The Press., 1917-05-31

A fire started about 10. 30 Saturday
 night in the hay in the stable of O.
 B. Gary & Son which proved to be one of the most disastrous fires ever
 known in Stafford. When the fire
 was discovered it was only a small
 blaze in the hay. The flames quickly
 spread over the entire upper story of
 the barn and broke through the wood-
 work and when the fire company
 arrived it was beyond control. From
 the barn the flames leaped over the
 narrow driveway to the block of C..
 Fl. Baker Ss O.. In addition to the
 numerous lines of hose from the
 hydrants and from the steamer two
 lines of hose from the Cyril Johnson
 Woolen Go. were run over and the fire pump in the mill was started
 The Rhode Island Worsted Go. |,
 Stafford Worsted Go. and Warren
 Woolen Go. sent down a lot of hose.
 All of these streams were directed on
 the flames, but the Baker block was
 doomed to destruction and the rear of
 the Gary block and the Fregeau
 bakery un East Main street were soon
 on fire. The streams from the Cyril
 Johnson Woolen Go. were turned on
 the First National bank building
 which for nearly two hours was in grave danger of destruction, but the
 Masonic hall was badly damaged by water and fire. When the fire was completely under control, which was about o'clock Sunday morning. Bakers block and contents were com pletaly destroyed, and Gary's stable and numerous sheds were burned to the ground The Gary building and the one-story wooden building occupied by the Fregeau bakery and grocery were both badly damaged by fire and water
 When the fire was at it's worst Chief Wise sent to Palmer, Monson, and Rockville for help Some firemen from Rockville, Palmer and Monson were on the scene in time to give aid. The firemen did fine work in saving the bank building and stopping the fire from further de- l struotion on East Main street. The l soldiers and many men who do not belong to the fire company gave help 1 turing the fire. The losses of the fire | truck most of the merchants severely. | ,. H. Baker 6 Co.'S loss is estimated 1 It $25, 900 on building and $20, 1000 ,n contents They carried insurance. | The loss of O. B. Gary & Son on Itable and contents and damage to block on East Main street is estimated | at $2O, They are insured. Their horses were all removed. Brown & | Penny in the Baker block carried a | large stock of hardware, much of which it is hard to buy on the market | to day. Their loss is very heavy. Their loss is from $12,O0O to S15, ,OOO. They are insured under the DO per cent. clause. Lott O'Halloran s grocery stock in the Baker block is to be a loss of about l S12, 1000. The loss will not be covered | by his insurance. The roof of the | bank building will reqiure quite a little repairing. The damage by | water was confined mostly to the Masonic hall which will probably | amount to $500 or more. The loss n the bank building was mostly by water. The water came down into | ;he offices on the second story, but did | DO serious damage. The bank and store suffered only the in. of small water loss. | The Modern Clothing Go. in the Gary | block on East Main street was badly | damaged, both by fire and water. The stock is said to be worth at least | SS, 900 and there was only about S3, GOO insurance on it. MT. Novo- sroski will be a severe loser. At the time of the fire his wife was in the Johnson hospital and was in serious condition. Gary's office was not badly damaged. Miss Minna Nothniok s ladies' furnishings store in the Gary block, over the Modern clothing store,