The Scranton chronicle. (Scranton, Miss.) 1897-19??, 1902-02-08
THREE MILLIONS LOSS.
Four Acres of the Best Portion Of
Waterbury, Conn, Now
Mass of Ruins.
THE HEART OF THE BUSINESS SECTION
The city Practically Under Martial
Inv. National 6unrd Companies
Having necn Detailed to Protect
Exposed Propert, ,--Iiard stunt
For the Tlrrmen.

Exposed PROPERTY Hard stunt
For the Fircmen.
Waterbury. Conn. Feb. 3.-For ten
hours Sunday night aud Monday
flames. famed by high wind, held
sway over the business portion Of
this city causing less that will eN-
ceed $4,000 nnQ The best business
portion of the city. forming q trian-
ele bounded ON the north by Il.
change place, ON the west by banks,
on the south 10y 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 q Hughes Dry
| Good Co.. on Bank street. was not
considered under control until about
$1,000 900 worth of property had been
destroyed. About The time the fire
men supposed they had the flames
under control. second fire broke out
in the ScoYillc house. the citNs
leading hotel, rcmodelcd by the late
| Judge f. & Lewis, n few years ago,
At m expense Of about $4,000, and
! the establishment was completely
wrecked. The occupants of the ho-
tel were forced TO seek the street in
their night clothes.
With the ringing of a second alarm
the entire city WIS thrown into n
panic. There was "A fierce gale blow
ing and sparks from the burning ho-
| t.4I Iii. a..
great area. The occupants Of build
ings located IN the path of the wind
prepared ia leave. Although the Wa
terbury fire department was rein
forced from nearby cities, it was for
a time impossible To stay the prog
ress of the flames. The fire. In its
entirety, burned over four acres Of
the eitys best business section.
Among the prominent buildings to-
tally destroyed are the block oeeu-
pied 10y the Reid & Hughes Dry
Goods Co. the plant OF the Water
bury American, the Masonic temple.
the Seoyillc and Franklin houses, the
w /. Douglns Shoe Co., the johnson
block. the Salvation Army working
mems home and scores Of other
buildings. In all, about 100 most
prominent business houses arc
burned ont.
Rarely have fircmcn been Obliged
to contend against worse conditions
than those which prevailed, from first
TO last, in this disastrous eonhagrn-
tion. The wind was blowing n gale,
and the cold was intense. IL seemed
at one time as though every struc-
ture in the heart of the city would
bc destroyed In some instances the
work of the frcmen proved Of avail.
The Waterbury bank building, at the
corner of Bank and Grand streets,
WIS saved, although the New Eng
land Engineering Co.'S $4,000 build
ing. 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
communication with Gov Mclean,
and the militia was called out. Com
pauies 4 and G., numbering about 100
men, were detailed about the fire dis
trict, and are still on duty. The city
Is now practically under martial law,
the blue uniforms Of the national
guardsmcn appearing on every side.
Details are changed every two hours.
The armorv, tire 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 Waterbury can not be 9th
erwise than profound. A press cor
respondent asked Mayor Kilduf IL
be would call for financial aid from
outside cities.
The mayor responded quickly, say
ing:
Waterbury, although suffering a
grieyous blow, viii take care Of her
self, although extremely grateful for
the expressions Of sympathy that
have poured in on every side"
At $3.50 a. m. the entire fire depart
nent was On duty, the danger being
by no means passed. The Scoyill
house was still burning and adjoining
buildings were in danger. The build
ings IN the track Of the earlier fire
were still burning