Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-29
ARMORY IN RUINS
Destroyed by a Fire Which Had
Its Origin in a Paint Room.
Built Originally for Roller Skating
Rink-Structure Has Had Varied
History for the Last Twenty
Years.

Tho armorv or rink building. as it was
formerly known. but which is now called
The Strong, which was recently purchased
by j. j. and }. t.. Whalen and moved from
College to Main street and located at II
point Just east of the postohicc, was
burned to the ground Sunday morning
and the new brick front which was par
tally completed was greatly damaged,
cntailing a loss estimated at $2N0O0.
The cause of the tire is unknown but is
supposed to be due to spontaneous com
bustion. originating i'll the room where the
painters kept thair supplies. The fire
was discovered at about $50 o'clock and
was seen 10y several parties at about the
same time. II. X. Thomas and T.. IT..
o. GriCu, mail carriers, were in the post
Office building ana seeing the smoke ran
to the street crying hrc. Before they
reached Tho Strong an alarm had been
rung in from box 50 by Othccr Lynch.
Those who saw the fire first say that there
was an explosion, followed by Il ;Mtf of
black smoke and Il flash OF tire which
quickly subsidized. The fire originated in
the northwest corner of the portion of the
building which was formerly the armory.
When the fire department arrived it APP
pcarcd for Il time as though the structure
might be saved but the interior of the
building was SO dry that it was impossible
TO coninc the flames and i'll Il short time
they were beyond control.
Huge clouds of black smoke and uuan-
titles Of steam issued from all parts of
the building, but the flames We're not Nisi-
BILE for some time. This was due doubt
less 10 the fact that the sides and roof Of
the building were covered with iron. there
by combining the blaze to the interior. The
fire was first seen by tho spectators as it
burst from the unfinished upper story of
the brick front. This portion of the build
ing and the armorN were separated by Il
solid brick FIRE wall. hut the doors
had not been hung and it was through
those openings that the fire was commune
Gated 20 the front Of the structure. This
wall. was what saved the front portion
of The StrorG For 4 time the blaze con-
sumcd the woodwork in the southwest
corner Of tho brick front but the several
streams of water soon had II undor con
troll ana the damage TO the front of the
structure was confined to that corner.
In the meantime the fire had eaten its
way along the several floors of the armory
and had been communicated to the stage.
which was being built at the rear. This
was quickly consumed and Il draught was
created so that M immense volume of
flame shot from the end of the arnlory and
over the roof into the air At no time did
the tlaze shoot into the air from the roof
Of the armory. owing to the iron covering.
but the stage and the brick front furnish
ed a spectacular display and tho hcat was
so intense that those in charge Of the post =
ONCE ana county court mousse lhiu ralIS
Oh water IN readiness TO NSht It blaze,
fnould one lie started at either huidinS.
Inc ROOF OF the armory ieli IN sections
and carried with it the sides of the build
ing ne ruins burned Tor hours after all
danger of communication to other build
1nSs was over and the fire department was
ON the scene all day plJyinS stree ANS of
water nnOn the debris.
The large hall i'm the ai-11orV wac oppu-
Ticu by lamp Alpha, Modern Woodmcn of
America, who were conducting fair haN-
Ing occupied the place for a week. They
hUl number OF valuable articles which
were offered as prizes and in addition to
those there Wer" several mutoscOne ma
chimes and an electric piano, which were
owned by NJ. u. Mediation ana i. NJ.
Hays. The prizes consisted of a piano,
Morris cnair, couch lame, Jardnicrc, toilet
Set. draperies. fortune wheel, etc.
Hhe remainder of the urmorN was UNI
occupied but on the floor below the hail
line bowling alley and a large billiard
hall were nearly completed and would have
betn opened Tor patronage about Feb.