New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-11-12

distance north of the railroad tracks
which bisect the city. The actual
damage by flames was slight but thd
loss from smoke to stock in mind
stores was heavy.
The stores affected and the value o{
their stocks as given by the -proprie1
tors follow:
Peoples Butter Stores ...$ 1000
Tom Murray's ..... 5000
S. w. Menus & CO. H. ...,... 19,00A
Himbergs Jewelry Store ...... 400
William G. Raphael ......... 12,0OA
Raphaers Dept. Store .... 60.OO
Roseben Hat Store . 4,00>
I. Rothfeder ..... 5,GOl
S. M. 5 and 10 CT. Store .... 12,OO(
Starts in Tom Murray's.
Flames were seen in Tom Mufraya
tailoring establishment at 12:4N
O'Clock by some unknown person VIII.
rang in an alarm from Box 8, Mt thu
corner of Main and Commerci&9
streets. As soon as the firemen ar
rived, the building was surrounded H3
apparatus as it WAS believed that thl
block was doomed. FLAMES were thca
raging in three stores The fire III
self was quickly subdued, although
the firemen were forced to gropes thetI
way through dense clouds of sn66'f
which poured from every opening
From Murray's tailoring establish
ment, the fire jumped to other storci
on the south, creating heaviest dam,
age from actual flames in the Rosc.
| ben Hat store and RaphacFs Shu1
store The contents of these stored
| as well as Murray's shop, were rel
duced to Cinders. I
Fight in Smoke Clouds.
Gasping for breath, the firenlel
grimly stuck to their posts whilc smokl
clouds wrapped around them anl
made seeing impossible. The mel
fought by instinct us it was impossl'
BILE to discern objects a few feet away
After it was seen that the fire wa|
practically under control, water w1|
used sparingly on account of the md
ture of the stock threatened. Ever
effort was made to prevent extra dam
age by water and the proprietors q
the stores were generous In thel|
Judgment.
Chief Robert M. Dame did not cAf3
to estimate the damage but it ls be
lleved 1T will approximate $4,000.
The heaviest loser was RaphR1la'
Department store, to which a larp
addition had been erected recentt
Louis Raphael, the proprietor, en-
pended thousands Of dellers In maxim
the store one of the finest in fthi
state, installing costly paraphernAi
for the display Of goods and q sma
fortune In women's and children,
- %ASA a n
addition. While the fire dan1a9e
his place of business was not e1t0M
sive. the smoke left its mark on neAII
everything In the store and his lare
stock is greatly deprecated In val0
A. thts Ia the height of the busy sea
son. the financial loss to Mr.. RAph4A
cannot he estimated. The store hN
been closed temporarily. meaning
heavy loss In business.
Ceiling Hits Fireman.
The only accident during the AZ
occurred in RAphaera storo when ~
bert Anderson, q callmnfl c0nne0fN
with Engine Co. No. was struck y
part of the ceiling which fell on hal
He was not seriously injured but MAJ
aged to grope his way to the stro<
and was removed to his home on Q1G
street In an automobile. Had be bee
rendered unconscious by the falliu
ceiling, It is probable that he woul,
have remained unseen on the foo
and sufocated. "9
It was rumored after the fire this
Chief Dame had learned Of u nual
ber OF Suspicious circumstances
connection with the starting OF TIL
blaze. This, the chief denied, givin
as his opinion that tho FIRE WAS du
to spontaneous combustion Or n light
ed cigarette butt
The building IN which the fire oc
Cured Is n one story affair boundc
on the north by J. n. Curtin q. Com
pany's furniture house and on tt
south by Maple street. Adjacent, o
Myrtle street, is the Hotel Nelson
Nearly all the guests donned thet
clothes when they learned OF III
proximity of the fire.
A cat in the Peoples butter stor
was GuffOcated