Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-02-04
Fire at Waterbury, Connecticut, Lays
the Business Portion of Town
in Ashes.
Fully a Hundred of the Leading Bust
ness Houses Are Wiped out
by the Flames. ~
Militia Companies Called out and the
City Practically Placed Under
Martial Law.

hours flames famed by a high wind
held sway over the business portion
of this city, causing a loss that will
exceed $4,000, 900. The best business
portion of the city, forming a triangle
bounded on the north by 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, which started in the
big store of the Reid & Hughes Dry
Goods company on Bank street, was
not. considered under control until
about 100000 worth of property had
been destroyed. Then a second fire
broke out in the Scovil House, the
city's leading hotel, remodeled by the
late Judge E. G. Lewis a few years ago
at an expense of about $75, 900, and
this establishment was completely
wrecked. The occupants of the hotel
were forced to seek the street in their
night clothes. 49,. g."
With the ringing of a second alarm
the city was thrown into a panic.
There was a fierce gale blowing and
sparks from the burning hotel were
driven in lurid showers over a great
area. The occupants Of buildings To-
Gated in the path of the wind prepared
to leave. Although the Waterbury fire
department was reinforced from near
by cities it was for a time impossible
to stay the progress Of the flames.
The fire burned over four acres of
the city's best business section.
Among the prominent buildings totally
destroyed + the block occupied by
the Reid & Hughes Dry Goods COM
pany, the plant of the Waterbury
American, the Masonic temple the SEQ
vii and Franklin Houses, the ". L..
Douglas Shoe company and the Saliva
ton Army Workingmen's home. In
all about 100 leading business houses
are burned out. 49, -~
Severe Task for Firemen.
Rarely have firemen been obliged to
contend against a worse conditions
than those which prevailed from first
to last In this disastrous conf1agration.
The wind was blowing a gale and the
cold was intense. 1t seemed at one
time as though every structure in the
heart of the city would be destroyed,
but in some instances the work of the
firemen was availing. The Waterbury
bank building, at the corner of Bank
and Grand streets, was saved, although
the New England Engineering COM
pany's $4,000 building, but a few feet
away, and the Masonic temple, on the
north side of the bank building, were
consumed. During the night the mayor
was in communication with Governor
Mclean and the militia were 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 mar
tial law. The armory, the city hall,
the churches and other public places
have been turned into temporary shell.
ters, hundreds being rendered home
less. The moral effect of this fire upon
Waterbury will be farreaching. An
Associated Press correspondent asked
Mayor Kilduff if he would call for fl
nancia1 aid from outside cities. The.
mayor said:
Waterbury, although suffering a
grievous blow, will take care of her
self, though extremely grateful for the
expressions of sympathy that have
poured in on every side"
At $3.50 a. m. the entire fire depart
ment was on duty, the danger being by
no means passed. The Scovil House
was still burning and adjoining build
ings were in danger. The buildings
in the track of the earlier fire are: still
burning.
r The loss by burning of the Scovil
House will. reach $3.50, 900. There are
rumors of incendiarism in connection
with the burning of this property. For
a time the fire threatened to spread
from the Scovil House to- the city
hall. but that beautiful and costly
structure was saved.