Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-17
A $4,000 FIRE
Had Its Origin Near an Oil Tank
in a Store Basement.
Grocery Store OF r. r.. Perkins Burned
Out--Firemen Did Good Work in
COMBINING the Flames 20
Limited Ares.

the Y. NJ. c. a. block was Quilted by
fire Thursday and practically tho entire
stock of goods was ruined, entailing loss
of between $4,000 and $1,000 to Mr.. Per
klns, and an additional loss to the build
ing and other occupants OF at least 100
The fire was an exceedingly stubborn one
to fight and was not extinguished until
the hremen had worked more than four
hours.
The fire was discovered by william
Riley, a clerk, who was sent to the base
ment by Mr.. Perkins for potatoes. Riley
had barely reached the foot Of the stairs
when he shouted that the cellar was on
fire. He made an effort to extinguish the
blaze bu. was warned at once by Mr..
Perkins to run for his life. Mr.. Perkins
went to fire station No !, the first build
ing to the south, and gave tho alarm.
The nremen were on tho scene without
delay but the smoke was so thick that
they were unable to enter the store. Great
clouds of dense, black smoke, backed by
sheets OF flame, rolled out OF the build
Ing.
The origin OF the fire is shrouded in
mystery. A report was current on the
street that huge kerosene oil tank had
been filled and by overrunning a tiny
stream of oil had found its way to the
ire box of the heating apparatus and
thereby become ignited. This theory was
emphatically denied by MIR. Perkins and
was obviously impossible. The oil tank
holds about 500 gallons Of oil and a
quantity was placed therein yesterday
about l60 sallons--but it was impossible
for 1t to overflow There might have been
q leak but even so the oil could not have
reached tho furnace because the base
ment containing the heating apparatus
Is separated from Mr.. Perkins's basement
by q solid stone wall. All that Is known
of the origin Is that the fire was dis
covered by Mr.. Riley and that the oil was
burning when he went into the basement.
An investigation OF the basement by Mr..
Perkins late in the afternoon showed that
the oil tanks were practically intact and
each contained q large quantity OF oil.
On the top OF ono of the tanks was a
packing case. The case was charred and
the tank about It was black but beneath
the case the tank was dry and clean. The
fact that the tanks are partially full OF
oil after the fire II a remarkable one, as
everyone supposed that the oil tanks were
furnishing the fuel for the flames AS Il
was, the nre was fed by the floor anG
woodwork In the basement The oil tanks
| have been there for years and the sur
rounding woodwork was therefore
saturated with OIL The investigations
make the theory of overflow or leakage
from the tanks absolutely impossible
hence the blaze must have been caused
from some other source. at present un
known.
Huge quantities OF water were poured
into the store but they were powerles:
to overcome the opposition of the burning
| oil and it was not until the oil had beer
consumed that the fire was extinguished
The .lremen did remarkably good work
the blaze keeping them busy four hours
! During all that time the flames were con
! fined to Mr.. Perkins, store. with the ex
ception of one small spot, where the!
worked their way into the stock room oc
cupied by the New England Telephone {
Telegraph Co on the floor above. 1t look
, Cd for a time as though the fire woulC
spread to other parts OF the building an,
all the tenants moved some of their be
longings. at least, from the building Tn
alarm was sounded shortly be'c,e clever
o'clock and vas not rung out until thre
o'clock.
The fire was rot a spectacular one bu
/ attracted a large crowd, neverthele less
There was very little heat from IL and I'll
occupants of the rooms above the stor
| remained there throughout the entir
time. The one spot where the fire worke
10 the stock room on the second foo
was quickly located and the fire prompt
and effectively supp. essed
After the fire was out the store present
cd desolate appearance, in comparso
to the tidy room kept by Mr. Perkins
The floor from Church street nearly t
the rear had burned away or fallen I
the basement. great quantities of came
goods mixed with broken bottles, cereals
vegetables, candy. and the usual good
carried In n grocery store were scattere
about In great confusion.
Mr.. Perkins had just received his good
for the Christmas trade and consequent
had an exceedingly large stock on hsuC
He places the value at between 80 90 an
$1,000. That the stock Is IN entire less
almost certain He has insurance TO tn
amount of $500, 81 lco Of the amount be-
ing in T. S. Peck's agency and $4,000 I
NJ. l.. Powell's agency. The losses sus
tanned by other occupants and by tn
Y NJ c. a. in damage to the building ar
fully covered by insurance.
Gardner Brewer has only recently ar
larged MS store by taking over the room
formerly occupied by the Burlington Ligr