New-York tribune., 1902-02-04
NO LIVES LOST IN FIRE.
FEW ACCIDENTS ALSO RECoRDED-CoM-
MUNICATIoN CUT OFF.

Waterbury. Conn. Feb. 3.-The city Of Water
bury's losses through lest nights fire. according
to the estimates of the most conservative bust
ness and insurance men, will between
100000 and 100000 With all this great
property loss there has been. strange to say. no
less Of life. and few accidents have been re-
corded. The triangle bounded the north by
Exchange Place. the west by Bank-st., on the
south by Grand-st.. and the east by South
Main-st has been nearly wiped out.
The first fire. which began about $50 o'clock
isst night in the big store of the Reid & Hughes
Drygoods Company. in Bank-st-. was not con-
sidered under control until about S3,oo0,eo0
worth Of property had been destroyed.
About the time the hremen supposed they had
placed the first fire under control disastrous
fire broke out in another quarter Of the city.
near the City Hall and the police station. The
Scovil House. the citys principal hotel, remod-
eiled by the late Judge f. c Lewis a few years
ago at a cost of about $75. 600. was discovered
to be on fire about o'clock this morning. The
building was a complete wreck at daybreak.
GUESTS FLEE ~ HASTE.
The occupants Of the hotel were forced to seek
the street in their nightclothes. With the ring
ing Of second alarm the entire city thrown
into a panic. The occupants of buildings in the
direction I'm which the wind was blowing pre-
pared TO leave their homes.
Although the Waterbury fire department was
reinforced by the services OF the most efficient
men from the departments of Connecticut cities,
the fire was beyond control.
Through the efforts Of the Mayor the electric
currents were cut of shortly after the sending
in of the first alarm. and electric lights every
where went out, trolley cars were stalled, and
with the cutting of telephone and telegraph
wires the city was nearly cut off from the out
side world
FOUR ACRES OF PROPERTY BURNED.
The fire in its entirety burned over four acres
Of the cty's choicest business section. Among
the prominent buildings destroyed the block
occupied by the Reid & Hughes Drygoods Com
pany. the entire plant of The Waterbury Amer
lcan.' the Masonic Temple, the two leading hotels
of the city-the Scoyil House and the Franklin
House-the clothing stores of Jones, Morgan 81
Co and J. B. Muiiings the Hanson -Sellew Fur
niture Company, the New England Engineering
Company. the Sapaiine- Hoffman Company. the
W. L. Douglas Shoe Company, Ryan & Fitz-
maurice. the johnson block occupied by Can
ncn & Webster: PerscheIs Turkish bath and
the Salvation Army workingmen's home, Jean
jacques block on Grand-st.. the Best Furniture
Company, AMI scores Of others. In all about
one hundred Of the city's most prominent bust
ness houses are burned out
BUILDINGS WHICH WERE SAVED.
The Waterbury Bank building, at Bank and
Grand SITS. was saved. although the New-Eng-
land Engineering Company's building valued
at $4,000. A few feet away. and the Masonic
Temple. the north side OF the bank building
were wiped out Of existence At Bank and
Centre SITS. the stores occupied by P. J. BoIan,
Lucy & Fitzgerald, Sanderson Brothers &, Co.
Collyer. DR.. +. ]. ETbe, Charles +. Beden and
others escaped the flames, after hard work by
the f1remen.
MILITIA GUARD THE RUINS
The Mayor communicated with Governor Nc
Lean and the militia was called out Com
Colonel Geddes with Captains Carter and Fitz-
patrick and about 100 men, were detailed
about the fire district The city is now prac-
ticaly under martial law, the blue uniforms Of
the National Guardsmen appearing on every
side
The armory, the city hall. the churches and
other public places were turned into temporary
shelters hundreds being rendered homeless No
aid from other cities. however will be asked
At ] o'clock this afternoon the fire dying
out The streets were crowded with people Wis
iting the awful ruins. Waterbury was Just be-
ginning TO realize the meaning of the catas-
trophe The whole of the centre of the city
was still enveloped in smoke, and companies of
fremen were waiting for the blaze to die out
Apothecaries' Hall, at time threatened with
ruin, was not in danger, and the fine Lewis
block has been saved The fire was practically
out at 2:15 p. m,
AS