Norwich bulletin., 1910-05-13
WESTERLY FIRE LOSS s66, $50
-laz= Breaks Out again in Parber Block hursday
Afternoon Aason's Hard Luck-I-convenent Loca-
zion of Hydrants locks raffc-North stonngton
Mas Found Dead-Death of Mrs Clayton urdck

} Next to the Public Library and Me-
mortal building, the Barber Memorial
building which was damaged by fire
"Wednesday night. is the largest, hand
soonest and most substantial building
| in westerly. This building was COM
pleted in 1892, and was erected on the
site of the American hall building,
which was destroyed by fire.
1t was built by the late Peleg S.
Barber. who bequeathed it in trust
during her lifetime to his niece, Miss
Matte P. Babcock The building prop
er. that is. the brick walls. are not in
the least damaged but the roof is en-
tlrely burned is is also the entire
third floor which was occupied by the
Westerly Masonic organiza lions, and
by Pawcatuck lodge of the Connecticut
jurisdiction. The fire burned through
parts of the ceiling on the second floor
but theresis no damage by fire in the
four stores on the ground floor. 1t
was necessary to pour an immense
volume of water into the building, and
the second and first floors were flood
ed doing great damage to stock and
fixtures
The Westerly firemen. aided by Pc
leg 5. Barber hose company of Pawca-
tuck, did good service in preventing
the fire from reaching adjoining build
ings, and from destruction of the en-
tire interior of the Barber building.
1t was a wise move on the part of
Chief Cottrell to order general alarm
as quickly as possible and summon the
Two steam fire engines and the firemen
from Pawcatuck. Their prompt arri-
val and efficient work had much to do
with conquer1ng a STUBBORN fire. AS
the building is four stories in the rear.
streams of water could not reach the
top floor from that point until after
the steam fire engines were in opera
ton, az the ladders of the department
were not long enough to reach above
the third story in the rear. which was
the second in the front of the build
ing and the one below where the fire
originated and was fiercely raging
After the fire companies were dis
missed a detail of firemen remained
with two lines of hose to safeguard
against damage from any fresh out
break and to eXtinguish the burning
embers at different points throughout
the building. Ii was rast ten o'clock
Thursday morning when these details
were dismissed and the order came to
pick up the hose, and the work of the
firemen ended.
This is the third time that the Ma
sonic lodge rooms have been destroyed
by fire. Soon after the ending of the
civil war the building occupied by the
Masons, which stood on the Broad
street bridge was burned and quar-
tiers were secured in the Edward G..
Champlin building in Main street This
was burned about thirty three years
ago, and the MaSons located in the
Samuel ChampIin building in the hall
now occupied by the local lodge of
Elks.
In 1892 the Masons moved to the
Barber Memorial building. where the
third floor was planned especially for
their accommodation. Their lodge
rooms were among the best arranged
and furnished in New England. With
the exception ola few framed ancient
Masonic aprons and pictures the en-
tire furnis hinss, including the uni
forms and equipment of the Knights
Templar, are totally destroyed. Mar
ragansett lodge of Odd Fellows have
rendered the use of their hall to the
Masons. and Pawcatuck lodges session
was held there Thursday evening.
Famed by the breeze Thursday aft
ernoon, the fire broke out afresh in
the third floor of the Barber Memorial
building, and at three o'clock fire
alarm was sent in from box SIS. The
three companies of the department re-
sponded in short order. 1t was need