The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-07

most disastrous fire in the history OF
Waterbury broke out in the heart Of the
city shortly before $3.50 this evening. and
che loss may reach $1,000. 900. 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
Of the business section south OF Ex-
change place. The fire originated in the
upholstery department on the third floor
Of the store Of the Reid & Hughes dry
goods company, at 10S-112 Bank street,
and that store. as well as many adjoin-
ing buildings. is a mass OF smoldering
d46aers.
The origin Of the confiagration is not
known. The fire was not discovered till
1t had gained tremendous Roadway. A.
s:lS p. m. A. l.. Lyall. E. T. Croker and
A. T. Burnham were in the store. Whenl
they left there was neither smoke nor
smell Of smoke on h main fioor. Fiji
teen minutes later flames were seen to-
burst With great force from the windows
of the third floor and almost simultane-
ousIy from the basement. Before any,
WHY SOdiu Ill AL Liz III IIlc "IlOl =
terror Of the building was a mass of
GaIne.
Wnen the fire department reached the
scene flames were issuing from every
window of the building, and it was evil
dent that the structure was doomed ami
the entire business section of the ethyl
was imperiled.
Waterbury, Conn, February 3.-TheI
sun rose this morning on a blackenedI
and smoldering mass Of ruins that
marked the main business section of theI
city. There is a very strong suspicionl
that the fire which completely destroyed
the Scoville house today, burning thou
sands of dollars worth of furniture. APP
pointments and personal effects. and
fmperiling Ia i've was the work of
an ~incendiarV.
The fire originated in the pool aIuI
billiard room in the basement of thel
house on the far side of the burned dis
trict. The room was locked and no one
was supposed to be there. No fire was
kept in the room. all heat being sup-
piled from a boiler in another part of
the building.
Manager Truman said at the pol;cpI
station while the fire was still raging.
That he had not h slightest doubt I'll
was of incendiary origin.
No one coulo be found to explain -
origin. and the authorities have been
quietly investigating. J
The fire came so close on the heels Of
the big confiagration that the thousands
Of spectators who witnessed it wersI
thrown into a more complete panic than
the original fire caused.
The fire had only begun to die out
along Bank. Grand and South Mani
streets at 4 o'clock when flames 1eapeuI
upward. as by magic, n people fearedl
the city was doomed. after ALL
The call was rung in promptly and ten
engines that hurried to the scene turn
ed their attention mainly to ~preventinSl
the spread of the flames. 1t was evil
dent that the hotel was doomed. IT thHI
fire had reached the adjacent BUILDING
there would hav" been very little no.
OF saving the center Of the city. incl
Are burned far into the day and was
not extinguished until evening. The loss
will reach $3.50, 900.
For ten hours last night and thu
morning flames famed by a high wind
held sway over the business portion of
this city. causing a loss that will ex-
coed So. On0. 900. The best business poll
ton of the city, forming a triangIe,l
bounded on the north by Exchai sci
Place.. on the west by Bank street. ohl
the south by Grand street and on theI
east by South Main street. was almost
WiDed out.
The first fire which started in the higl
store of Reid & Hughes, dry goods
on Bank street, was not con
sidered under control until about 3d.
600. 900 worth of property lad been oe-I
stroyed. About the time the fremenI
supposed they had the flames under1
control a second IRE brok. out IN thel
ScoviiIe house. the citv's leading hotel,l
remodelled by the late Judge Z. C.l
Lewis, a few years ag0 at an EXPENSE
of about $4,000. and the establishment
was completely wrecked. The occu1
pants of the hotel we're forced 10 SEEK
the street in their night clothes.
With the ringing or Il second aiarmI
the entire CITY was thrown into a panicI
There was a gale blowing and sparks
from the burning hotel were driven I'M
Iurid showers over 2 great area.
The occupants of buildings located mi
the path of the wind prepared to leaVeI
Although the W 'rc
ment was reinforced by rearby cities. it'll
was for a time impossible to stay the
progress of the flames. The hre IN It's
entirety burned over four acres OF tnel
'cfty's best business section |
Rarely have firemen been oohgeu toi
eontend against worse conditions tfanI
those which prevailed from first to last
in this disastrous -conf1agraJion. The
wind was blowing a gale. and The colo
was intense. 1t seemed at one time asl
though every structure In the heart oil
the city would be bestowed.
In some instances n work Oh tneI
fremen proved of avail. The Water
hurry hank building, at the corner of
Bank and Grand streets vas saved, al
though the New England Engineeriiis
Company's SO. 900 building hut a lew
feet away, and the Masonic Temple on
the north side of the bank bu.ldinS.
were wiped out of existence. =,
During the night the mayor was IN
eonsult9to1 with Gov rnor Mclean ana
the militia was called Tut onlpahles
A and G. numbering O 12o men.
were detailed about the fire district ana
are still on duty.
The city is now practically UNDER
ms-dal law. the blue unrf orms OF the
\ Ational guardsmen appearing OH 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 rendera homeless. The
AFeene about the city TODAY was only lit
= de more remarkable than that of the