The bee., 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-Hnrd stunt
For the Firemcn.


Waterbury, Conn, Feb. For ten
hours Sunday night aud Monday
flames, famed by n high wind, held
sway over the business portion of
this city causing loss that will ex-
coed SS,000,0OO. The best business
portion of the city, forming 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 i'm the
big store of the Reid g. Hughes Dry
Good CO., on Bank street, was not
considered under control until about
$j.OOO,OOO worth of property had been
destroyed. About the time the fire.
men supposed they had the flames
under control. second fire broke out
in the Scoville house. the city's
leading hotel, remodeled by the late
Judge Il. c. Lewis, few years ago,
at an expense of, about SIS, 900, and
the establishment was completely
wrecked. The occupants of the no.
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 no.
tel were driven in showers over a
great area. The occupants of build
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
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 G. 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 firemen been obliged
20 contend against worse conditions
than those which prevailed, from first
to last, in this disastrous conhagra-
ton. The wind was blowing a 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 pI owed 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 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 hours.
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 if
he would call for financial aid from
loutside cities.
The mayor responded quickly say.
ing:
Waterbury, although suffering a
grieyous blow, will take care of her.
self, although extremely grateful for
the express ms of sympathy that
have poureC n on every side"
There is a strong suspicion that
the fire which destroyed the Scoville
house, burning thousands of dollars
worth of furniture, appointments and
PcrSOhdl cHcCtS, anu lmperllNng
many lives, was the work of an in.
ecndiary.
The fire originated in the pool and
billiard room in the basement of the
house on the further side from the
burning district. The room was
locked and no one was supposed to
be there, nor was any fire kept in
the room.
Manager Truman said at the police
station, while the fire was still ra.
ging, that he had not the slightest
doubt it was of incendiary origin
At the Tomb OF Gen. Jackson.
Nashville, Tenn. Feb. 3.-Admiral
and Mrs. Schley braved the cold yes
tcrday for a visit to the tomb of An
dPa,y Jackson Tho trim m tho