Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-06
FIREMEN BUSY
Hanke Hot Store Brought De.
 pariment Out Second Time.

The fire in Pepc's block on Canal street yesterday afternoon, proved to be more serious than at first expected, and it took the firemen more than an hour and half to quench the blaze. There was so much hay and grain in the store that the fire spread rapidly and raised so much smoke that the firemen found it rather difficult task to make much headway with it. The many tenants who were in the block were greatly alarmed by the fire and | some of them went almost frantic when they thought that their homes were to be destroyed. Many of them hastened to carry out trunks in which were some of their valuables, while almost all of them brought out various articles before the fire was ! near the flats. The loss is estimated at i about $3,500, mostly covered by in surance.
 The fire started in the rear of the 1 feed store. A plumber had been work ing on some pipes and is thought to have left a lighted torch near some refuse which quickly ignited and spread to the hay When the firemen arrived they were of the opinion that i the blaze would amount to nothing, | but soon discovered there was a stiff | proposition on their hands. The fire | was centered in the back part of the store. It was next to impossible to get at it through the front door, as | the smoke was blinding. A hose was put in through one of the side win dows, but did not seem to have much effect on the flames. Meanwhile the smoke was pouring out of the second floor.
 To get line of hose in the rear of the building and on the second floor | it had to be taken through q long narrow passageway between the Pope and adjoining building. Once the hose was in the rear, the tiremen began to fight the fire in earnest. The water | was poured into the rear part of the store and the hay was thoroughly l drenched. The smoke from the store had become thinner, but when the firemen broke down partition Ii | came out in such dense quantities that Captain Heitman and several of the men of the department were fol the time being driven back.
 l About this time the firemen heard an awful racket over their heads, and l thought some part of the building was about to fall. But is was false alarm, it was simply a mammoth trunk that had been thrown dowr from one of the upper floors. Not withstanding the efforts of the fire men smoke was coming from all parts of the first two floors by this time ant the firemen were evidently puzzled Some of the men next ascended tht front stairway and did effective worl with the chemical hose. The tene ments of Mir Pope and Giuseppe Mi cani, directly above the store, were considerably damaged by smoke ant water. The other tenants suffered { little from smoke. The stock il Pepe's store was valued by the owne
 at about S7,000, but when the fire wa
 out, it was found that most of it es capped burning. although it was dam
 aged considerably by water.
 About 10:45 last evening box 31, a the corner of Bank and Grand street again sounded and the departmen
 was called to the Hanke Hat Co a 222 Bank street. Although the fire
 men arrived quickly, and in less thai
 fifteen minutes practically had tn
 blaze out, nevertheless the store wa
 just about cleaned out. It is ownet
 by Thomas F. Doran and Thomas
 Torpey, whose loss is considered a
 about s400. The proprietors came t
 this city about year ago from Dan bury.
 The fire was discovered by Office
 Kiersted, who spied it just abou
 the same time as Ted" Sullivan an
 ''Ned" Cavanaugh of Brooklyn. A three rushed to box 31, and kierste
 pulled the box. The building is on
 story structure and is owned by Whit and Wells Co. It was not damage
 much. The loss is covered by insuI