The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-12-12
FIREMEN BAFFLED
FOR MANY HOURS
Fire Was Discovered at $50
This Morning, and It Was
Still Burning Early This
Afternoon, Breaking Out
Afresh When the Firemen
Thought They Had 1t
Subdued

below, one of the most disastrous fires
to visit the business section of Barre in
several years broke out this morning in
the building known as the old town hall
Three business establishments, the paint
ers' hall and the Salvation Army bar
racks were-ravaged while the flames were
about their work of ruination in CON
| spicuous landmark of the Barre that
| flourished in another generation. The
loss viii approach $4,000, part Of
which is covered by insurance. Handi-
| capped by the bitter cold, the firemen
| fought against odds in their efforts to
save the building and while it was $3.50
| O'Clock when the blaze was discovered,
afternoon arrived before the fire was
well under control
The principal losers and the insurance
carried by them are as follows: Hough-
ton q Robins, grocers and meat dealers,
$4,000, with insurance of $4,000 carried
in the j. w. Dillon, g. FL. Pape and Rob
ertson & Gauld agencies; j. J. Lamb 4
Co., job printers, $1,000, with insurance
Of 5000 divided among j. w. Dillon. q.
II. Pape and the Robertson & Gauld
agency; L. NJ. Laws, the New England
Fruit store, S., 500, with insurance of
S4,700 in the McAllister & Kent agency;
city of Barre, loss on upper story. S..
900, insurance of $1,000 carried in the
city insurance fund; estate of Stillman
Wood, loss on half of the lower story,
$4,000, partially covered by insurance;
Mrs. Joseph ID. Taft and Mrs. Agnes
Bradford, loss on half of the lower story,
$1,000, partially covered.
Not in many years has fire of any
proportions in Barre confronted the fire
department with so many obstacles. The
natural handicap under which the tiremen
labored as they ventured into the coldest
morning of the winter was heightened
when they encountered blaze that elud-
ed them at every step. The construc-
tlon of the building, two-story wooden
structure with dimensions of 81 and "A
feet, lent itself somewhat readily to de-
struction by fire. and very often, with
the blaze cornered in one section. the
iremen were compelled to withdraw
hastily to cope with the flames in an
other quarter. Smoke choked every pas
even as the fire seemed to seek
,ut each partition, high and low, with
he result that fresh outbreaks were de-
feloping throughout the forenoon Smoke
md water forced its way through the
irewall which separates the town hall
rom the Stillman Wood block and caused
ome damage in the stores of Emslie
Bros, florists, and the F. ID. Ladd Co.
The fire alarm was sounded from box
8 at the corner of Prospect aud North
lain streets. William Walker of Mount
treet, who was ON his way to work, and
/. A. Bemis, janitor at city hall, appear
o hare haen the first to notice smoke
a the store. Sighted through the front
'indsw, it had the appearance of steam,
nd at first glance the two men were
isposed to pass along. Mr.. Walker,
owever. convinced himself that some
lng was wrong within and hastened to
ne city hall corner and turned in the
rst alarm. No. % brought the regulars
, the burning block, the hook and lad
er and the horse-drawn chemical trucks
eing the first TO arrive. They were fol
wed by crew manning the auto
lemical truck, which was slow in re-
bonding because of the extreme cold. A
cond general alarm was sounded later.
Almost from the outset the firemen
)peared to have realized that a stub
,rn fire was before them. The fire
lined headway with great rapidity. and
the beginning the department. in try
9 to locate the seat of the flames
hib iAr tdtAfhs 1hNtths
as seldom a, time in the whole course
the fire when a blaze was visible, and
e uncertainty only served 10 increase
e troubles of the fremen. IS the early
orning wore on, water pressure inn
owed, and when the fire was at its
light and the building aburst with
loke, as many as 10 streams of water
re in use.
Approach to the building was gained
first by the main entrance to the
ughton & Robins store and the base
mt in the rear. The fremen found
eir way opposed by a gate between
town hall and the Isckman block.
{ the barrier was quickly removed and
added precautiOn taken Of closing
steel blinds which serve as protec-
: for the stores and Offices on the
lth side of the Jsckmsn. or C. W.
Grill building 4 basement entrance
the rear afforded the fremen an eX-
lent chance for LAYING lines Of hose
the center Of the store. and IL was
until the Ere had progressed eonsid-
blv that ladders were used IN scaling
upper story. However. the blaze
: not long in breaking through the
tition which separated the grocery
ne from the New England Fruit Co.st
lblishment. Under the stairway IL
ned the hottest, although it, course