Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-05-17
At
INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL
Fire in Old Arsenal Building
Thought to Have Started to
Cover Theft of Shoes.

vergennes. May ia fire broke out
this morning about three o'clock in the
old arsenal building at the State Indus
trial school and the alarm was promptly
responded to by the city fire department.
The chemical engine was the first to
play upon the fire. followed quickly by
the two hose companies and the school
fire department, and soon the fire was
under control, the city fire department
doing excellent work.
The fire originated in the basement and
the flames swept UP. a stairway to the
attic. burning a hole in the roof and
badly damaging the interior of the build
ing. The building is used for a school,
room and in one part is the shoe-shop.
A part Of the building is used for a
stock-room, containing shoes, leather and
other necessaries for the school, all of
which were more or less damaged by fire
and water.
The fire is believed to have been the
work of an incendiary. Judge J. e.
Weeks Of Middlebury, member of the
board of visitors to public institutions.
said to-day that an inventory of the shoes
was taken May II. and that after the
IRE 1t was discovered that 30 pairs were
missing. 1t is supposed that the blaze
was started to cover up this theft.
The total loss is approximately
$1,000. In the basement, where the fire
originated is small hall which divides
the shoe repairing shop and a wood
working repair shop and in this hall had
been placed several barrels of paper
which early in the afternoon Of the pre-
vious day had been taken from the Office
- the Enterprise and Vermonter to be
made up into bales. the school having re.
Gently purchased baler. When the fire
,;rI&k 81
the school. Samuel T. Paine, all these
barrels were ablaze. The right watchmar
on his rounds passed the building at 2:3|
o'clock and there was no evidence of fire
at that time.
Prowlers have been discovered abou
the school recently. some weeks ago &
man having attempted to get into thu
pump house during the night.
The old arsenal, historic building. Il
three stories high, S0x36 feet, was bull
by the United States government in 1928
and is the most substantial building il
the State having solid stone walls thre
and one-half feet thick. The floor joist
are of pine, IS inches square. 1t was use'
for the storage Of ordnance and ordnanc
stores. September 30, 1&1, list o
ordnance and ordnance stores were a
follows: Nine pieces of brass cannon,
field pieces iron cannon, q artillery car
riages. 1850 round shot and shell. $50
pounds of grape shot, 4o77 muskets wit
bayonets, 401 rifles QIal's patenD wit
bayonets. 800 sets of infantry accoutre
ments, 4S63s pounds of pig lead. also .
large quantity of artillery equipment
canister and strapped shot and shell.
cannon and musket powder, fixed an
munition for cannon and small arm!
cartridge bags, and stores, musket an
rife plants. musket bullets, buck sho
etc, valued at ss2,s7e56 Also armorer
carpenters and smiths tools and materis
for use at the post valued at 81 s23 26. Tn
value of the public grounds, buildings an
improvements was $23.S75 added to tt
above items, making a total valuation {
S107, 576.S3.