Evening star., 1902-02-03
Business Section of Waterbury,
Conn.,, Flame Swept.
Loss ESTIMATED At $3,O0o,O0o
Guests in ScoviI House Flee in
Their Night Clothes.
FIERCE GALE BLOWN

WATERBURY. Conn, February 8.-For
ten hours last night and this morning
flames famed by a high wind held sway
over the business portion OF this city. caus-
ing loss that will exceed 100000. The
best business portion Of the city, forming
triangle bounded on the north by Ex-
change 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 which started in the big
store Of Reid and Hughes Dry Goods Com
pany. on Bank street, was not considered
under control until about 100000 worth
Of property had been destroyed. About the
time the fremen supposed they had the
flames under control a second fire broke
out in the Scovil House. the city's leading
hotel. remodeled by the late Judge e. c.
Lewis, a few years ago. at an expense Of
about $4,000, and the establishment was
completely wrecked. The occupants Of the
hotel were forced to seek the street In
their night clothes.
City Thrown Into a Panic.
With the ringing Of a second alarm
the entire city was thrown into a panic.
There was fierce gale blowing and sparks
from the burning hotel were driven in lurid
showers over a great area The occupants
of buildings located in the path of the wind
prepared to leave. Although the Water
bury fire department was reinforced from
nearby cities. it was for time i'm
possible to stay the progress Of the flames.
The fire in its entirety burned over four
acres OF the city's best business section.
Among the prominent buildings totally de-
stroyed are the block occupied by the Reid
and Hughes Dry Goods Company. the plant
of the Waterbury American. the Masonic
Temple. the Scovil and Franklin Houses,
the w. L. Douglas Shoe Company, the
Johnson block, the Salvation Army Work
ingmens Home and scores Of other build
ings. In all about 100 most prominent
business houses are burned out.
Rarely have firemen been obliged to con-
tend against worse conditions than those
which prevailed from first to last in this
disastrous confagration. The wind was
blowing a gale. and the cold was intense.
1t seemed at one time as If every structure
in the heart Of the city would be destroyed.
In some instances the work Of the firemen
proved Of avail. The Waterbury Bank
building at the corner Of Bank and Grand
streets was saved, although the New Eng
land Engineering CompanyS $4,000 build
ing, but few feet away, and the Masonic
Temple on the north side Of the bank build
Ing, were wiped out of existence.
Militia Called Out.
During the night the mayor was In COM
mupication with Governor Mclean, and the
militia was called out Companies A and
G. numbering about 12O men, were detailed
about the fire district 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 render
ed homeless. The moral effect Of this fire
upon Waterbury cannot be otherwise thar
pronounced An Associated Press CORE
spondent asked Mayor Kilduff II he would
| call for financial aid from outside cities
The mayor responded quickly, saying:
Waterbury. although suffering a griev.
| Gus blow will take care of herself, but we
are extremely grateful for the expressions
of sympathy that have poured in from ev.
| cry side"
The loss by the burning Of the Scovil
| House will reach $4,000. There are
runors of incendiarism in connection with
| the burning of this property. For a time
| the fire threatened to spread from the SEQ
| vii House to the city hall. but that beau
| tiful and costly structure was saved,