Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-01-13

~ knew Of tho blind attic In the top
OF the Hotel Burlington" said Chief
Niles" and I knew that the fire was to
he a bad one. When l first entered the
hotel told Manager Colamer to lose
no time in getting tho guests out OF
tho house for the third and second floors
would probably burn"
Members of the fire departments In
Winooski arrived In time TO do good
service, which was much appreciated.
chief Niles stated that ne had about
so men at work besides those from
Winooski.
THREE WHY'S ARE ANSWERED..
There were there questions concerning
the fro that people asked many times.
They were What stopped the fire at the
second story OF the Hotel Burlington?
why the Walker block caught FIRE? why
W. p. Halls drug store did not burn?
The reason that the fire stopped at the
second story OF the Hotel Burlington was
because veritable Niagara Falls from Is
streams poured continually down from the
fourth and third stories. forming lake Of
water in the second and third story floors
'The fire could go down no further THAI the
second story, where the floor was foot
deep with water and all the walls were
soaked and dripping.
The Walker block caught fire and burned
because an alleged fire wall. that
scparatc ted the two buildings, proved to be
n fake. The top of this supposed fro wall
was made OF only one row Of bricks
while further down II was OF the thick
ness Of two bricks After a time when
the top Of this wall became heated to n
great degree, It crumpleh up and fell
towards the Hotel burlington The fro
then speedily licked It's way into a blind
attic at the top of the Walker block
and in a few minutes it was roaring
furnace. skylisht at the top Of this
block. about 20 by 20 feet and which
was crushed in when the water was
turned on helped to make better draft.
Halls drug store did not burn for the
reason that. when the fire got in dam
gerous promxity. the efforts OF the fire.
men were directed on the Main street
side Of the building and tons OF water
ran continuously down through the two
upper floors and into the store. Here the
fremen took their last stand and here
the .ast bit of the fire was extingushed.
THE BURNED BUILDINGS.
The Hotel burlington was built in 1857,
| after the burning Of the Wheeler block,
| which occupied the site. g. NJ. Delaney.
with the late Benjamin Harrington as n
| partner a portion Of the time. mana ged
it until few months ago. when Mr.. De-
| laneys creditors took charge. with NJ. l..
| Powell as trustee. Subsequently. an
other change was made. Mr.. Powell be-
coming the proprietor, with r. +. Cola
mer as manager. A number Of changes
that were made appealed to the travelling
! public to such an extent that further i'm
provements were contemplated. These
| included the moving OF the dining room
| from the second to the ground floor into
the quarters occupied by the c. l.. Soule
| company, who were to take the two
| stores on Main street that will be vacated
| by c. f. Pease & Co. when they move
TO the corner OF Church and College
streets. Mr. Powell was also negotiating
with Mrs. Walker for the purchase of
her block. which was to be made part
of the hotel.
The Walker block was built by ex-Gov.
| L. a. Woodbury. and the la W. *.
Walker in 1891. In 1893 Governor Wood
bury sold his interest - Mrs. Walker.
subsequently she bought the building
on Main street directly west Of the block
and named 1t Walker Lodge The ten
ants there made some preparations to va
cate in hurry. II it should become nee
essary, but the fire was not so energetic
at the rear as 1t was on the front of the
burning buildings and the only damage
| to the lodge was done by some water
which found its way down from the root
on which the flremen stood while pouring
water into the rear Of the block
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE.
In talking with Free Press man after
the fire most Of the occupants OF the
burned buildings were undecided a.; tc
what they would do. Those who were
doing business there. as a rule, EXPIRE sseG
n desire to continue as soon as possible
T. +. Ahearn's book store and the office
OF the Rutland railroad are now located
in the building south of the Van Mes.
House and will remain there for the
present. The railroad people savet
practically everything Of value but, al
though good share OF Mr.. Ahearn's stocl
was saved it was left standing on tn,
sidewalk mt the corner OF st. Paul ant
Main streets and q large amount OF mer
chand!se was stolen.
would continue in business after this OF
not. His prescription books, as well a.
other papers, were saved but he had no
mapped out any course. Edison Isham
whose pool and billiard room was
totally ruined BY the IRE, did not thinl
Sunday that he would go into the bust
ness again. L. l.. Soua IL Co, vii
will continue in business and expect I,
- Nat,
later. They will make an effort 10 lose al
little time as possible In getting settle,
somewhere. They could not save mucl
of their stock but their books and paper
arc all right The hotel people OF cours
do not know what they will do,
SOME FIRE INCIDENTS.
, A man visited Chief Niles Sunda,
: wanting to be paid for pair OF gloves
which he said be purchased TO fight tn
I fire with. Who told you to work? aske'
the chief. Tho man said that one Of tin
Q firemen said that he could work. so h.
Q went to store and purchased pair o
, gloves. Another man wants pay for
0 fountain pen he lost. This man was ais
= a self-appointed volunteer
< Many people helped to remove the good
from +. f. Ahearn's store and for Will
4 picture cards were tiuttering In the stroni
0 south breeze. All OF the stationery. maya
, zines, newspapers. beads and othe
2 novelties were successfully removed from
! tho store but much was lost in transi
: and 1t is presumed that some was stolen
r For time the goods were piled up OF
@ Main street. opposite the Van Mes
. House
( Ct. II. Wilder who has his studio Il