Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-02-06
BIC STORES IN ASHES.
Fire at Waterbury, Conn, Causes
Loss Estimated ali
100000.
HIGH WIND SPREADS FLAMES
Troops Called Out to Thwart Thieves
ard Look After Panic-Stricken
Citizens of the Town.

Waterbury, Conn, Feb. 4.--FOr ten
hours flames famed by a high wind
held sway over the business portion
of this city, causing a loss that will eX-
coed $3000,0O0. The best business
portion of the city, forming a triangle
bounded on the north by Exchange
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 the Reid & Hughes dry
goods company, on Bank street, was
not considered under control until
about $3,OOO,O0O worth of property
had been destroyed. About the time
the firemen supposed they had the
flames under control a second fire
broke out in the Scovil House, the
city's leading hotel, remodeled by the
late Judge Il. G. Lewis a few years
ago at an expense of about $4,000,
and the establishment was completely
wrecked.
City Thrown into Panic.
The occupants of the hotel were
compelled to seek the street in their
nightclothes. With the inging of
second alarm the entire city was
thrown into a panic. There was
fierce gale blowing and sparks from
the burning hotel were driven i'll lurld
showers over great area. The occu-
pants of buildings located in the patE
of the wind prepared to leave Al
though the Waterbury fire department.
was reinforced from, nearby cities, IL
was for time impossible to stay the
progress Of the flames. The fire, in its
entirety, burned over four acres OF the
city'S best business section Among
the prominent buildings totally de-
stroyed are the block occupied by" the
Reid & Hughes dry goods company, the
plant Of the Waterbury American, the
Masonic temple, the ScOvil and Frank
lin houses, the w l.. Douglas Snoe
company, the Jackson block the Saliva
ton Army Workingmen's home ana
scores of other buildings. In all about
100 most prominent 5Gsine 9asef
are burned out.
Wind Blowing Gale.
Rarely have firemen been obliged to
contend against worse conditions than
those which prevailed from first to
last in this disastrous contiagration.
The wind was blowing 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 the work Of the fire
men proved of avail. The Waterbury
hank building at the corner of Bank
aud Grand streets was saved, although
the New England Engineering COM
pany's $4,000 building, but few feet
away, and the Masonic temple on the
north side Of the bank building were
wiped out Of existence. During the
night the mayor was in cOmmunica-
ton with Governor Mclean, and the
militia Was called out. Companies
A and G.. numbering 12O men, were
detailed about the fire district and
are still on duty. The city is now prac-
tically under martial law, the blue
uniforms of the national guardsmen
appearing on every side.
Changed Every Two Hours.
Details are changed every two
hours. The armOry the city hall, the
churches and other public places have
been turned into temporary shelters,
hundreds being rendered homeless
The moral effect Of this fire upon Wa
tcrbury cannot he otherwise than pro
nounced. Mayor Kilduff was asked
if he would call for financial aid from
outside cities. The mayor responded
quickly. saying:
canterbury, although suffering
PREVIOUS blow, will take care Of her
.elf. although extremely grateful for
The expressions of sympathy that have
roured in on every side"
At $50 a. III. the entire fire depart
ment was on duty. the danger being
by no means passed The Scovil
House was still burning and adiOin-
inc buildings were in danger The
buildings in the track of the earlier
fire were still burning. AT $50 the
fire was under control.