Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-26
TWO BARRE BLOCKS BURNED
Property Loss OF 100000 Marrow
Escaps for Oas Family-ro Rebuild.

Barre. Feb. 22.-The fire which originated
in the basement of the Currier block on
Main street carly yesterday morning brief
mention of which was made in Satur-
days Free Press, proved to be the most
disastrous that has ever visited this city.
Tho fine Currier building ana the Shepee
building, one Of the landmarks OF Barre,
arc now nothing but mass OF smolderinS
ruins. and the loss is placed at 500 900,
with an insurance of $4,000.
Five large business firms arc burned
out, together with six offices, and six
families are rendered homeless In addi-
ton many roomers. tenants in the Cur
rer building. are homeless. Hardly one
Of the tenants saved a single article of
clothing except the clothing on their
backs, which they hastily snatched when
the first call Of fire arose. And at least
three Of them may count themselves as
fortunate that they escaped with their
lives.
Tho stores burned out are: 3. W. Hooker
& Co., the largest furniture dealers in
central Vermont. whose loss is placed at
$4,000; Sowden & Lyon, grocers. whose
loss is $1,000 Boston Bargain Store, with
loss of $4,000; Noale & knight, dry goods,
loss $1o,000; Union Clothing Store, loss
$4,000. All these firms are fairly we'll in
sured with the exception of r. w. Hook
ct x Co. The loss on the Currier block
is 1900 and on the other 5000.
The photograph studio OF C. Bau, the
office of DR.. Frank NJ. Lyndc, dentist,
of Townsend 3. Towsend, granite dealers.
OF w. c. Towsend & Co., granite dealers,
of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co,
ana of William Buff, architect, We're
wiped out with all their contents, and
the insurance is very light.
The families. the members OF which es-
capped with only the clothing they had
ON their backs, are Harley Bond, wife
and child Mrs. Sarah Bond, Mrs. A. D.
Burgess and family, Lester Harris and
family. Mrs. Lulu Moulton. Charles
Mcserve and family.
Others who lost their entire personal Of
fcCts, in most cases with no insurance, are
David Joll, Harry Rcam, Charles Jones.
Zen Gillcy. William Duff. George Brooks
and George Emerson.
1t is thought the fire started In the
basement near tho furnace. 1t was almost
reason the work of the fire department
was not effective. The smoke was SO
dense all through the building that it
was Impossible to enter with line of
hose, so that the fighting of the fire had
to ne done from the outside entirely.
After the fire had gained great Roadway
ii was discovered that one family had fail
ed to get ont of the building when tho 9TH
crs did. Their pathway out by means
of the stairway was cfectually blocked.
Those who were thus cut of were Cha rlcs
Mcserve with his wife and ar infant child.
They ran TO the windows and called to the
flrcmen who up to that time were entirely
unmindfu that there was anybody in the
burning building. Hastily raising lad
der against the building they climbed to
the third story and carried the people to
the ground in the midst of a dense smoke.
Meanwhile the flames had communicated
to the Sheploc block adjoining and that
was soon soething mass of fire, the
building being of wood and quite old.
At $3.50 O'Clock a second alarm was rung
in from box y and a call was sent to
Montpelier for aid. The Montpelier de-
partment responded with several men and
SOC feet of hose.
Five hours after the fire started 1t was
under control The "all out" was not
sounded until an hour later, and the fire
mon were kept busy up to last evening
playing three streams Of water on the
smOuldering ruins.
1t was fortunate that no wind was blow
ing, otherwise the damage would have
been much more severe than it is. The
night was very cold, however. and the
hrcmcn worked under "A considerable
handicap for that reason. The water froze
as it struck the buildings.
! When interviewed regarding the pros
poets of rebuilding Messrs. Currier cx-
pressed the opinion that they should next
spring. II is not known whether the other
block will be rebuilt or not One of the
owners resides in Concord, y. H.. and until
word is received from him definite state
mcnt cannot be made.
! MI the firms burned out were open for
business in temporary quarters yesterday
land they are all looking for new accommo.
dationS.