New Britain herald., 1917-02-22
CITY ARMED CAMP;
 SOLDIERS ON DUTY
(Continued From First Pagc).

sawduSt and burned like finder. Hen
 " Puppel, employed as a preSsnlan b,
 the New Britain Herald, was one O
 the first men on the scene and sue
 ceeded in getting five horses out of tn,
 burning barns. Boy Scouts and thei1 leaders also assisted in this work. Sep
 grating the Curtis Building company Aant and the Ice corporation shed, from the Herald plant is a high bricl wall and this is all that saved this es. tablishment from certain destruction Shielded by this wall. the firemen from the rear windows of tho Hera Id build. ing, were enabled to fight the blaze eff eactively. So dangerous was the situa. ton regarded that Herald employees Boy Scouts and generous public spir- lted citizens from the streets rushed Into the building and succeeded in re- moving every available record and file and valuable documents. Other Church street storekeepers generously loaned the use of their premises for the tenn porary storage of these things. The damage at the Ice Corporation is es- timated at about s2.O00.
 ; Synagogue Threatened.
 While still fighting the stubborn blaze at the Ice corporation plant the word was passed that the Jew lsh synagogue at the corner of Elm and Chestnut streets was on fire. Sergeant W. C. Hart notified Chief Dame and again, the fire department, now augmented by Hartford and Plainville companies as well as the factory fire departments was divided. AS in every other instance, the fire at the church was in the cellar, but had not gained sufficient headway to cause any great damage. The fire men eXtinguished this blaze before it had done damage amounting to more than $10O. A peculiar thing about this fire was, that in the cellar were piled large quantities of benches and chairs on top of other inf1amable ma terials.
 Hatch's Block Razed.
 It was while the firemen were stamping out the last sparks at the synagogue fire that the alarm was sounded for the conflagration in HAtch's block at the corner of Main street and Franklin Square. This fire was by far the most spectacular and costly of the entire night. Starting In the cellar, as in the other fires the flames had obtained such head way before being discovered and the apparatus summoned, that it was evil dent that the building was doomed. The cellar was a seathing mass of roaring flames, while thick clouds of smoke issued from every window in the structure, hampering the work of the firemen and police. The large glass windows were broken in to per- init the tiremen to cut holes in the floor and direct streams of water into the inferno beneath, but it was impos- sible to still the flames before the of the floors had col lapsed, permitting a part of the fJoring to fall into the cellar. Hatch's block is known as "automobile row" and has salesrooms and demonstra- ton quarters for the Elmer Automo- bile company, representing the Ford car; Charles A. Bence, representing the Buick car and Frank J. Zimmer- man. representing the Chandler car. In addition, A. c. Stroms floral shop Is located in the building as are the Eagle Pharmacy and the Franklin Square Confectionery store Each store was completely gutted The floor in the three automobile sales rooms collapsed, precipitating the machines downward. Four Fords were damaged. as were three Bucks and one Chandler. The florists shop was ruined and the Eagle Pharmacy was completely gutted. This drug store did not carry insurance The confectionery store was likewise com pleAely demolished.
 On the second floor of Hatch's block is the c. J. White Manufactur- ing company. but aside from smoke and water there was no damage there. MT. Hatch this morning was unable to fix the damage, but did not think s25,00O was too high for both building and contents.
 Every Factory Guarded.
 As soon as the extent of the fire bugs operations was realized the heads of the various corporations at once summoned all available employees with instructions to guard every en- trance to the shops as well as the premises. Lumber yards were closely guarded and F. Birmingham Schurr, curator at the Library Museum, fully armed, guarded that building all night. The post office was also guarded as were the city hall, bank ing houses and the Lyceum theater. The power station was likewise close ly watched
 Back Yards Searched.
 On orders from Chief Rawlings, every available supernumerary police maEA and volunteer deputy was ordered last night to SCOUT every back Eard possible and also to inspect such kellars as could be entered.
 The police department was &lso Hooded with verbal requests from Ewell known private citizens for per mission to carry guns. In many in stances these requests were granted by the authorities, so that before mid night civil authority backed up by ready revolver of heavy calibre was stronger in New Britain than ever be- fore in its history.