St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1906-02-14

Conrad R. Lvnch's shop Burned Fri
day Night and L.. w. ROwell's Print
ing Office Destroyed ON Sunday Night.
Below Zero Weather and Frozen
Hydrants.
With the basket ball game in progress
at the Armory Thursday night and the
concert in Music Hall great many
people did not know there was fire
until the day after. Fire was discovered
by Preston E. May in Conrad R. Lynch's
house finishing shop about 80 and the
alarm quickly rung in. Three companies
and the hook and ladder responded. 1t
is not known how the fire caught, but it
was discovered near the dry room in the
north side of the shop. This part OF the
building is wooden structure and this
was burned. The southern half con
tained the machinery used in making
the house finish This part OF the build
ing was saved, though of course the
machinery was damaged somewhat by
the water.
In the part that was burned was about
1000 feet of dry lumber and some
selected ash, oak and other fine woods.
Mr.. Lynch lost all this as well as the
product of the factory in process of man.
ufacture. He is as yet undecided as to
his future, but all hope he will rebuild
and continue in the business as he man.
utactured the finest house finish and his
work always had ready market.
The insurance adjusters arrived last
night to settle Mr.. Lynch's loss. which
he estimates at $4,000. The building and
its contents were insured for $4,000, of
which $4,000 was placed in Crawford
Ranneys agency and the balance with
George p. Moore & Co. and c. S. Hast.
ings.
lust before 10 o'clock Sunday night
the alarm was sounded for fire in l..
W. Rowell's printing Office. A good
many people had retired and all efforts
to locate the fire by the New England
telephone service proved useless. The
mercury was II below zero and when
the fremen arrived the two nearest
hydrants were frozen and hose had to be
| ldIu SICdl HOM SuCliy SbACSI anu thS
water forced up Eastern avenue. Had
the hydrant opposite the printing office
been in proper condition much of the
property could have been saved. The
fire caught from Mr. Rowell's stove and
before water could be turned on the
office was burning cauldron. 1t was
thought at one time that the flames
would spread to the Presbyterian church
but the fremen kept the fire In The east
side of the block and within an hour had
it under control. There was no wind
blowing either night and the adjoining
property at both fires was protected by
the Is inches of snow which lay on the
roots of all the buildings.
Mr.. Rowell lost everything and has
much sympathy from our townspeople
He is one of the states veteran printers
competent and faithful workman and
all hope he will decide to open up again
His loss was fully $25O0 and his in
surance of $1,000 was carried with c. S
Hastings agency. Freeman Frye, the
jeweler, moved all of his stock, but lost
some of his property. His loss is covered
by insurance. The floors above were
occupied by Miss Lora Morse who car.
ried no insurance and lost her furniture
Mrs. Larma and Miss Morse's mother
lost their furniture, while Miss Efhe
Canning, who has room in the western
corner OF the block, saved all her effects
The block is owned by Mrs. Frank F,
Goodwin of Allston, Mass, and was in
sured in Mr.. Ranney's agency tor $4,000