The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-08-24
Fire Damage in the Jackson
Building on Main Street
Was $1,800
CAUSE OF FT I'LL
REM NJ MYSTERY
New York Bargain House
on Ground Floor Dam
aged Most by Smoke

Barre's second threatening business
block fire within month occurred sat
) urday evening, when flames supposed to
have had their origin in the rear of the
basement, fed on a pile of boxes in the
cellar, scorching the overlays on the
basement ceiling and filed practically
every room in the Jackson block at l02
North Main street with dense smoke.
Roughly estimated the loss is 81 ,S0e
divided between the New York Bargain
Ihouse, the heaviest losies S. Hollister
Jackson Of this city and H. n jackson
Iof Burlington, the owners of the build
ing, and Office tenants of the structure
lon the second floor.
Manager Deep Habeb Of the bargain
Ihouse figures that his concern lost 81 900
by smoke, and the sum of 5000. it is
thought, will cover the loss on the build
ing. To the fore on the second floor Is
the suite of rooms occupied by S. Hol-
lister jackson as law office Mr. Jack
sons valuable law library is stofed in
glass cases and escaped any appreciable
damage, although smoke had its effect
on papers and loose volumes scattered
about the room. r. A. Church, .
draughtsman, has an office midway Of
the corridor and smoke damaged his pa
pers to some extent At the end of the
corridor il the Office tensnted Jointly bv
George w German. the insurance agent,
and the secretary OF Suadah temple, d.
10. X. X. Office furniture and papers
owned by Mr.. German were blackened
by the smoke and F. +. Austin the tenn
pie secretary, suffered loss in the same
manner
The building is insured in the John w
Dillon agency. while the insurance on
the stock in the New York Bargain
house is carried BY Robinson 4 McAllis-
ter. Mr.. Church's possessions are in
sured in the n T. Ballard agency and
Mr.. German and the 'Dokies" carry
policies with the G. H. Pape agency. All
of Mr.. .Iackson's losses are to be adj
justed either by the Dillon or Pape
agencies. None Of the tenants win be
to make change of quarters
on account of the fire, although consid.
cradle work must be done before the
building can be wholly restored
Arthur Wilson, a waiter employed at
The Hub restaurant Just south OF the
jackson block, seems to have been the
first to notice smoke issuing from the
basement. Mr.. Wilson was standing in
the rear door OF the restaurant around
1920 o'clock when he saw a gust Of
smoke billow out of the window One
glance convinced him that fire had
broken out and he sent hurry call to
he fire station. First came the auto
.ruck. to be followed quickly by the
lorsed drawn chemical wagon. With such
'apidity did the smoke increase in
-olume, that for some moments the fire.
men could do no more than fight the
,laze through the windows A tank Of
hemical fluid was dumped into one Of
he basement windows, but the first real
elief came when door windows at the
ront and rear entrances of the bargain
ouse were broken. The store was then
artially cleared of smoke. and the fire.
nen began to work in dead earnest.
The chemical wagon was sent down
Enterprise alley, whence rear attack
ras made on the flames in the cellar.
'wo hose lines connected with hydrant
a the alley were laid and detail of
remen descended tc the cellar by means
f the rear staircase. Below, the smoke
ad killing thickness and the fremen
ad narrow escapes from being over
1me. Frequently they had to grope
leir way to the surface. catch a breath
fresh air and then return to the cell
r. Boxes and dry goods cases at the
Itrcme west end OF the basement fur
shed fuel for the flames. but the fire
as confined almost wholly to one cor
ar Once an adequate smoke draft
trough the basement was opened, the
forts of the fremen began to have
ling effect and within half-hour
-actically the last sign OF fire had been
'enched Not once did the water reach
e first story. although there were four
caes of water on the basement floor
lille the tenants were opening vim
Tvs in an effort to allow the smoke to
cape Chief Gladding and his men were
tting the finishing touches to one Of
e most threatening fires in months
regular fireman was assigned to guard
ty to watch for a second outbreak
4 Chief Sinclair Of the police depart
mt detailed man to police the prop
" until yesterday.
Big Crowd Watched Fight.
The fire occurred at time when North
lin street was crowded with people.
the south end Robinson Bros. shows
a inst concluded their evening per-
nance and q siy,ahle circus day crowd
4 got comfortably within the limits
the mercantile district when the auto
Ick came tearing down the street.
ere was no general alarm. but the fact
Il a fire was under way was general
known about the city as smoke going
-ward in a huge curl. could he seen
m the hilltops Despite the absence
q general alarm there was an ade-
lte response from the callmen and
sr the frst few moments the regulars
plenty OF help Good order rre-
led among the spectators and the
ice had little difficulty in keeping the
ud within bounds. IN the Howland
= across the street from the burn
g.. -..fss-s a rawFe ma ia rlrsq~1a- a..