Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-02-05
Fifteen Buildings in Business
Center of the Village
Destroyed.
PROPERTY LOSS St25,O0O
Blaze Started from en- Ovsrheated Fur
mace Frozen Hydrants Hindered
Firemen-Strong Wind Drove
Flames beyond Control-De-
cription OF Blocks Burned.


AIiddlcbury, Feb. CAS- a result of one
OF the most disastrous fires in the his
tory of this town, j. buildings i'll the
business pare of the village, on Main ana
Mill streets and ON the very banks OF
the otter Creek river are a smouldering
mass of ruins and several other buildings
ana stocks OF goods are badly damaged by
IRE and water, IL conservative estimate
Of the loss being $l250n. Twenty-Five
concerns in all have lost by the fire which
is supposed to have caught from AN over
heated furnace in the basement oil Dr.
Trudclrs store in the Union block on
Main street. 1T was discovered at about
o'clock this morning by Chief of Police
L. y. Dickinson and Robert Manning,
who was employed in Taylors restaurant.
chief Dickinson had passed the place
20 minutes before and found everything
apparently all right but when he came
back he noticed light in the basement
under Taylors restaurant and smoke issu-
ing from the windows and at once sound
cd the alarm.
The two fire compa mics under the dircc-
ton of Chief Engineer George kidder and
Assistant Chief John Boudreau got out
as soon as possible and did good work
considering the disadvantages under
which they labored. The fact that two or
three hydrants on the east side of the
bridge were frozen delayed matters con-
sideraby and though those on tbs west
side were in working order. IT was about
half hour after the alArm sounded be-
fore streams OF water We're playing on
the lire and the fire had gained such
Ieadway that it was o'clock before it
was under control. There was formerly
al pumping system here for use in case OF
fires but when the new water system
was installed this was discontinued.
A very strong wind was blowing from
the north at the time the fire started and
the only thing that saved the Logan
House and several adjoining buildings
was a sudden change Of the wind to the
west. The change of wind drove the
flames across the street with the result
that the buildings which were closely
crowded together were entirely consumed
tor distance of fully two hundred feet
on both sides of the street. Tho Noun-
teer'S hose house was saved with diff
fculty.
The burned buildings were in seven
large blocks -four of which were built
in sections and the whole owned by j.
different concerns. The blocks are given
IN the order in which they stood on the
street.
The block owned and occupied by F.
a. Bond. the cothcr. was worth 5000
and the probable loss including his stock
Of goods was $1,000.
The next in order was block owned
by r. ~. McCloud, worth 5000 and par
tlallN covered ny insurance. III lnt base
ment of this block was n shop where
Charles Severance made rustic work and
Mr. ScNcranCCS loss was probably 5000.
Thc first floor was occupied by the Mid
dl,hurN steam laundry. run by Parker &
I}aii.cs aad their los is estimated at 81 =
CON. isaac shapiro also had a general
merchandise store on the first floor Of this
block. he lost practically all of his stock
Of goods, worth probably 5000 On the
second floor were two tcnements, one oc-
,upied by Emma Waterman. whose loss
on household goods was from $500 to $500
uud the other by Mr. Parker whose loss
was 500.
Next stood the Columbus Smith block.
owned by Columbus Smith of West Sails
bury, which was estimated to he worth
5000. This was occupied on the ground
floor by Edward Barton. q tenant who
lost nearly all Of his household furniture
worth from 800 to 500 and ON which
there was no insurance: a Mr. LOOMS
who lost his entire effects worth $500; JEFF
fcrson Rlsco a shoemaker, who lost his
stock and household goods valued at 500
and Edward Goulette who lost household
goods to the amount of 500 with no in
surance On the second floor was a large
hall occupied by the William z. Russell
Post, G. A. r., No 50, whose loss was
sl6o, with $500 Insurance. the Col A. S
Tracy camp, Sons of Veterans. No. %
whose loss was $50 and whose insurance
loss was 500
The Dyer block owned by the Dye
heirs was the only brick block in the list
and cost 5000 to $4,000. on the first floor
of this were four stores r. j. Piper
dealer in meats and groceries, lost hi.
books with his entire stock of goods val
ned at 5000 and carried $1,000 Insurance
Mrs. +. Il. lockwood. general store, me
loss of $1,000. which was partially GOV
cred by insurance; Miss l.. E. Goodrich
milliner. loss 1000; Harry Covert, poo
room and barber shop loss $1,000, par
TALLY covered by insurance The sccon,
floor of the same building was occupied
by Lake Dunmore Lodge, No II, !. O. O
T., Addison Encampment and Arrowan
MA Lodge. Daughters of Rebekah. Thei
loss was probably $1,000, which was par
TALLY covered by insurance.
The block owned by DR.. D. A. Bsbi
of Bristol cost him $4,000 and was fairl,
well insured. The first floor of this wa
occupied by NJ l.. Burt. druggist, VIII
was insured for 81 900 and whose loss wa
$4,000. The second floor was occupied b,
William Jackson photographer, who's
loss was $1,000 and whose insurance wa
$1,000
The block owned by the Methodist Epis
Copal Church society was worth $500
end insured for 81 900. 1t was occupied b,
\. j. Blackmer undertaken and furnitur
dealer. whose loss was $1,000 PARTIAL
covered by insurance.
The Union block, ono of the largest i
the list, was owned jointly by the Bon
Brothers Or. Arthur Trudell, L. 4. CLAY
the Upper estate 1.-TWO sectiOnSD ard {
j., Marshall This building was value
AT $2250 and its loss is only partially GOV
cred by insurance. Mr. Clay's insuranc
was $4,000 There were several stores /
this block. The Bond Brothers, dealer
in boots and shoes, lost their store an
storohouse worth 81 600 but We're we
insured. Or. Arthur Trudell had a newl
equipped drug store which cost abou
5000 and tho insurance on which wa
only Sl5n. Walter Wright had rooms o
the second floor and lost probably 500 7
+, Wales, jeweler and optfcian lost 81, O