The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-07-16
BEGAN IN SIDE ENTRY
AND HADLONG BURNED
Firemen Choked the Blaze
by Getting on All Sides
and Then on Top-Ten-
ants Mostly Damaged by
Smoke and Water-Loss
Fully Insured

Starting in a side entrance and pre-
sumably from match or cigar stub care.
lessly thrown into some waste papers,
fire early this morning swept up the rear
stairway to the roof of the three.stnry
| Gordon block on North Main street,
causing loss which Is estimated at
| $4,000, large part of which was due
to smoke and water. A great quantity
of water had to be thrown into the
building, as the fire had gained consider
able headway before being discovered at
/ :03 o'clock. The loss is fully covered
by insurance.
The flames were discovered by Michael
Plumpides of The Hub restaurant, who
had started for home and had reached
the corner of Keith avenue when his at.
tention was attracted by the cracking
of burning wood He investigated and
found flames shooting out OF the north
side Of the Gordon building into pri-
vate driveway separating it from the
Miles granite building. He sent word TO
the central telephone office, afterwards
running to the fire station a short dis.
tance away By the time he arrived 40
the station the automobile fire truck
was just coming out in response to the
call from the telephone central, AMI
when the auto truck reached the scene
a general alarm was turned in from box
p at Depot square by Patrolman
Harry Gamble. who had detected the
fire when he was near the old Northern
hotel on his southwark beat and who
had hurried to the box nearest the fire.
All the apparatus then responded and
il was put to good use in stemming the
progress of one the most threatening
fires in Barre for a long time. Al the
equipment carried on the apparatus came
into play, including the long extension
ladders, two of which were thrown
against the buildings on the Main street
side, as it was practica bic to fight the
fire from the roof because the flames
were shooting up the rear stairway into
he sky, the skylight having been broken
already by the heat.
Fire Had Long Been Burning.
Indeed, the fire seemed to have been
,urnng for some time before being dis
overed and when the alarm was sound
d the place was easily located from all
,arts of the city as the flames poured
orth and sent their reflection still high.
r in the sky. The breaking of the sky
ight made draught which drew the
lanes rapidly through the successive
tories of the building like a huge chim-
ey,
But while the broken skylight served
o aid the flames it also assisted the
remen in getting at what otherwise
Tould not have been an easily accessible
re, for the tiremen ascended to the roof
the Miles granite building contiguous
n the south by means of both the stair
'ay and ladder from the street side.
hus the water was eascaded down
trough the large opening directly onte
ne flames, while streams were playing
ito the side entrance and also from the
ar of the building and at the same
me lines of hose were carried up the
ain stairway of the Gordon building
nd others were held in readiness at
ie Main street entrances of the stores
! the ground floor.
Fire Driven in On Itself.
Thus surrounded and driven in upon
self, the fire had little chance TO make
ogress and within half an hour il was
lder control. although il was necessary
keep two or three streams PLAYING
T half an hour longer in order TO get
the fire in the partitions. The call
L" was sounded half an hour after the
arm. and the large crowd of people
10 had been attracted by the ominous
II OF "2l7 and by the reflection in the
v began 70 melt away, feeling that
lief Gladding and his men had done
~ satisfactory job even through they
d been materially helped by the fact
u there was no wind.
Fire Damage in Rear Railways.
The fremen had confined the flames 70
: rear hall and stairway and parts Of
rooms Immediately adjoining. and
.st Of the ere damage is located in the
n Railways on the second and third
1rs Just below the skylight. Although
rting just back OF the partition in
rear Of the store occupied BY C. W.
rfin and r O. Holmes, the fire barely
,ke through that wall. II did not en-
the " ~ Phelps CO. store except %
~ the partitions and the doors lead
OF the rear entry.
Second Fioor Damage.
n TIE second fcor i the Law ufHct