. Buell., carried out a good share OF
their most valuable goods, but the prop
erty of the secret societies which rented
the third floor was almost total loss.
The fire first attracted the attention OF
P. p. Ball, whose tinshop is in the
east corner basement, By its crack
ling and swapping and he immediate
" located it as being in the base
ment in the center OF the building I'M
der ]. s. Buel's store. There being no en-
trance from his shop he went up stairs
into F. E. Winslow's store and, accom-
panied by him went into the latter's Gel
lar where they broke through a door
into the other basement. The fire was
just working through the floor from
overhead. They Immediately attached
small hose but were unable to reach the
fire. Almost simultaneously with this
discovery it was seen from the street and
back OF the block that the room which
was between Buel's front store and rear
room was a solid mass of fame and it
broke through the second floor into
closet in r. Dorian's tenement almost be-
fore they knew surely that the block was
ahre. Right here an efficient fire alarm
signal service would have been Of meal
culable value but there being none such,
the usual method OF getting to the shop
and blowing the gong was tried, even
then the steam was so low that only a
faint whistle was made. 1t was fully
fifteen minutes from the discovery OF the
fire that the first hose was let loose on it
in Buell's store. That blaze was quickly
extinguished and for moment and a
moment only it was thought to be con-
quered, but the hope was groundless, for
going up through the partitions it had
spread all over the third floor and in an
incredibly short space Of time the block
inside was a mass OF fame from top to
bottom.
The local and Lyndon Center fremen
worked heroically and kept the fire con-
fined within the four walls so effectually
as to reduce to a minimum the danger
that otherwise would have threatened
the near by blocks. When the roof finally
fell in, it gave the iremen better chance
to pour in the water and by midnight
the fire was nearly all extinguished.
The water system stood the drair
nobly. Six streams were played on tn,
burning building for over four hours and
the reservoir at midnight was lowered
not more than two inches below tn,
overflow and by the middle Of Thursday
forenoon the water was running over the
dam two inches deep. The task of tn,
fremen was doubly hard because OF tn,
cold weather which turned their clothing
to ice whenever drop of water touched
them, which was often. They are de
serving of all the praise that is beinj
given them.
The Losses.
In cases of fire the first estimate of tn
losses usually exceeds by considerable tn
actual amount. When the odds and end
that have become scattered are gathers
together they foot up an interesting an
soothing total.
BY stopping the fire where they did tn
firemen saved to Mr. lde the foundatio
and probably two-thirds of the stree
floor. On the east side and part OF tt
front the walls OF the third story fell il
but on the west and north sides IL
walls though practically useless renal
standing. The proximity Of the Mason
block on the west caused the concentr
ton OF most OF the streams on that sit
of the burning block and it was kel
comparatively cool. The block was va
ued at $14, 900 and it was insured fC
$4,000. Until the solid mass OF ice al
debris in the center OF the building thav
out but little can be done toward clea
ing up the ruins. Probably Mr.. Ide W
erect another block on the old found
ton.
II. L. Parker estimates his loss
$500 above insurance, which was
$4,000. His stock, including silverwaI
iewelry, watches, crockery, boots al
shoes, etc, was worth about $1,000, a
what was carried out and has since be
saved was valued at $500 or $20i
Fortunately his store, being on the W,
side, was less damaged by fire than I
Others and his safe, in which were
watches and jewelry, was hardly SCARF
A large part Of his watch repairing to
have been found uninjured He is dol
business in Cheney's block.
]. S. Buell. saved nothing of his $50
stock but his insurance of $780,
probably will not engage in busin
again at present.
F. E. Winslow's grocery store v
almost entirely denuded of goods Def
the fire reached it and as the back st
was practically untouched by fire his
surance OF $500 will nearly make
whole. His goods were removed to
railroad freightmen's room and
telephone people have run their wires
here and made it the central Office.
Campbell g. Blodgett, insurance age
and Z. ]. Blodgett, bicycle dealer, v