The age-herald., 1902-02-03
Most Disastrous Blaze in His tory of Waterbury, Conn.,,
 Razes the City
LARGE BUSINESS SECTION
 IS ALREADY WIPED AWAY
Firemen from Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and Nsugatauck Have Gone to the Rescue, But Eff
 forts Are UnaVaiIine.

Waterbury, Conn, February 2.-The most disastrous fire in the history of Waterbury broke out in the heart of the city shortly before 6:SO this evening and at 10:l5 was not under control A large section of the business part of the city has already been wiped out and in the high wind prevailing there is little hope of saving what still stands in that part i of the business section south of Exchange l Place. The fire originated in the up- holstery department on the third floor of the store of Reid & Hughes, Dry Goods Co.,, at 10S-l12 Bank street. That store and many adjoining buildings are in l ruins. Insurance men estimate that the property damaged already done will be l found to be considerably over one mill lion, and there Is no hope of extinguish- ing the fire before that figure is dou- bled.
 The first building to catch from the Reid & Hughes Go. store was a tall struc- ture occupied by Salvation Army bar racks and a Turkish bath house. A mo- ment two later the flames leaped across Bank street and wiped out the Ryan & Fitzmaurice block. Cannon & | Webster's drug store. Davis cigar store and the store of J. B. Mullings & Sons
 Buildings Burn Like Paper.
 The fire burned rapidly through to South Milan street and jumped across that street shriveling the buildings like paper. At the same time the flames caught the Masonic Temple and travelled from the Salvation Army building to the rear of the Franklin house on Grand street and the entire block, consisting of seven | or eight handsome five-story buildings, with thirty tenements and the large f quarters of the Waterbury American were , in ruins before midnight. . After o'clock the militia were called 1 out to preserve order. The fire was par i tially under control at 10:30 o'clock. It , had been checked on South Main street } an indications were that 1t would con- tent itself on Center street with burning out the Long block that contained the Franklin House and the American office The first Baptist church, opposite the 1 latter structure, was endangered but was not burning at late hour tonight Losses on buildings reported up to Il o'clock were as follows
 Some of the Losses.
 W. H. Camp block. in which was locat- ed Reid & Hughes store. $75000 Ma sonic Temple. s5o000 O'Connor block. s35, 900; Greenberg & Buckner. s30000 Old American block. Charles Miller owner. s35.000; Johnson block $40.000 Jones. Nor gan & Company. clothiers, $50 00O J. R. Mullings & Son. cothiers, s10o,O0O.
 Camp block, in process of construction, $500OO; New England Engine Company. s750o0; Franklin House, totally destroyed $40 900; Turkish bath house. w. G. Schleg- el. proprietor $20.0cO.
 Jean Jacques block $40, GOO: Mrs. ". c. Bannons block. occupied by Ans0n S"' lew Company, s75000; George F. Judd block occupied hy LaPalm- Hoffman Com pany. s35.000: A. Showeith block occupied by D. D. Church Company sS0.000; Water Lury American loss building. $50. 900: Schleitz Brewing Company, 900; Conlln Brothers $5o,000; Edward McGraw, two blocks, sS5. 900; Meigs' block, $30, 900: Whit tlesey block. 900; Boston Furniture Company, $io0oO; Bronsons block, $3s,- 900.
 At II o'clock property estimated at $2GO GOO in value was still burning.
 Two deaths are said to have been caus. ed by the fire. Help has arrived from Hartford New Haven, Bridgeport and Naugatauck but the combined efforts of all the fire-fghters seemed unable to sub due the flames.
 Break Out Afresh. shortly arter mldnlBnt the nre WhiCn had apparently been brought nearly nn- der control broke out in new places. and the efforts of the local lremen, com bned with the aid given by ire-hghters and apparatus from Hartford, Torring- ton. Bridgeport New Haven and Nausa- tuck seemed powerless to stay its pro- gross. The blaze was wiping out the busi- ness portion of the city, all the fire being confined to that section, though residen- tial parts were in danger by sparks driven by the furious wind.
 In the panic caused by the fire there were many rumors of accidents and fatal- ities, but at the Waterbury Hospital at 1 o'clock it was said that no accidents or deaths had been reported there.
 At that hour the fire was still burning. though 1t appeared that it's vigor was abating. The loss at that hour Is esti- mated at $2,0O.O0O.
 It Is reported that numerous thieves were operating in houses where occupants had left to view the blaze. A number of arrests were made.