The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-04
TOWN Is BURNED UP
Waterbury, Conn. Is Driven
Into Despair by Flames
.S1,5OO.OOO LOST IN FIRE
TOwnspeople Nearly Go Wild
in Terrible Excitement.

Waterbury, Con, Feb. s.-The sun rose
this morning on a biackened and smeuld-
ering mass OF ruins that marked the
main business section of the city. The
scene about the city today was Only
little less remarkable than the previous
evening. Thousands of people stumbled
around the ics and with the greatest
difficulty were restrained by the militia
and police from venturing within the dan
ger lines.
There was more or less disorder but
the police have been very active and the
militia has been of great service in hand
ling the crowds. The streets were piled
with household goods and strewn with
small articles thrown from the windows.
Some Of this property was coniscated
by passers by, but the amount of thiev-
ing was small compared with the oppor-
tunities offered by the confusion
A tangible network Of wires on Bank
and South Main streets greatly hinGered
the work OF extinguishing the last
flames and clearing away the wreck
age. However. the streets are rapidly
being cleared and the trolley service Will
soon be resumed.
The city's telephone communication,
lighting facilities and electric power were
restored before nightfaL. There was no
loss of life.
There is a strong suspicion that the fire
which destroyed the Scoville house was
the work OF an incenGiary
The fire originated IN the pool and bill
lard room ia 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.
The fire came so close on the heels of
the big confagration that thousands Of
spectators who witnessed it were thrown
into a more complete panic than the
original fire caused. The flames had only
begun to die out along Bank, Grand and
South Main streets at o'clock when
flames leaped upward as by magic and
people feared the city was doomed after
all. The engines then hurried TO the
scene and turned their attention mainly
to preventing the spread OF the flames.
1t was evident tina. the hotel was doomed
and If the FIRE had reached the adjacent
buildings there would have been very
little hope of saving the center Of the
city
The fire burned far into the day, and
was not extinguished entirely until even
ing.
For ten hours last night and this morn
ing, flames famed by a high wind. held
sway over the business portion Of the city
causing loss that will exceed $500 600
The best business portion of the city.
forming a triangle bounded on the north
~ Exchange place, on the west by Bank
street, on the south by Grand street and
on the east by South Main street. was
almost wiped out The first fire, Shich
started in the big store Of the Reid &
Hughes Dry Goods company on Pank
street. wa snot considered under control
until about 100000 worth of property
had been destroyed About the time the
firemen supposed they had the flames
under control. a second fire broke out in
the Scoiville house, the city's leading
hotel. remodoled by the late Judge Z. C.
Lewis. a few years ago. at an expense Of
about S75.00e. ard the establishment was
completely wrecked. The occupants OF
the hotel were forced to seek the street
in their night clothes. With the ring
ing of a second alarm the entire city was
thrown into panic. There was a fierce
gale blowing and sparks from the hurn-
ing hotel We're driven in showers over
great area The occupants Of buildings
located in the path of the wind pre-
pared to leave. Although the Waterbury
FIRE department was reinforced from
nearby cities. it was for { time impossible
to stay the progress Of the flames. The
fire in its entirety burned over fosr acres
Of the city's best business section. Among
the prominent buildings totally destroyed
are the block occupied by the Red s.
Hughes dry good company. the plart Of
the Waterbury American, the Masonic
Temple, the ScoviIe and Franklin houses.
the W. l. Douglas Shoe company, the
johnson block. The salvation Army y orz-
ing Mems Home aqd scores Of other
buildings. In ali about 100 most promi-
Rent business houses are burned ont.