Putnam patriot., 1920-08-20
FIRE DESTROYS
 POMFRET STORE
Leon Allard's Establishment Is Complete Loss.-Books
 Are Destroyed
Proprietor Out of Town.-Second Big
 Pomfret Fire This Year.

What might have proved to be the most serious of the many serious fires which Pemfret has had in recent years, completely destroyed at an early hour this morning the general store and tire accessory shop con- ducted by Leon Allard in Pomfret just next to the Pomfret postoffice and located in the only place in the town where any of the residences stand in close proximity to one an. other. MT. Allard's accounts were de stroyed, and his complete stock amounting to about $t5.000, was a total loss, and today only the chim- ney stands where last night was one of the busiest centers in Pomfret.
 iMs Helen Byrnes. daughter of the Pomfret postmistress, was awakened by light in her room about o'clock this morning. Looking out of her window she saw flames pouring from the second story of the Allard store, Miss Byrnes dressed hastily and ran to neighbours, the postofiice having no telephone. Neighbors came to the scene. but it was impossible to save any of the goods. A few showcases and number of automobile tires were salvaged, but in the excitement the case containing all of Mir. Allard' s books was forgotten until it was too late and the lower floor was so com pletely filled with smoke that entrance was impossible. When the flames reached the lower floor the building was burning hopelesly and despite the presence of the chemical engine from Putnam, nothing could be done to save any part of the building. The crowd of spectators, numbering sev- eral hundred, could only stand by and see the building burn.
 Had there been higher wind there is little doubt that other build ings on this portion of the street would have been destroyed. The AL lard store stood only few feet away from the postofiiee building, where reside Mrs. Byrnes and her daughter. The general store kept by Smith Brothers stands next to the postofiice and the residence of Hugh Murphy is next. To the east of AL lard's the building stands in the ar rangement of city lots all the way down the street. There was no wind this morning and the flames mounted almost vertically, though at one time when the postofiice seemed Tn danger bucket brigade was organized to keep the east side of the building sat- urated with water.
 Mir. Allard was not in Pomfret at the time of the fire, but with his wife had gone to Providence by motor for the night. Mr. Allard's father, Joseph Allard, kept the store open until about II o'clock last night. MT. AL lard said that everything was in ex- cellent order when the store closed. The second floor of the building where the fire first appeared, was completely filled with winter goods which have remained untouched for several months. Mr. Allard said that among these goods were several cases of matches and his only theory of the fires origin was that rats, playing and gnawing at the match eases, might have set fire to the building
 The Allard store has been main tained for the past six years, during which time Mr. Allard has built up successful business which has been Of great convenience to Pomfret resi- dents. It has been one of the small eenters of commercial activity in the town and it will be greatly missed. Mr. Allard plans to erect small staii at once for the maintenance of hs trade until other arrangements can be made.
 This is the second serious fire which Pomfret has had in the past three months. Late in the spring the Cha pin place, one of the best known ot the summer resid nees, burned to the ground in a fire of very mysterious origin.
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