Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-04-20
FIRE IN THE CATHEDRAL
Decorations and Statues Injured
by Smoke.
Chapel Damaged by Flames and water
Panic Averted By Thoughtful.
ness Of the REV. r. J.
Barrett.

statues at the Cathedral OF
the immaculate Conception were
injured Sunday night beyond es-
innate by smoke, while the clia;c! was
damaged by fire. smoke and water. The
fire was discovered shortly after the
evening service had be2ui. and while
the cOnsi ega ton was filing from the
church rs the result of an announce
mcnt by the Rev. 7. J. Barrett that the
service would be- suspended beca,se of
m accident the fire department was
Speeding on it's way to th. church from
the several static ms.
The fire originated in the sacristy.
where tho altar boys prepare themselves
for tho service There Is some doubt as
to tho exact manner in "!ich the blaze
caught. hut the most reasonable explain
alton is that it caugh. from charcoal
which had been prepared for the censor.
~ Is rfoi bile that pic 70 OF charcoal
wficl, had been lighted. but which was
supposed tn be dead, WIS kicxc1 into
clusct ana that it snouldored there
Among solre pupcrs until fire was
started.
When The al.rr boys went into the
cathedral there was no sign o. fire, but
within rye minutes John Mrl;nnra, the
rushed To the cathedral, his first instinct
being to warn the great congregation
that had gathered to attend vcs,crs. Mr..
McKanna approached Father Barrett and
told him Of the fire. The Erst thought
| that cn'cred Father Bar-ct.'s mind was
| that an announce ment of fire would
create Il panic and thu: lives would
probably be- lost. He pon,icrcd only an
instant ana then announced that bs cause
Ct ar accident the service would be s,s-
pended. The congregation We n.!e! ed but
went CUiGtly from the Church. only 20
discover as they reached the street that
thc chapel. just in the relr. was on ire.
The fire was in difficult place to fight
and great clouds of heavy black smoke
poured from the doors and windows of
the chapel, making it impossible for the
firemen to penetrate the building and get
at the source of the fire. In making an
effort to get into the building Chief Niles
fell and severely injured his nose.
Although the connections between this
chapel and the cathedral are not many
the smoke quickly found its way to the
church proper and filled the edifice al
most to suffocation The fire did not enter
the church but the costly altar dccora-
tions, the statues and the embelish-
ments of the church were damaged to an
extent that it was impossible to estimate
last night.
The fire started at about $50. 1t was
confined to the chapel and the damage
from the flames was not great. The smoke
however, filed the chapel and caused q
great amount of damage there.
The alarm for the fire was rung in from
box II at the corner OF Church and Bank
streets. A great crowd gathered but
there was nothing spectacular about the
fire and people soon tired Of waiting ant
went home.
After the fire was under control Father
Barrett said that it was impossible tc
then give n definite statement as to tn,
origin. He said that it started in tn,
. sacristy and that about eight minute.
after the service opened he was informed
"1hc first thought that entered nj,
mind" said Father Barrett was to pre-
vent a panic. ! knew that if it was an
nounced that there was a fire people would
become frightened and that in all proba
bilty there would be loss of life. l an
4 nounccd that the service would he sus
pended because of an accident and tn
people filed quietly from the church,
, Father Barrett was unable to give an.
estimate of the damage He said the los
would be fully covered by insurance. Tn
agencies of 4. S. Peck and Hckok {
IIckok have insurance covering the loss
, Shortly before ten O'Clock the apparatus
. from station one was called to the chapc
again, the blaze having started anew. |
+ was quickly eXtinguislcd.