Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-28
LARGE FIRE LOSS
IN BELLOWS FALLS
Finest Structure in the County
among the Three Business
Blocks Destroyed.
FLAMES WIPE OUT S226,0Oo
Ten Principal Stores and Wind
ham Hotel Burned-Their In
srrance Is Placed at
About $4,000.
FLAMES WIPE OUT S226,000

Bellows Falls. March &c This vii
lago was visited this morning by the |
most disastrous fire in its history. re- |
sulting in the destruction OF three oi
the main business blocks, including
the W!ndham Hotel. said TO be the
finest structure in WindhGm county.
and 10 of the principal stores in ad-
dition to numerous Offices ana otner
places of business. The loss Is esti-
mated to be in the ncighborhood of
s225.oOO and the total insurance is
placed AT about $4,000.
The source Of the fire is unknown
1t was discovered in the second and
third stories of the Union block by
Police officer NJ s. Mckinnon shortly
after two o'clock. The officer. know
ing that the janitor was sleeping
somewhere in the building. made his
way to his room and brought him out
in semi conscious condition. thereby
saving his life. While this was being
accomplished, some one else saw the
smoke and turned in n general alarm
which brought out the companies
from the two stations and imme liza tely
! afterwards the steamer company with
Z
some trouble was experienced with
frozen MIGRANTS at first and much val
liable time was lost in getting these
in working order The mercury how
cred around 10 degrees below the zero
mark and the cold hampered the fire.
mon. By tho time that water was
pouring into the burning block. the
flames had spread to the hotel on one
/ a. Il Il n1p
on the other side
GUESTS SAVE BELONGINGS.
, The guests of the hotel. So in number.
we're all aroused and were able to make
| their escape with practically all OF their
belongings before the flames reached their
! rooms. The furniture of the house. how
ever as we'll as the building Is total
! loss. Nothing was saved from the Union
! block and only small amount of prop
erty was rescued from the Arms block
which completed ;he square.
When the fight was on in full force.
about 20 streams of water we're used and
the hydrants of the International Paper
company which were placed at the
towns disposal. gave valuable service.
The roof OF al three buildings had fallen
in before many hours and the fire was
seen to he under control by six o'clock in
tie morning bu, water was poured on the
burning ruins until ION O'Clock when the
gathering mp of the hose began.
At the present time only the walls OF
the three buildings are standing and they
are in totterins condition. The proprie
tors of the Windham Hotel block an
nounced this afternoon that they woulf
"a
once and would put up a better structure
than before. Tho block was owned by l.
G. Towards Sons and the manager of the
hotel, J. G. Willis, Is also DESTROYS OF con
tinung the business in Bellows Fails. The
. other occupants of the building We're Col
Inns & Floyd. VINO conduct a jewelry stor'
and who saved much Of their property
and Richardson Brothers, who conduct
shoe store and who place their loss at so.
= COO with insurance Of $500.
OTHER LOSSES OF FIRMS.
The first floor of the Union block
owned By the Otis Arms estate. wa.
also given up to stores. The prOprie
tors are IcdEdon & Shaw. drugs. los
of $4,000. we'll insured; Bellows
Hatch, shoes loss $1,000, we'll insured
IT, c. Day & Co. dry goods. loss SIS,
900. we'll insured; y. +. Pollard, DIR,
goods. loss $4,000. insured. on tn
= second floor OF the building was
, hall given UP to the use Of entertain
" ments and on the third floor was tn
Grmory of Company T. OF the LIST Yer
. mont infantry Their equipment wa
- II total loss.
In the Arms block, also owned b
). the Arms estate, tho drug store Of \
II. Fuller was destroyed with los
=. of $4,000 and tho hardware store Q
W. II. Bodine & Co. was damaged t
>. the extent OF $4,000. Both OF thes
were we'll insured but the store of Mr.
;. NJ l.. Holmes was damaged to III
. amount OF $4,000 with hardly any In
= surance, In this block also were tn
!. music store of Mason Brothers and til
Offices OF the b. & +. Express compan!
:, DR.. ]. G. Hill, Attorney Harry Elllo
:, DR. @. NJ. George and the printing OF
e. Ace of w. A. Truax.