The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1902-02-03
WATCH COMPANIES ARE GONE
Militia Is Doing Patrol Duty Keeping
Back the Crowds and Preventing
Thievery - Thousands Of People
Packed the Flooded Street, Many Of
Them Falling on the Ice Covered
Pavement and Thus Being Trampled
on and Seriously Injured.
(By Associated Press.l

Wy fSSptidteu IItSs.J
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 $3,OO0,OO0.
The best portion of the city, forming
triangle, bounded on the north by Ex-
change place. on the west by Bank
street. on the south by Grand street and
on the east by South Main street. was
almost wiped out.
The first fire, which started In the big
store of Reid & Hughes Dry Goods COM
pany, on Bank street, was not consid-
cred under control until about 81, 600, 900
worth of property had been destroyed.
About the time the fremen supposed
they had the flames under control a
second fire broke out in the Scovl house.
the city's leading hotel. and the place
was completely wrecked.
City in a Panic.
The occupants Of the hotel were forced
to seek the street in their night clothes
With the ringing OF a second alarm, the
entire city was thrown into a panic.
There was fierce gale blowing and
sparks from the burning hotel were
driven in showers over great area. The
occupants Of buildings located in the
path of the wind prepared to leave.
The fire In Its entirety burned over four
acres of the city's best business section.
Among the prominent buildings totally
destroyed are: The block occupied by
the Reid & Hughes Dry Goods company,
the plant Of the Waterbury and the
American Watch companies, the Hotels
Scovil and Franklin and the w. L. Doug
las Shoe company, the Johnson block and
the Salvation Army workingmen's home.
IN all, about 100 Of the largest business
houses are burned out.
Under Great Difficulties.
Rarely have flremen been obliged to
contend against worse cor d.tons than
those which prevailed from first 70 last
in this destructive confiag grafton.
The wind was blowing a gale and-the
cold was intense. 1t seemed at one time
as though every structure In the heart
Of the city would be destroyed.
In some instances, che work OF the
firemen proved of no avail. The Water
bury bank buildings at the corner of
Bank and Green streets, was saved al
though the New England Engineering
company's $4,000 buildings, but few
feet away and the Masonic Temple on
wiped out Of existence.
The city is practically under martial
law, the blue uniform OF the national
guardsmen appearing on every side.
The armory, the city hall, the churches
and other public places have been
turned into temporary shelter. hundreds
being rendered homeless
Wants No Help.
When asked If he would call for
financial aid from outside cities, Mayor
Kilduff said:
waterbury, although suffering
grievous blow will take care Of herself,
although extremely grateful for the ex.
pressions of sympathy that have poured
in on every side
The fire broke out simultaneously on
the third and first floors of Reid e.
Hughes store. The burning building was
located in the heart OF the city and
within view Of many residences which
flank the city park or commons.
The flremen soon abandoned any at
tempt to save the burning building and
turned their attention to adjacent prop
erty. It was Of no avail however, within
Is minutes the Salvation army barracks
to the rear and westward were burning.
From there the flames leaped across
Bank street and wiped out three places
of business. A few minutes later the
fire again crossed Bank street and de-
stroyed the Masonic Temple.
After As minutes 1t became evident that
Waterbury was to experience an unpar-
alleled conflagration. The wind was of |
almost hurricane force. Appeals for
help were wired to New Haven, Hart |
ford, Bridgeport. Naugatuck and Win
sted
Soldiers Ordered Out.
The arrival of help served to inspire
courage among the Waterbury people, /
but the fire continued It's work of de- |
struction, meanwhile thieves took ad-
vantage of deserted houses, and 1t be- |
came necessary to order out the Mill
tia and two companies OF the second
regiment and G. were quickly on
duty.
Within two hours the hotel with other
nearby buildings had been gutted. The
hremen continued their work and at
$3.50 again began to secure the upper
hand.
1t was not until 10 o'clock, however.
that It was definitely felt that the fire
had been conquered.
The Scovl house and the Franklin
house ruins were still blazing and in the
ruined district, volumes of smoke arose