Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-10
RUINS VISITED.
Crowds of Visitors Thponged
 the Streets Yesterday.
ALL TRAINS WERE CROWDED

| of Putting Up Temporary Struc-
 ture on the Green Will Probably Be
 Abandoned.
 While the crowds that came to Wa terbury yesterday to see the ruins or
 the burned buildings were not as large
 as some people figured on, still the
 number of visitors was large, anu these added to the army of local people
 who crowded into the center, made up quite a big population, so that at times
 it was difficult to make much headway about the streets. 1t is estimated that | between 5000 and 5000 persons came
 in on the cars from different towns all
 over the state, but principally from
 Meriden. Hartford, New Britain, Bris-
 tol, Meriden, Southington, Cheshire,
 New Haven, Bridgeport, Derby, An.
 sonia Seymour Beacon Falls and l Naugatuck. The police department had planned to cope with anything that might turn up. but while the place
 was crowded all day, there did not { seem to be anything going on that called for special effort on the part of l the blue coated guardians of the pub lie peace. Besides those who came in on the railroads, many drove in in
  showed that carriages of every descrip- ton must have been Tn big demand in
 the nearby towns. Several visitors I improved the opportunity to make call upon old friends. and in cOnSe- l quenee many were pleased at having I an opportunity to entertain folks whom i they had not expected to see until va cation season. Everybody was given
 a cordial reception, and while few
 remained over night, most of those
 who came in to see the sights went home In the evening and for a time things were lively about the railroad stations. Good order was maintained I the whole day long, and this might be
 credited to two things, the excellent
 behavior of the crowds and the vigl~
 lance of the police officers. the latter being so active that it would have been
 almost impossible for anything ta hap
 pen without sufficient nun her of :. them being on hand at monenr's no~
 tce The police department deserve
 credit for the manner in which 1t at I tended to every detail of duty yester-
 day and since the fire started. The j weather was cold, but 1t was fine over
 head and as everybody kept on the move it is not likely that anybody
 took much stock in the thermometer.
 The work of clearing away the
 wreckage is going ahead rapidly and in q short time the cellars where some
 of the burned buildings stood will be
 ready for the masons and builders. . All the streets and sidewalks are
 cleared. and now Superintendent Ref.
 ley of the street department has turned { his attention to opening up the gutters and other places which were frozen
 and filled with ice, making the situ- ation rather dangerous in case rain
 storm should set in. Mir Kelley got his ears nipped with the frost and will have a forcible reminder of the fire for
 some time. He has carted a large
 share of the debris to the Watertown
 road, where he found a ready dumping place. The peddlers have followed ,, him and are picking up everything ex- cept the dirt. and it is not certain but they will take that, too.
 The committee appointed by the Business Mems association to consider
 the question of erecting temporary structures on the green for the accom- mediation of merchants who were
 burned out reported to meeting of
 the body Saturday night and while nothing definite was done in the prem
 ises still it is thought that the project wiIl be abandoned. Most of the meP-
 chants have settled down in tempo rarv quarters and those who have not
 yet found places appeared rather insA
 dfferent about the scheme. The com mittae did excellent work and it was
 voted to continue it until further no- |; tice.
 The aldermen will meet tonight with the board of public safety and the board of finance, when ,.l if is probable that something will be decided upon regarding the necessity , of passing the building ordinance
 which has already been passed for en-
 crossing and needs nothing but an-
 other vote of the city fathers and the signature of the mayor to render 1t op-
 erative. It is safe to predict that the
 ordinance will be in force before work is commenced on any of the new - structures. Much Of its usefulness will depend on the character of the man who will be chosen to see that its provisions are enforced. The build ing inspector should be competent
 man and should be selected without regard to his politics. There are : many other things that need attention which 1t is hoped the boards will con- slider tonight. Most of the ordinances, ? especially those relating to sanitation 7 and buildings. have been taken but lit- tie notice of and steps should be taken ' I right off to remedy this evil. Water } bury has grown so fast within the last : five or ten years that some people find : 1t hard to believe they are living in q : big city. and stringent measures will } have to be pursued in order to break
 the old timers out of doing things to e suit their own notions. and in accord : ance with plans Tn vogue when Wa [ terhury was a small town. Public s officials will have to disregard the comments of the chronic faultfinderS e and go ahead regardless of censure e and make provisions to guard against h any emeroency that may arise in the Q future. Too often men in public s places shirk their duty through fear of Q being made target for the so-called n economists who. If they had their own d way. would not have enough water on q hand to stand one with such demaud . as was made npon it last Sunday r. night. Let rs have new apparatus for 2. the fire department, supposing other
 things have to wait.