The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-02-07
THREE Millions LOSS.
Four Acres of the Best Portion OF
Waterbury, Conn, Now a
Mass Of Ruins.
rHe HEART OF THE BUSINESS SECTION.
Law. National Guard
Having nccn Detailed to Protect
Exposed Property-iinrd stunt
For the E~Ircmcp.

For the fIrcmco.
Waterbury, Conn. Feb. For ten
hours sunday night aud Monday
flames, famed by a high wind, hello
sway ovcr the business portion OF
this city causing n loss that will en-
coed s3.OO0,O0O. The best business
portion Of the city. forming n trinn'
gle bounded on the north 10y En-
change place, IN 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 a Hughes Dry
Good Co.. On Bank street, was not
considered under control until about
81. 900 worth Of property had been
DESTROYED. About The time the fire.
men supposed they had the hamcs
under control. u second fire broke out
in the Scovillc house. the city's
leading hotel. rcmodcled by the late
Judge T.. G. Lewis. II few years ago.
at an expense Of about $4,000. and
the establishment vas completely
wrecked. The occupants Of the ho-
tel were forced Ia seek the street In
their night clothes.
With tho ringing ~ n second alarm
th. entire city was thrown into u
panic. There was a fierce gale blow
ing and sparka from the burning ho-
tel were driven In showers oNcr n
great area. The occupants NJ build.
ings located In the path NJ the wind
prepared To leave. Although the Wa
tcrbury fire department was rcin
forced from nearby cities. II wns for
u time impossible Ia stay the prog
rcss ~ the flames. The fire. In its
entirety. burned over four Hcrcs ~
the cily's best business section.
Among the prominent buildings In.
tally DESTROYED ARE the block uccu'
pied los the Reid q Hughes Dry
Goods Co.. the plant ~ the Water.
bury American, the Masonic temple.
the S%covillr and Franklin houses. the
". T.. Douglas shoe Co.. the johnson
block, the salvation Army working.
mems home aud scores of other
buildings. In all. about 100 most
prominent business houses are
burned out.
Rarely have iircmcn been obliged
To- contend against worse conditions
than those which prevailed, from first
Ia last. In this disastrous cunilngra-
ton. THE wind wns blowing u gale,
and the cold was intense. II seemed
nj one timr NJ though every struc.
turc In the heart Of the city would
he destroyed. In some instances the
work Of the nrrmcn proved Of anvil.
The Waterbury bank building, ut the
corner of Bank and Grand streets.
was saved, although the New Eng
land Engineering Co.'S $4,000 build
ing. but u few feet away, and the
Masonic temple. on the north side oi
I, 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,
, panics \ aud q. numbering about iat
, men. were detailed about the fire dis
trict. and are still ON duty. The cit,
l. NOW practically under martial law
the blue uniforms ~ the natiuua
=. guardsmcn appearing on every side
Details are changed every two hours
The armory, the city hall, th.
churches aud other public place,
have been turned Into tcmporar,
L shelters. hundreds being rrndcrc,
homeless. The moral effect of thl
fire upon Waterbury can not he 9th