The Press., 1921-11-24
Gary's Block Badly Damaged By Fire

Main street resisted the efforts of the department from about nine o'clock on Sunday evening until nearly one o'clock on the following morning. Apparently the blaze began in the rear of the Whiton Grocery and made it's way into the partitions and up to the blind attic where it quite effectual- ly resisted the efforts of the firemen in locating the fire and in putting it out. The cause is not yet determined. From all appearance it's origin may be laid to a defective or worn wire that ran over the ceiling of the rear room of the Whiton grocery. At vary ing times the flames would break out from the roof, then in the rear of the building and on it's sides, but each outbreak was quenched by the ready hose of the department, leaving noth- ing for A time but smoke to show that somewhere in the building some thing was burning. The confiagation was one of the most stubborn seen by the town in years. Clifford Gaul1n, one of the firemen, was overcome in gaining an entrance to one Of the rooms as he endeavOred to enter with the nozzle of a line of hose, by the volume of smoke that poured out. The building itself is badly damaged both by the flames and with the immense amount of water that was poured into it. Each of the tenants suffered very nearly a total loss. The Noth- nick Ladies store and the Whiton Gro cerv are probably the most damaged of the tenants. The office of c. B. Gary & Son, owners of the building was damaged by the smoke and water. The law office rooms of Judge M. D. .O'Connell were damaged by fire, smoke and water and the rooms occu- pied by himself and Arthur J. Mel bourne as sleeping quarters in the rear were wrecked. Their personal effects were a total loss. GOrbich x Skalkovich,l tailors, were also heavy losers. The building and most of the stocks of the various tenants were covered by insurance. The total loss is expected to run very near $24,0OO on both the building and its contents.
 The schools closed this week We'd nesday for the remainder of the week.
 Mrs. Nida Donley of Worcester is guest of her niece, Mrs. H. R. Wight man.
 Mrs. J. A. Mix is with her daughter, Mrs. Walter Pease, in Naugatuck for Thanksgiving.
 Miss Martha Belcher of Stafford Street spent the weekend with her friend, Miss Mary Arnold.
 A coon supper was very much en- joyed, at the home of Mrs. Abbie Han cock last Tuesday evening, the coon being captured ty John Hancock.
 Mrs. Emma Fuller has returned after spending ten weeks among friends and relatives in Blackhall, Springfield, Brookfield and Marlboro, Mass.
 MT. Fred Wildey is in New York and Mrs Wildey and Miss Harriet L.. Wildey will meet him there tonight, all going to spend Thanksgiving with relatives in South Orange, N. J.
 MT. and Mrs. John Foster gave a farewell party to a number of their friends on Tuesday evening. They will leave on Friday for Florida, where they will remain for the winter.
 Edward Kuhn of Wilmington was be- fore Judge w. H. Heald of the borough court on Tuesday, charged with as- sault on Frank Cibrowski. He was fined ten dollars and costs amounting to $24.91, which he paid.
 The Kacey basketball team is being equipped with some hobby uniforms colored maroon and white in prepara- tion for their first game of the season with Broad Brook in that town on Friday night of this week.
 A social will be held this week Wednesday evening by the Stafford Business Mems association at their club rooms with whist from 8 to 10, followed by dancing and refreshments. Scussels orchestra will furnish the music.
 At the Current Events club meeting next Monday evening the program will consist 0f Current Events by Miss Clara S. Bostwick Committee: Miss Mary Russell, Mrs. H. B. Burwell, Mrs. G. w. Amidon and Mrs. w. R. Morse. Miss Mary Smith will enter tain Miss Bostwick.
 The Whiton Grocery opened at the scene of the fire this week Wednesday and will offer for sale parts of the stock that were not seriously damaged by smoke and water in Sunday nights fire. Lott O'Halloran, proprietor is planning to open for business at stand along Main street in the near future Miss Minna Nothnick, who probably sustained the greatest loss in the cOnflagatiOn has as yet made no plans for the disposal of the goods remaining.
 Rev. F. A. MandersOn has resigned his position at the office of the Rhode Island Worsted Co.,, and with his fam fly will leave on December 18th for Tonopah, Nevada, where he is to be- come pastor of the First Presbyterian church of that place. MT. MandersOn was formerly pastor of the Baptist church of Stafford and resigned to take the position in the R. I. w. Co.,, office. MT. and Mrs. Manderson and children have made many friends while living here who much regret their leaving town. Mrs. Manderson has frequently in her husbands ab- sence taken his place in the pulpit with ability.
 On Monday evening at the local al- leys, the Rhode Island team defeated the clerks by a two to one score. On Tuesday evening the Warren team de- feated the manufacturers by score records were shattered during the week. B. Cote of the Warren team is the record holder for the highest sin gle string with total of 136. Ostrow- ski of the R. I. w. five is the record