The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-11-12
VERMONT MARBLE
COMP ANY STORE
DESTROYED
Fire at Proctor Caused Loss
of $4,000
PRACTICALLY NOTHING SAvE0
Business Run on Cooperative Plan
and Was Supply Source
for Community

Rutland, Nov 12.--Fire, which orr
glnated In part OF the building
near the furnace last night entirely
destroyed the big structure at Proctor
used by the Vermont Marble com
pany as cooperative store, form
ing practically the entire source Of
supply for the 2700 residents Of the
village also so disabled telephone
and telegraph wires that communi-
cation with the outside world was
cut off until this morning.
The loss IS estimated at about
$4,000 and there is about $4,000
insurance covering the stock in the
various departments and on the
building itself
Under the direction Of Manager Z
]. Mason who conducted the ste e
for the marble company arrange
ments were made at an early hour
this morning for the immediate
needs of the residen of the ham
let. Teams viii start out from the
company's store in West Rutland
early this morning and a special
rain over the Clarendon and Pitts
lord railroad viii carry goods from
he wholesale houses in Rutland TO
Proctor.
Although the entire lie fighting ap
pratus, toge her With hundreds OF
employees from the mills worked
hard there was never chance Of
saving the property, the building be
ing like a finder box. The reflection
from the fire could be seen for miles
around and number OF automobile
parties went from this city, Pi,tztoro
and Brandon.
The fire was first discovered by W,
e. Randall, the Waterman in charge
Of the Marble oompanys several
buildings when about O'Clock in
making his first visit TO the sto g,
he noticed smoke near the rear eff
the main part of the building. he
sent word to the Y. NJ c. a. building
and a general alarm was sounded,
but before help arrived the entire
main part was in flames and so filled
Si'h smoke that all eilo IS OF the
minute iremen to aid in the remoy-
al OF goods were bamed \ freight
elevator shaft in this part Of the
building aided the flames in spread
ing in all direc ions.
A party of men from the y N. c.
A.. association rooms made q vain 1T
tempt to save some Of the goods.
Several show cases a small quantity
Of ammunition and @ few guns, TO-
gether with ve,y little jeWelIy
we're saved. bus all Of il is not
valued at over $500.
The building which was construct
ed about 80 years ago had always
been used for store purposes. 1t was
two and half stories high and con-
.ained double basement, the two
stories underground being @ rccsnt
Improvement which cost the com
pany considerable money.
The main part was so by 30 feet
and the ell part was about 10 by 80
feet. all constructed Of wood.
The building was valued a. about
$4,000 while the stock OF goods in
the various departments was set by
officials Of the company last night at
about $4,000 or possibly more. The
store was run on the cooperative
plan. division OF the profits being
made at the end OF each yea.
The companys officials would
make no statement last night whet.
her or not they would rebuild. y
,eemed to be the opinion Of m-..4
close TO the management that this
site would be LEFT for the extension
OF the ccmpany's working plant and
a store built at some spot more cen
trallv located.