Norwich bulletin., 1910-02-14
$50, 900 FIRE LOSS
IN WESTERLY SUNDAY MORNING
James A. WEIGH Loses Stables, Home, Horses and Other
Froperty-Effcient Work of Firemen Saves FRS
BAPTIST Church from Destruction and Eixon House
from Serious Damage-Fire Starred Rear Chimney
in Harness Room-Welch Property Partially Insured

The most disastrous fire that has
visited Westerly in years was that of
early Sunday morning, which was dis
covered half an hour after midnight in
A. Welch in Broad and Union streets.
Only one employee was in the stable at
the outbreak of the fire. which orig
mated near the chimney leading from
the harness room.@ The other men
were out on driving jobs with cabs and
in carting theatrical scenery, while Mr..
Welch was sitting in his house adj
joining, waiting the return of his men
ported the fire Mr.. Welch hurried to
the stables and found the flames rag
ing near where the two big stables
adjoin. Mr.. WEIGH got out some of the
rapid1y he rushed back to his house
and assisted Mrs. WEIGH and daughter
to the residence of DR.. Champ pin, and
his aged father was assisted to the
Dixon house.
BY this time the stables were mass
of flames. The local firenen, assisted
by the Peleg S. Barber Hose company,
were battling with the increasing
blaze.
stroyed, very little of the household
effects being saved. The office in front
was damaged by water only, as was
also the waiting room of the Norwich
and westerly trolley road adjoining
and in the same building.
The fire spread to the building at the
corner of Broad and Union streets oc-
cupied by H. r. Crandall as an e1ectri-
cal and variety store the upper part
being tenanted by Mrs Kenyon and
her father. The building adjoining in
Union street, occupied as a dressmak-
ing establishment, was also burned, as
was the Grand Army banquet building
pied by Mrs. Ann Ryley, mother of
Mrs. Weleh. All these buildings were
owned by James A. Wetch and were Of
wood, occupying the land from the
First Baptist church in Broad street
to the town hall in Union street.
Fortunately some of Mr.. Welch's
horses were In use and a half dozen or
more were rescued. Those rescued
were taken to other stables. The ac-
tual loss of livestock cannot be ascer-
tanned until the horses are collected
into the new stable quarters secured
by Mr.. WEIGH in the large barn of
Horace NoSe in Railroad avenue. Mr.
Welch thinks that perhaps a dozen
horses and a cow were burned in
Guiding a valuable horse owned by DR..
John L. May, which was formerly own
ed by the Amy family in Norwich.
In a specially built place under the
Grand Army banquet hall, apart from
the stable proper, was Herman Docks
large automobile, kept there by spe
cial permit. This was totally destroy
ed Mr.. WEIGH lost in the fire also
about twenty-five vehicles and all his
harness and stable equipment.
Mr.. WEIGH says that wI1ile he had
the seven buildings destroyed insured
to about 80 per cent. of their value, if
he were paid the full face value of the
policies he would be at a direct loss of
over $4,000, to say nothing of the loss
in business and the expense of erecting
new buildings that would not increase
his earnings. Mr.. Welch's fire loss is
estimated at $3.50
Sunday afternoon. while firemen were
playing streams of water on the burn
ing ruins, Mr. Welch was getting his
Office in readiness for business, having
the vehicles that happened to be out
of the stable at the time of the fire
available for service.
The fire spread from the WEIGH
property to the roof of the First Bap-
fist church and the interior was darn
aged by smoke and water. The loss is
estimated at $1,000. At one time the
Dixon house was thought to be in
danger and the guests were aroused
and were ready to leave in case of
necessity. The large brick ell was gut