Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-01-08
SISTERS OF CHARITY
Home on Beacon Street Damaged
 By Fire Yesterday.

The convent of St Thomas on Bea
 con street came near being destroyed by fire yesterday morning at S:26 O. clock. As it was. only the roof was
 burned but the building was thorough
 ly soaked with water and while the
 actual damage was not very material,
 considering that the building had q
 very close escape from being burned
 to the ground. the inconvenience and
 bother that will follow for some time
 will be very great.
 The source of the fire is still mys-
 tery. The theory of the fire depart
 ment is rbat sparks Issued from a de
 fecuye flue 10 the third floor, where
 the fire originated, and there being no
 one ill that part of the building at tie
 time the fire had free play before it
 was discovered. It is now supposed
 to have been going an hour. if not
 of the neighborhood. who instantly ran
 over to the convent and informed the
 sister ill charge of the basement.
 The children of the parish were at
 mass i'll the basement of the church
 near by at the time with all of the
 sisters, except the lady just referred
 to. in charge of them. -A woman liv- ing ill the immediate neighborhood ran into the basement and shouted fire, and instantly there was the great est confusion. The larger boys and girls became panic stricken and they rushed headlong for the door, jumping over seats and everything ill their way. The sisters, however. did not lose their heads. but it was impossible for them to restore order. Mass was all but finished, fortunately, and the children rushed home, hundreds of them not even waiting to put on their outdoor wraps or rubbers so great was the confusion.
 Every child was a herald of tine fire and instantly a great throng of people was on the scene of the confagratien. An alarm was sent ill and the Burton street firemen were on the spot in stantly.
 But all of the children did not lose their heads. Many of them made q rush for the burning building and with the sisters assisted in removing good deal of the furniture and ornaments, pictures, books and pieces of statuary. Father Sullivan and his assistant, Father Ryan, helped also. and at last the heat and smoke became so intense that the clergymen had to compel the sisters and the children to leave the building. Sister Rachel, the superior ess of the convent, was greatly shock ed by the occurrence. and worked nn- til she burned her right hand. Anoth- er sister tainted. Dr McLinden was on the scene with the first arrivals.
 It soon became evident that the third floor of the building was doomed md some men of the parish put every effort to removing the furniture of the other two floors. John Synnott was in this work. and very soon the barn in the rear of the church was almost chock full of goods. Some ,ne had the good thought to throw rubber blankets over the two pianos n the building so that these passed through unscathed.
 Soon after the firemen got to work Captain Moore was put out of business Jy receiving a cut on the forehead, md Ladderman Cavanaugh fell from I beam in the attic and slipped to the floor below. He had to be removed ils0.
 The firemen had a good hours work before they saw the end of the fire. | After they left host of men and boys 1 ost no time in getting to work in sweeping out the water and doing whatever else was necessary. Boxes 1 f candy and toys with which Sister 1 Rachel encouraged the very small pu- ,ils to learn their lessons were found ] unharmed. The library 1 vas badly soaked and the books dam- i lged a good deal In fact every wall l n the entire building was saturated. ! .o that it will he some time before it l will be habitable. The fact. however. i hat the furnace was doing business fight along as if nothing had happen 1 -d. will count some.
 The actual damage has not yet been igured up and cannot he for some l lays. but will be about 5000 at least. | md is fully protected hy insurance. 1 ;cores of people were not aware of i he fire having occurred until Father ] sullivan announced it at last mass. 1 Ie was yisibly affected by inc ms l mtune. taking place as it did at the | lose of the first week the parish was Inder his management in the absence | f the pastor. Father Crowley. who is 4 Outh for the benefit Of his health. | The effect upon Father Crowley when 1 ie hears the sad news is q matter of | erious speculation among the parish 1 Oners. The financial end of the fire 5 protected but the interruption to the 'eace and life of the conyent's in- l mates. and it's effect upon them is a nore serious matter For the present he sisters will he accommodated at t Mary's convent Oil Cole street but chOol will be conducted as usual in I | Thomas.
 The whole day long crowds Of spec ators viewed the building aDd all rere If inc opinion that it was a great lisfortune ro nave its existence sn- pTr1pied iTi such a manner. A gang f men. residents of the parish. work | all day putting things inside to as such order as possible. They were T volunteers. men whose hard earned oIlars helped io build the convent md the school They are all ready io pntribute again. if BecesSary. while vpTyi-giy iS glad that tlle fire did not ike place during the night time. for life would he Iost if t all