St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1917-02-07
$4,000 BLAZE SUNDAY
Bcaurcgard Market Gutted, Fruit
Store and TcnemcntS in Brunette
Block Damaged BY Smoke

A blaze originating in the cutting
room OF the Beauregard Brothers
market, in the Brunette Block at the
corner of Railroad and Portland
Streets, Sunday afternoon caused
property damage estimated at be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000. Two firemen
were overcome by the dense smoke.
one of whom was taken to q nearby
store for treatment, and many sus-
tanned cuts from flying glass. The loss
partly covered by insurance, is divid-
/ cd between the market, Guiffre's fruit
store and the tenementS above.
| The fire when first discovered had
! gained considerable headway, the cut
! ting room being a mass of flame. The
! blaze did not spread outside the room
very rapidly as all doors were shut
and very little draft reached it. The
alarm rung in at 1.45, called out the.
| entire department, and when the
chemical arrived within two or three
| minutes mass Of fire was shooting
out the rear window and smoke issued
from the main store in a black cloud.
A door connecting the market with
the cutting room and refrigerator, was
/ cut through by the firemen. When
! the door gave way, flame and smoke
burst into the main store endangering
the mems lives. Walter Powers, one
of those carrying hose, was completely
overcome by smoke and was carried
to a nearby store. Henry Juneau was
| partly overcome and other hosem2n
were all somewhat affected.
All out was sounded in very few
minutes but men were kept in the
building most Of the night to see that
the fire did not break out in any OF
the partitions where it was possible
that it might be smoldering. a num-
Der of men received cuts and bruises
as most of the fire fighting was done
| at close quarters. A refrigerator full
of meat and lard next to the cutting
room threw out large quantities OF
smoke, binding and choking those
trying to reach the main blaze.
The origin of the fire is not known
as there was no fire in the cutting
room stove and had not been for some
time. But it is certain the fire start
| ed from the cutting room floor and
spread to the partitions.
From the ceiling it seems to have
worked between the flooring over tht
refrigerator. A hole cut through tht
= floor from the tenement occupied b.
; Mrs. f. A. Wedge through which {
:, stream of water was shot, stopped th'
, fires progress in that direction.
;. The damage done to the buildin:
: above was principally by smoke. Al
tenements from top to bottom viii
/ have to be Fedecorated, and in som
: places a new floor laid. The mea
:. market will practically be rebuilt an
III also part Of the fruit store.
The refrigerator and several hun
dred dollars worth of meat and lar
were destroyed, and a large quantit
of canned goods in the front store
II The fire came at an especially ba
time for Beauregard Brothers,as the
had just received a large Shipmer
10 of canned goods, which covered
- years supply in many lines.
After the fire the owner of the bloc
l. and proprietors of the stores cor
L graduated Chief Marden on the e
10 ficient work of the men, he expresse
"a himself as being highly pleased owe
I'd the members afternoons efforts. Ill
Brunette said that the quick arriv
We of the chemical driven by Firema
is Peterson doubtless saved him a mut
sss greater loss, and III his estimation hi
DC paid its original cost in the afte
en- Moons fire alone.