The professional world. (Columbia, Mo.) 1901-192?, 1902-02-07
CONNECTICUT TOWN SWEPT BY
BLAZE CAUSING LOSS OF
So, 100000.
BUSINESS CENTER HARD HIT.
Smouldering Ruins and Debris Mark
Site of One Hundred Buildings
Raced by Flames.

Waterbury. Conn. Feb. 3.-There Is a
very strong suspicion that the fire
which completely destroyed the Scovell
house was the work of an %incendiary.
The fire originated in the pool and bill
lizard room in the basement. The room
was locked, and no one was supposed
to be there. No fire was kept in the
room, all the heat being supplied from
a boiler in another part of the build
ing.
People in a Panic.
The fire came so close on the heels
of the big conflagration that the thou
sands Of spectators who witnessed it
were thrown inc a more complete panic
than the original fire caused. The
flames had only begun to die out along
the bank, and on Grand and South Main
streets. when the flames leapcd up
ward, as if by magic. and the people
feared the city was doomed after all.
The fire burned far into the day, and
was not eXtinguished entirely until
evening.
Scene of Desolation.
The scene about the city TO-DAY was
only a little less remarkable than that
of the previous evening. Thousands of
people stumbled around the icy streets,
and with the greatest difficulty were re-
strained by the militia and police from
v%enturing within the danger lines. The
tangled network of wires on the bank
and on South Main street greatly hin
dered the work of eXtinguishing the
last flames and clearing away the
wrCckage.
A revised list of the losses and insur-
ance is very difficult to obtain. Few
know just what the loss was on their
buildings and stock. 1t is believed that
when the truth is known $4,000, 900 will
be not far from the correct estimate.
Work of Rebuilding.
A remarkable feature of the fire vas
undoubtedly the absence, so far as is
known, of the loss of life. Two men who
were asleep in the Scovell house were
reported missing. but both have been
located. Temporary quarters have been
secured by all the firemen. Many have
already telegraphed for new stock. and
will resume Immediately. The Ameri-
can Publishing company is among the
heaviest losers, the building being en-
tirely ruined. but the paper was issued
in abbreviated form tonight. There has
been more or less disorder about the
streets today, but the police are very
active and the militia is of great service
in handling the crowds.
Confusion Reigns.
The streets were piled with household
goods and strewn with small articles
thrown from the windows. Some OF
TINS property was confiscated by pass
ersby, but the amount of thieving was
small compared with the opportunities
| nffnrn1 hu tho nnnfitcinn Tho ,n,n,1nr
of injured was very small. and in all
but one or two cases the injuries are
slight. The streets are rapidly being
cleared.
Origin of the Fire.
The big fire originated in the uD-
holstering department on the third floor
of the store of the Reid & Hughes Dry
goods company, and that store, as well
as many adjoining buildings, are IN
ruins.
The first building to catch from the
Reid & Hughes company store was a
tall structure to the westward, occupied
by the Salvation Army barracks and a
Turkish bath house. A moment or two
later the flames leaped back to the east
ward and across Bank street and wiped
out the Ryan and Fitzmaurice block.
NulAlipil N'bolVl . bluS olOlCs DdNlS
cigar store and the store of J. b. Null
lings & Sons. They burned rapidly
through to South Main street, jumped
across that street, shriveling the build
ings like paper.
Flames Sweep IN.
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 sew
en- or eight handsome five-story build
ings, with 80 tenants, and the large and
commodious headquarters of the Water,
bury American were in ruins before
midnight.
In all about 100 business houses were
burned.
Militia on Guard.
During the night two of the com
panies of militia We're called out, and
the city was practically placed under
martial law. The armory. city hall
churches and other public buildings
have been turned into shelters for the
hundreds rendered homeless.