Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-04-22
Another Bad Fire.

g. MluuleDury WAS NlSlueu early DduulhoJ
morning with another fire, and the new
fDyer block was badly damaged, by fire
and water.
Shortly after five o'clock Saturday
morning, E. A, Ayers, who had apart
ments on the second floor over C. F.
Rich's store, and brokers' office on the
same floor across the hall, was awakened
by his two sons and found the rooms
filled with smoke that came up around
the mop boards in all the rooms.
The two boys slept in a little room
back of the office, and were the first
to be awakened by the smoke, which
was coming up rapidly around the mop
boards in the office. One notified his
father while the elder ran across the
street and rang in an alarm. This was
not heard except by very few, who
took it for the clock striking five, owing
to the bowling gale that was raging
He cried Fire Justify, and soon had
others doing the same.
Mr.. Ayers first telephoned to Allen
then directed friend, from Swan
ton, who was spending the night with
him, to arouse Chief Kidder, of the fire
department. The men responded
promptly, and within a very few min
utes several streams were playing on the
fire which was very hard TO fight as it
was in the partitions, and had spread to
all floors of the block.
The first stream was directed into A.
Calhoun & Sons work room, through
the side door on Bakery Lane and the
fire in that part of the building was soon
subdued. The fremen worked like
beavers and had plenty of water. but
the fire was so hard to locate and get at
that it was some two hours before it was
put out.
The principal damage to the building
by the fire was in the center of the south
side, where considerable damage was
done. The building was badly damaged
by water, and most Of the plastering on
the second floor rooms has come off or
will have to be removed. Some of the
timbers were weakened and will have to
be replaced, and most of the floors relaid
on the second story
The Odd Fellows will be the heaviest
losers as their beautiful rooms and ex
pensive furniture are practically ruined
by fire, smoke and water. They carried
81 POO insurance.
E. A. Ayers lost nearly his entire
household effects, office furniture, cloth
ing, etc, saving only one. trunk and
few pictures. He had just moved into
his apartments and had not had his
insurance transferred, so he loses all
Miss Goodrich had her millinery par
lors on the northwest corner of the
second floor and fortunately escaped
without great loss as the fire did not
enter these rooms. Her loss is confined
to damage by water and smoke.
The first floor was occupied by A.
Calhoun & Son and C. F. Rich. The
latter lost heavily as his stock of sta
tionery, books, toys, papers, jewelry,
clocks, etc, was soaked with water. He
had 81 200 insurance. The former occu-
pied all the rest of the first floor and
floors below, with an immense stock of
hardware, stoves, cutlery, tin ware
paints, oils, grass seeds, grains, etc, that
was badly damaged by fire and water,
The insurance will not begin to cover
the heavy loss.
The damage to the block, which is
owned by Mrs. Dyer, is hard to estimate,
but will be heavy. 1t is covered by in
surance.
, AS to how the fire started there are
, numerous theories but until a fire inquest
is held one theory is as good as another
Let us have a fire inquest and have the
cause determined beyond question.