The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-01-21
Quinlan Block on No. Main
Street Was Endangered
for a Time
LODGERS HUSTLED
INTO THE STREET
After an Hours Work, the
Firemen Had the Fire
Fully Squelched =

Most os Bsrre's population .cmding
that part OF it which is cente -Snear the
business section, slept serc 81 through
one of the most Threatening : Jes in some
time early to-day. Fire b s. out in the
ouinlan block some tip .yn the highs
and was not discovered .,Iil a few mir
utes past midnight. a call was sent in
to the fire station for assistance and
thereafter for more than an hour the
firemen put up strenuous fight against
flames which threatened at times to
That the loss Was confined to $500 NAV
be attributed to combination of hard
work and fortuitous circumstances. The
principal loser is Mrs. Carrie Quinlan,
owner of the building, while slight dam
age was done to the tailoring department
and ground floor of 4. II. Rogers & Co.
Mrs. Quinlan's loss is covered by insur
ance carried in the j. w. Dillon agency.
The firemen got the word at 1920 a.
m. and were on the grounds as soon as
possible with the auto truck. Before
that, occupants of the apartments on the
second floor of the building had heard
peculiar noise in the ceiling at the rear
of their quarters, but it was not until
after midnight that the flames broke
through. The third floor of the structure
is largely occupied by lodgers, while Mrs.
Quinlan and her daughter have apart
ments pn the south side Of the building,
over the Walk Over boot shop. All ten
ants were aroused and warned Of the
danger, and several of the lodgers went
so far as to remove their trunks to the
street. The fire gained rapidly and was
working its way through partitions and
toward the ceiling with great rapidity
when the fremen arrived. Smoke baffled
heir efforts at first, but after a window
,r two had been kicked out, and the sky
light, directly over the outbreak, re-
moved, the ventilation enabled the regu-
ars to proceed.
Again and again it seemed as though
he water in several lines of hose would
lave to be turned on and more than once
he fremen were ON the point of sound
ng general alarm. AT one time Deputy
'hief Gamble of the police department
nterfered with man who was bent
lpon turning the Depot square box and
old him to await signal from Chief
'ladding. Call firemen living In the i'm
Mediate vicinity of the block were sum
noned and with their aid the regulars
rent after the fire with redoubled vigor
.xes We're used freely, and as fast as
resh opening in wall or ceiling was made
he advancing tongues of flame were
eaded. The blaze seemed to center
round chimney on the north side Of
he building, although the blaze shot out
! three directions before the efforts OF
he firemen began to tell
More than an hour passed before the
pparatus was returned to the station
nd until after daylight fremen re-
aimed at the block to guard against a
cond outbreak. A careful investigation
l-day failed to furnish q satisfactory
.planaton of the fire. There were ind-
tions that defective chimney construc-
on might have caused it, but until the
lilding inspector investigates and re-
,rts, the fire chief will not assign
finite cause.
When the fire truck left the station,
seemed to take naturally to the car
acks 1t bowled easily along the street
It'll the block was reached, and then the
emen found that leaving the steel trail
rs another matter. Travelling as far
rth as Depot square failed to bring
suits, and before the apparatus could
guided to the side of the street the
iver had to back it up to the switch.
e firemen, once they located the seat
the flames. went about their task qui
Y, and rather panic-stricken roomers
the upper floor were somewhat com
sed by the business like manner in
ich the firemen saved them the trouble
seeking other quarters.