Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1902-02-11
FIRE Loss
Now Thought That Total Damage will
Amount to $S,OOO,OOO. ~
CITY RAPIDLY RECUPERATING
Despite Fact That Business Section
Has Been Practically Wiped Out,
Bankers and Merchants Are
Again Tranxncting Business.

which broke out in the car sheds at
Van Houten and Mulberry streets and
burned nearly twenty-four hours be-
fore 1t was checked, consuming the
business section of the city, including
the city hall, library, six bank build
ings. five churches, two hotels, thea
ter and two schoolhouses, besides forty
stores and office buildings and POO
dwelling houses, was kept under con-
troll during the early hours of the day.
Famed by strong wind, the flames
among the ruins flashed up titfully in
places, but wherever they showed
threatening strength the firemen turn
ed their streams upon them and beat
them down.
The firemen were exhausted after
more than thirty hours continuous
service, but most of them remained at
their posts and will go OH until nothing
further remains to be done. The fire
men who hurried from other cities to
save the endangered city have gone
back to their homes, and several COM
panies of the local department have
been ordered to their houses for the
rest and refreshment they sorely need.
The Total Loss.
Conservative opinion inclines to cut
$2,OOO.OO0 from the aggregate loss of
$1O,OOO,OO agreed upon formerly. and
$S,OO0,OOO will probably be accepted
finally as the actual cost Of the fire.
No tabulation of individual losses that
can be accepted as reliable has yet
been made and it will be several days
before satisfactory figures can be pre-
pared.
Equally incomplete is the estimate
Of insurance. 1t was stated here that
the insurance amounted to between
$4,OOO.OOO and S5.OOO.OOO. but what
gave basis to the calculation was not
clear Several of the largest losers
said that they had not yet had an OPP
portunity to examine their policies,
and in the meantime they could not
tell what amount they carried. Insur-
ance adjusters are already here, how
ever, and are beginning their work.
Probably no fire of equal magnitude
and widespread destructiveness had so
small casualty list. Not Il death can
be traced directly to it, and no one was
fatally injured by it. Dozens of fire.
men and the volunteers who labOred
with them were slightly hurt by fall
ing bricks and timber, burned by fly
ing tirebrands or temporarily over
come by smoke, but only few Of
them needed either surgical or medical
attention. The small casualty list is
explained by the fact that the people
had ample warning and time to aban-
don their homes before the flames
came upon them.
Comparatively Little Suffering.
There has been comparatively little
suffering on the part of those rendered
homeless by the fire. and the armOry.
churches and public shelters opened
their doors to few applicants during
the night. Practically every home that
escaped the flames was thrown open
in spirit of 'broad charity. and near
ly every refugee found shelter at the
house of some friend.
The declaration of Mayor Hinchciffe
that the city can care for its own is
not concurred in by everybody, how
ever, and there may be an appeal later
for outside help. The local plan of re-
lief is rapidly perfecting organization.
and when it fully mea sures its task by
complete inquiry there will be Il deci-
sion of the question of asking aid from
other communities.
The militiamen remained on guard
during the day and will be kept under
arms and on duty as long as necessity
for their service exists. Their lines