Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-02-04
THE WATERBURY, FIRE
Nutmeg State City Damaged to the
Extent of $4,000, 900.
HUNDRED BUILDINGS GONE.
The Masonic Temple. the City's Two
Finest Hotels and Many Promt-
nent Places Of Business
Wiped Out by Flames.

| Waterbury. Conn. Feb. AFTER ar
area equivalent to twenty blocks had
| been utterly destroyed a great fire
which had been raging here all night
and which. after apparently dying
down. started afresh was got under
control by 10 O'Clock in the morning
Millions of dollars worth of property
has been destroyed: but. so far as
| known. not a life has been lost in the
fire.
A dismal rain had been falling all
day. and as night came on the rain
was driven along at Il high speed by
an increasing wind. 1t was Just be-
fore $3.50 o'clock that the disastrous
conf1agraton began. Within three
hours all Waterbury had become panic
stricken at the devastation of the
flames.
The fire started in the large store of
Reid Il Hughes. los to 100 Bank street.
The flames burst forth from the third
story, followed almost Immediately by
a similar outbreak on the lower floors
An alarm speedily turned in was too
late. and by the time the fire depart
ment had arrived the store was doom
ed beyond question.
The burning building was located in
the heart of the city. 1t was within
view of many residences which flank
the city opark or common. The fire.
men promptly abandoned any attempt
to save the burning structure and turn
ed their attention to adjacent property.
1t was of no avail, however. Within
fifteen minutes the. salvation ARMY
BARRACKS to the Fear and Westward
were burning From there the element
leaped across Bank street and wiped
out three places of business. A few
minutes later the fire again crossed
Bank street and destroyed the Masonic
temple
Gale Added To Danger.
The general alarm sent in within the
first quarter of an hour of the progress
of the fire summoned the entire de-
partment and thousa ads of people, but
the whole department was helpless
1t quickly became evident that Water
bury was to experience an nnparul
leled coniagration. Indeed the fire,
swept by wind at this time of the
proportions of hurricane seemed
about to destroy the entire business
section of the city. At $50 it was de-
cided that Waterbury alone was help
less to cope with the fire. which was
gaining Roadway every minute, and
appeals for help were wired to New
Haven. Hartford, Bridgeport, Manga
tuck and Winsted. Within an hour
special trains from those towns We're
speeding toward the city with appara-
tus.
The arrival of help served to inspire
courage among Waterburians. but the
fire continued it's work of devastation.
Meanwhile thieves took advantage of
deserted houses. and it finally became
necessary to order out the militia, and
two companies of the Second regiment.
A and &. donned their uniforms. and
at $3.50 the city was practically under
martial law.
There seemed to be no end to the
work of havoc. Just when the fire
fighters seemed about to stamp out
the fire it would break out again in an
other place The greatest damage had
been accomplished by $50 a. IN. At
that time the block bounded by Bank,
Center. Grand and Leavenworth streets
had been leveled practically. Across
II;
street, an area nearly as large, had
been swept. Twenty handsome blocks,
occupied on lower floors by stores and
On upper floors by tenements and Of
fees, were in ruins.
Renewed Outbreak Causes Panic.
At 3 a. m. the heroic work of the
firemen seemed to make an impression,
and slowly but surely the great fire !
seemed Oh the road to its end. An hour
later many citizens had withdrawn to
their homes only to be thrown into re-
newed panic by another outbreak, this
time in the Scovill House. adjacent to
the city hall This fire. it is stated,
originated in the billiard room and is
surrounded with mystery. The guests
escaped in their nightclothes. Two
hours later this hotel. with other near
by buildings had been Quilted.
The exhausted firemen continued
their work and at $50 had begun to
again secure the upper hand. 1t was
not until 10 O'Clock. however, that it
was definitely felt that the fire had
been conquered. The Scovill House
and Franklin House ruins were still.
blazing. and in the ruined district vol
canic volumes Of smoke arose mark
ing the city's great loss.
Electric Currents Cut on.
Through the efforts of the mayor the
electric currents throughout the city
were cut off shortly after the sending
in of the first alarm. and electric lights |
everywhere went out. Trolley cars
We're stalled, and with the cutting of
telephone and telegraph wires the city
was nearly cut off from the outside
world.
The fire in its entirety burned over
four acres of the city'S choicest. busi- j