The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-06-30
MARSHFIELD'S
BIG LOSS
Fire Swept the Wells River
Valley Village.
LOSS MAY REACH $4,000
Dozen Buildings Wiped Out Last Night,
Including Some Of Finest
Blocks in the
Village

NldiSutelu3 ubt4t 9b.~-A1dEat4HElQ WOKE
up this morning to see q large portion
Of the village swept away by the flames
which started IN the barn Of the Com
mercial house at 9;f0 last night and
which swept along in devouring fury
for several hours, eating up a dozen
buildings before being brought under
control at half past two o'clock this
morning. The loss is estimated from
$4,000 to $4,000 but the figures are
consefyatisely put at $4,000.
The buildings destroyed are;
Commercial house, two barns and
sheds, property Of H. II. Meader,
II. Fl. Meader's tenement.
Business block containing the general
store Of g. 5. Adams 4 Co., ana the
furniture store Of T. B. Adams.
congregational church, with horse
sheds and ontbuildings.
| Residence Of Mrs. Daffeny Bancroft.
| Il. g. Carpenters block, with the
store Of i. Il. aBrton.
Block containing the large store Of
Evans and H. d. McCrillis, also horse
sheds.
| The losses, as estimated at this time,
are; Meader, $4,000; Adams. $4,000
on building and $4,000 on stock; Congre-
gational church, $4,000; Mrs. Bancroft,
| $500; Carpenter and Barton, So 800; !;
MeCrillis, $4,000; Mrs. Stevenson, 81
| 500. Besides these losses there was
some on the property of Mrs Emily
Burnham and Mrs. G. B. Nichols, the
latter Of whom was in Barre attending
the wedding of her daughter.
The fire would have wiped out much
more OF the business part Of the village
had it not been for the assistance given
by Cabot and Montpelier. The first
place called on was Cabot, and the hand
engine was sent down. Thirteen minutes
later special train from Montpelier
brought other apparatus and many fire.
fighters. The Cabot fighters went to
work at the upper end OF the connagra-
tion and finally stopped the spread at
the Bancroft house. The Montpelier
tiremen working at the other end
stopped. the flames ait the Stevenson
house. Great credit IL due these fire
companies, for without their assistance
Marshfeld would have suffered a much
larger loss.
The Montpelier company made the
eighteen miles from Montpelier TO Marsh
field In "a minutes, over an upgrade
and winding road, drawing flat car
and two coaches loaded with people
They came up about midnight. At half
past two o'clock the people began to
breathe easy for the first time since
the fire started, and at three o'clock
they ceased playing water onto the
smoking ruins.
Almost Panic.
Az the x. of T. dramatic club were
in the last half Of the third act In
their drama, Brother Against Broth
err someone cried Fire" and imme-
diately there was q rush for the door,
which came near resulting in panic,
but someone quieted them by stating
that 1t was not the Marshall block that
was burning. 1t is related the truth
will probably never be known that the
fire started in the barn Of Meader's
hotel. by the overturning of lantern
by an intoxicated man.
The flames spread rapidly, reaching
from the hotel and barn to the tenement
house just back of IL, situated on the
depot road, occupied by Mrs. Burnham
and Mrs. Nichols, whose household goods /
were nearly all saved from the fire, but |
were more on less damaged. In the
meantime Adams block. occupied by G.. |
s, Adams & Co., dealers in general mer-
chandise and furniture. was well under
way. The central on the NJ. II. Teles |
phone line rang III the fire alarm on all |
the lines, which brought the farmers
60 town from all points Mrs. G. S. |
Adams and f. b. Adams were III Barre /
to attend the wedding Of Miss Nadine |
Nichols. The men broke open the store |
and brought out some Of the most valu- /
able things, and from the tenement over /
the store occupied by the family, res
cued Mrs. Adams birds and eat, took |
the desk and safe, the money drawers,
etc, from the store, and nearly all the
furniture. The barn belonging with the
store was the next to catch, togeth.
er with the Congregational church.
II. G. Pitkin's house, situated below
the old hotel, on the corner of Depot
and Main street. caught fire several
times, but by aid Of the bucket brigade
was saved. Mr.. Pitkin's people moved
out their household goods, provisions,
etc, only to put them back after the
excitement was over. Men showed their
nerve and daring in climbing the roof
and keeping the same wet, while the
intense heat from the burning buildings
was almost unbearable. The hose COM
pany from Cabot was on the street by
this time playing stream of water on
the house Of John 4. Severance, situated
near the Congregational church. The
furniture and things taken from the
hotel and store which had been placed
on the opposite side Of the street, be-
came heated to such an extent as to be-
gin to fame The Bancroft block, occti-
pied by Mrs. Daphane Bancroft, All aged
lady who il bedridden and has been blind
for years, and her daughter, Mrs. Cora
Continued on Fourth Page.