Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-02

Relief Commission. for which the concern
was filling a million dollar order, were
saved by spectators who pushed them
away from the west of the building before
the wall fell in. The wall went in shortly
after eleven o'clock. This was where the
elevators in the main and the ell were
located.
The floors Of the building were Of wood.
being of Norway pine, but they were re-
enforced with structural iron skeleton
frames, which It was calculated when
they were installed would stand UP under
any strain, but which gave way like
strands Of silk.
Henry Winterbottom, an employe of the
Vermont Hardware company, whose
house is just across the railroad tracks
from the factory, gave the first alarm Of
the fire. His daughter noticed smoke pour
| ing from the ell and called him. He looked
| out of the window and saw the smoke
| and called the police and fire departments.
An alarm was then rung from box 81.
John Blair Of 455 North Bend street,
a man about so or 60 years of age, who
| was employed in the shipping room. was
knocked partially unconscious by the
force of the explosion and he was car
ried out by NJ. ]. Whittemore Of the
| cooling room, one floor below. Blair
stated to a Free Press reporter last
| night that there were seven men en-
ployed in the room wher he was, but
he did not know what became Of any of
| them.
| Frank Doyle Of Is Pearl street, night
superintendent Of the plant. was in the
! shipping room when the accident happened
! and he was bewildered to know where
the explosion came from or what caused
1t. He gave a Free Press representative
the names Of the three missing men, one
Of whom was afterwards found burned
to death.
A. E. Maskell Of "a South Union street,
an employee in the cooling room, which
was located in the basement of the ELL
! stated to Free Press man that there
| were 25 men in that room at the time
OF the explosion, which he said shot
down the elevator shaft and the elevator
came with it. An Italian named Tony
whose last name he had never heard, went
up to the shipping room with load OF
| cooled chocolate about five minutes before
the explosion. but he did not see him
| return or after that. Masken said the
room was filled with smoke and flames
and that everybody lost their street
clothes and rushed out in their working
clothes. His story was supported by
M. j. Whittemore, the man who saved
John Blair. and II. w. Little Both OF
these men lost their Clothes they being
burnt In the cooling room.
That the fire was not Of an incen.
diary origin and under no circum.
stances the work of German O,
Austrian or any alien enemy. was the
opinion which was expressed to tn,
Free Press Friday morning by a prom
inent member of the concern. Wher
asked If he knew Of any Germans o.
Austrians being employed in the fac
tory either on the day or night shift
he replied that there were none.
HISTORY OF THE COMPANY.
The Vermont Milk Chocolate com
pany was formed as the result of meet
ings held at the Hotel Vermont on tn,
afternoon and evening Of February 2, 1917
when 125 representative business men o.
this city were present. 1t was an offshoo
of the Massachusetts Chocolate company
a concern which has been in business 70
number of years. The parent compan.
desired to expand. and after looking tn
field over decided that Burlington, be
cause of it's proximity to a large supply o
milk and its shipping facilities would b.
ness men of the city quietly went to Bos
ton. looked the plant over and investi
gated the standing of the company. The
reported most favorably and as a result
there was a generous subscription to tn
stock in this city.
In February. 1917, Mr.. Walker told
Free Press man that the reason he ha
chosen this city for the erection of tn
chocolate factory was because of Its loca
ton. 1T is better than any we have eve
SEEM" no said The Massachusetts, com
pany, he said. was incorporated in 19l
and In that year did a business of 1921. 00
which increased until 1916, when the CON
pany, which was the forerunner Of tn
plant destroyed last night, was doing
business Of 50. $4,000.
The aim Of the company In coming her
was to start new plant to manufactur
, line OF milk chocolate coatings. but tn
entire time Of the plant since completio
has been spent on government contract
one of which was 100000 contrac
This and other contracts would have keI
the plant running night and day, Sunday
included, for many months to come. M
Walkers other reason for coming hei
was because the Massachusetts fri
deemed 1t wise to find a new location an
StaTt d permanent nome, ratner imam II
| crease the plant in Massachusetts.
On February 90, 1917. Mr.. Walker wa
, in this city inspecting locations suitabl
for the building of the plant. 1t wa
at that time that Mr.. Walker favored tn
site on which the plant was built. tn
15-acre lot belonging to John j. Flyn
on the westerly side of Pine street. sout
1 of the Champlain school and bounde
, OH the other sides by Park avenue an
the Rutland Railroad company's right
, way.
The plans, which were drawn an
figured on at that time, showed a sole
modern type of factory, with plenty {
windows and up-to- date sanitary arrange
ments.
7 The company was Incorporated q
! Montpelier March Is. 1917. with a capita