Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-02-04
HU|LO|'G BADLY BURNED
Machinery and Contents Soaked
by Water but Probably Not
Much Damaged-Tenant Saves
Furniture-Property Owned
by w. H. Englesby.

one of the most stubborn fires thai
the Burlington department has ever con-
tended with broke out in the Burlington
Steam Laundry Friday night about $50
o clock and did several thousand dollars
worth Of damage before it was finally
subdued, which was not far from mid
night. TO add to the difficulty OF getting
at the fire, which hid itself In a blind
attic, the temperature was about ten
degrees below zero and the fremen
earned good months salary by just
staying on the job. The damage was
chiefly to the building on the corner OF
College and st. Paul streets where the
| finishing rooms are located. The roof
was badly burned and there was a lot
Of damage by water The dry cleaning
department is damaged by water and
portion in the rear of this part is badly
burned. The fire did not get to the en-
CINE house in the rear. tenement owe,
the laundry offices on ST. Paul street
was burned out but the furniture was
removed.
ORIGIN NOT KNOWN.
Just how the fire originated is not
known. Several people observed the
first outbreak at the same time when a
rear Of the dry cleaning department on
St Paul street. The alarm was rung
from box A by Edward Kiley. driver for
the American Express company, who
lives at 100 St Paul street The ap-
paratus from station one was first on
hand and the firemen. under the direction
of Chief Stockwell, broke open the street
door of the dry cleaning department and
no Chpp1iCal oh "a
where the fire was burning fiercely. The
blaze died down at once on applica ton
of the chemical but 1t subsequently ap.
peared that the fire had crept UP the
woodwork into the blind attic over the
building on the College street side. Mrs.
Harrington, who occupied the tenement
over the laundry offices, heard the
cracking of the flames about the
same time they were noticed by Mr..
, kiley but did not think at first that the
| building was burning She was soon
notified Of the fact, however. and mads
/ hasty preparations to move out. Mem
bcrs of the police force and others helped
her to move out the furniture and
practically every article was saved. he
blaze continued to burst out In different
parts of the blind attic and the flremen
experienced great difficulty In getting
to this part of the building. Holes were
chopped in the roof and on the sides
and eight streams of water we're turned
on In an attempt to drown the flames
but II required two hours Of hard work
before the fire was under control. The
firemen put up great fight but were
| badly handicapped by the smoke in the
interior of the building and the fact that
the water from the hose froze almost "a
| soon as II left the pipes The hydrant
at the corner of St Paul street and
Main refused to work. probably because
II was frozen. Another feature of the
program the cutting OF a line Of
hose on Church street by an electric
car running over It,
SEVERAL BUILDINGS INVOLVED
The steam laundry plant occupies sew.
eral buildings. The original structure on
the corner of St. Paul and College streets
had been heightened westward by AMI
addition built some years ago extending
westward to the Engleshy office building.
and from the south side OF the structure
is built an office which connects With
the building occupied by the dry clean
ing department. the connected structure
forming an ell which partially encloses
room 1t is evident that the blaze did
not originate in the engine room for
that building Is not touched by FIRE or
water Its origin to all appearances was
In the woodwork back of the tumbler.
1t v as thought by many that the fire had
started in the chemicals gasolene, etc. !,
which are used in the dry cleaning de-
partment but this was not so for they
are In underground tanks. Had the flames
got to them the resulting explosion would
probably have blown up a large part
Of the structures Immediately about
them.
CONTENTS WATERSOAKED.
There are probably some people of the
city who will not have their Sunday
laundry on time as there was a large
quantity of it on hand ready for delivery
to-day. This was all watersoaked but
not otherwise damaged, and will be all
right as soon as cleansed again,
one OF the few pleasant parts OF the
evenings events was the serving OF hot
coffee to the tiremen, the coffee having
been donated by Gus Poulos Of tho
Boston Lunch.
C. r. Huntley, proprietor of the laun.
dry, and Mrs. Huntley are now In Cali
forna, and the business is being con.
Quoted by F. Dana Huntley,
The building is owned by W. II.
Englesby Both 1t and the contents are