Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1902-02-06
THREE MILLIONS LOSS.
-Four Acres of the Best Portion Of
Waterbury, Conn, Now a
Mass of Ruins.
THE HEART OF THE BUSINESS SECTION
The City Practically Under Martial
Law, National Guard Companies
Having Been Detailed TO Protect
Exposed Property-Hard stunt
For the Firemen.

For the ftremen.
Waterbury. Conn, Feb. 3.-For ten
hours Sunday night and Monday
flames, famed by "A high wind, held
sway over the business portion Of
this city causing a loss that will ex-
coed 100000. The best business
portion of the city, forming a TRAN
gle bounded on the north by Ex-
change place, on the west by banks,
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 g. Hughes Dry
Good Co., on Bank street, was not
considered under control until about
$4,000 900 worth of property had been
destroyed. About the time the fire.
men supposed they had the flames
under control, a second fire broke out
in the Scoyille house, the city's
leading hotel, remodeled by the late
Judge +. c. Lewis, a few gears ago,
at an 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 second alarm
the entire city was thrown into a
panic. There was fierce gale blow
ing and sparks from the burning ho-
tel were driven in showers over a
g. ~ H..
ings located in the path Of the wind
prepared TO 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 city's best business section.
Among the prominent buildings to-
tally destroyed are the block occu-
pied by the Reid & Hughes Dry
Goods Co. the plant of the Water
bury American, the Masonic temple,
the Scoville and Franklin houses, the
w. l.. Douglas Shoe CO.. the johnson
block. the Salvation Army working
mems home and scores Of other
buildings. In all. about 100 most
prominent business houses are
burned out.
Rarely have hremen been obliged
to contend against worse conditions
than those which prevailed, from first
20 last, in this disastrous conflagra-
ton. The wind was blowing gale,
and the cold was intense. 1t seemed
at one time as though every struc.
ture in the heart OF the city would
be destroyed. In some instances the
work of the firemen proved of avail.
The Waterbury bank building. at the
corner OF Bank and Grand streets,
was saved, although the New Eng
land Engineering Co.'S $4,000 build.
ing. but a 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
panies A 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
guardsmen appearing on every side.
Details are changed every two hears.
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 Waterbury can not be 9TH
erwise than profound. A press cor.
respondent asked Mayor Kilduff il
he would call for financial aid from
outside cities.
The mayor responded quickly, say
ing:
Waterbury, although suffering q
grievous blow, will take care of her
self, although extremely grateful for
the expressions of sympathy that
have poured i'm on every side"
At $3.50 a. m, the entire fire depart
ment was on duty, the danger being
by no means passed, The Scovill
house was still burning and adjoining
buildings were in danger. The build.
ings in the track of the earlier fire
were still burning.
FIRE AT MENTONE, IND.