Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-02-06
WATERBURY,, CONNECTICUT,
TERRORIZED BY FLAMES
Fire Ragged for Ten Hours SUM-
day Night and Monday.
THE LOSS EXCEEDS 100000
Best Business Portion of City
Almost Wiped Out.


Waterbury, Conn, Feb. 3. For 10
hours last night and this morning
flames, famed by high wind, held
sway over the business portion of this
city, causing loss that will exceed
50, 900, 600 The best business portion
OF the city, forming quadrangle,
bounded on the north by Exchange
Place, on the west by Bank street, on
the south by Grand street and on the
cast by South Main street, was almost
wiped out.
The first fire, which started in the
big store of the Reid g. Hughes Dry
Goods Co., on Bank street, was not
considered under control until about
So, 600, 000 worth of property had been
destroyed. About the time the firemen
supposed they had the flames under
control second fire broke out in the
remodeled by the late Judge f. G..
Lewis few years ago at an expense of
about SIS, 900, and the establishment
was completely wrecked. The occupants
of the hotel were forced to seek the
street in their night clothes. With the
ringing of the second alarm, the entire
city was thrown into u panic. A fierce
gale was blowing, and sparks from the
burning hotel were driven in lurid
showers over great area. The occu-
pants Of buildings located in the path
of the wind prepared to leave. Al
though the Waterbury Fire Depart
ment was reinforced from nearby cities,
it was for time impossible to stay tht
progress of the flames. The fire IN it:
entirety burned over four acres of thu
: city's best business section.
Among the prominent building
totally destroyed are the block occupied
by the Reid & Hughes Dry Goods Co.
! the plant of the Waterbury American
the Masonic Temple, the Scovil AM
I Franklin Houses, the store Of the W
l.. Douglas Shoe Co., the johnson
J Block, the Salvation Army Working
mems Home and scores of other build
ings. In all about 100 prominent bust
ness houses are burned out.
; Rarely have firemen been obliged
! contend against worse conditions tina
: those which prevailed from first to las
I in this disastrous conflagration. III
Q wind was blowing gale, and the col
4 was intense. 1t seemed at one time q
a though every structure in the heart {
the city would be destroyed. In SON
o instances the work of the tireme
S proved of avail. The Waterbury Banl
b streets, was saved, although the Ne
Q England Engineering Co. S $40, On
n building, but few feet away. and IL
. Masonic Temple, on the north side
o the bank building, were wiped out
Il existence.
It During the night the mayor was
e communication with Gov. Mclean, al
1t the militia was called out. Cos A al
q G, numbering about 100 men, we
"a detailed about the fire district, and n
still on duty. The city is now pract
6 cally under martial law, the blue ur
forms of tho National Guardsm
s. appearing on every side Details a
ID changed every two hours.
3 The Armory, the City Hall, t
10 churches and other public places ha
Is been turned into temporary shelter
Ia hundreds being rendered homeless.
lie The moral effect of this fire up
rs Waterbury cannot be otherwise tn
s. pronounced.
An Associated Press corresponds
/. asked Mayor Kilduff il he would C;
:, for financial aid from outside citit
of The mayor responded quickly, sayin
Mt Waterbury, although suffering
al grievous blow, will take care of hi
I'd self, although extremely grateful
lie the expressions of sympathy that ha
r. poured in on every side. y
At $40 a. m. tho entire Fire Depa
It. ment was on duty, the danger being
n no means passed. The Scovil Hot
i'll was still burning, and adjoining bui
en- ings we're in danger, The buildings
ld the. track of the earlier fire were a
Lr. still burning.