The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-11-02
WILL DAVIS STABLE
SLIGHTLY DAMAGED
Firemen Did Splendid Serv-
ice in Averting Conflagra-
tion-The Fire Started on
Third Story of Hotel, Pre-
sumably from Defective
Electric Wiring

| Chelsea, Nov 2.-The Orange County
hotel and the hotel livery connected with
| it We're burned to the ground early this
morning, and the livery stable of William
| Davis, located eight feet away. was saved
only after hard work by the Chelsea fire
department, assisted by many volunteers
from this town and neighboring places.
The total loss is estimated at $4,000,
with an insurance of $1,000 There was
no loss Of life and all the livestock was
taken out of the barns.
The fire started in the third story Of
the hotel, being discovered by Homer
kingsbury, the Vershire stage driver, who
roomed in the building. He was awak-
ened by the cracking of flames and he
quickly spread the alarm throughout the
building, all of the occupants being able
to leave the building in ample time. In
the meanwhile the flames had been dis
covered from the outside and @. d. Tracy
of the fire department gave the alarm to
the fire department and the villagers. A
large number of people assembled, the
bell and the telephone being constantly
in Hse for some time for that purpose.
The fire department, whose chief equip
ment is a small gasoline engine, had four
streams of water playing upon the burn
ing buildings within Is minutes after the
alarm was given. The fire had gained
great headway, and the hotel building,
having been constructed more than half a
century ago, burned like tnder, as we'll
as the livery stable connected with it,
But the fremen and the volunteers did
splendid work and although the Davis
livery stable was located only eight feet
away from the hotel livery, it was saved
with only slight damage, the fremen
working from 1 o'clock until daylight be-
fore the danger was over. At 7:30 the
fire was under control and the little en-
CINE was shut down temporarily under
orders from Chief q. A. Tracy of the fire
department.
Chelsea people were assisted in the
work of staying the fire and i'll saving
the contents of the hotel by many from
South Royalton, Washington, West Fair
lee, Nershire and other places. Several
men were partially overcome by smoke
while fighting the progress of the flames.
Happily, there were few guests and em-
pIoyes in the hotel at the time of the out
break of the fire. Some of the furnish
ngs in the lower part of the hotel. in
,luding the office desk. were removed
from the building. The winters supply
IF potatoes. vegetables, apples and wood
1ad been put in the hotel and all of it
was destroyed. The horses and carriages
we're taken out of the hotel livery early.
1t is supposed that the fire was caused
,y defective wiring. The flames were
irst seen in corner of the thim story
If the building. The prompt awakening
,f MIR. Kingsbury probably averted loss
If life When he was aroused from his
lumbers Mr. Kingsbury looked out of
he window and saw the glare of the
lanes.
The hotel and livery barn were owned
" E. d. Barnes and the livery stable
vas leased by Ben A Goodrich The lat
er lost a quantity of hay in the barn.
Ir. Barnes carried insurance of $500 on
he building and furnishings. He bought
he property 30 years ago next April and
ad operated it as a hotel all the time
ince then except for five years when
: p. Dickerson had charge.
The hotel was built in 1857 and cost
$4,000. 1t was constructed by a stock
ompany of Chelsea people and replaced
hotel building which was burned in
hat year. A party Of sawyers were in
helsea at the time of the previous hotel
re and within a short time after the old
tructure was burned the stock company
OF to work and engaged the lumber from
he sawyers for the new building. The
obstruction was quickly completed. The
ever building was Of wood and stood
hree and one half stories high, having 30
ooms
The people Of Chelsea are congratulate
~ themselves to-day over the purchase
+ the gasoline engine which did such fine
ork to stop a confagration. The fire
rhters are also coming in for no slight
mount Of praise for their effective work.
bjef Gladding Of the Barre fire depart
ent. together with Alderman Bruce of
lat city. were among those who arrived
,rlv to dav to see the results.