New Britain herald., 1922-11-02
FIRST ANNIVERSARY ! OF 'HERALD' FIRE.
Newspaper Plant Destroyed by Flames on November 2, 1921


 One year ago this morning, prac- tically the entire plant of the Herald Publishing company was mass or smouldering embers, as result or one of the most disastrous and serious fires that the city had ever witnessed. The business offices, editorial and reportorial departments, composing room. storage departments and many of the files that could not be replaced had been destroyed in blaze that broke out about 1 a. m.
 Despite the fact that the plant was temporarily crippled. there was no break in the issuance of daily edi- ton, the paper being published year ago today at the plant of the Hart ford "Courant" in Hartford, The Herald" organization worked day and night. Motor truck fleets were brought into service to haul machin, cry, equipment and stock to New Britain and on Sunday afternoon the "juice" was turned on in an im- provised plant that was, on the follow ing day, to issue the first post-hre edition. Work was sped up on the reconstruction of the Herald build ing. In the course of 10 weeks, the new plant was thrown open. Newly furnished and equipped in every de- partment, with every modern, require ment of an up-to-date newspaper plant, 1t was declared by the many newspaper publishers who visited here to be one of the best in New Eng land.
 Shortly after four o'clock on the morning of November ?, Patrick How ley, a former policeman. was going off night duty. Passing the Herald" plant he caught glimpse of fire burning on the second floor toward the rear of the building, He sent in an alarm to which all the companies in the city responded. In matter of but few minutes, tho entire sec ond floor was like a raging furnace and the fire was eating its way into the business office. Several lines of hose were laid and the fire fighters un- der the direction of Chief w. J.. Noble battled furiously. dividing their attentions between efforts to put out the fire and to prevent It's spread to adjoining buildings. The huge aerial ladder was pressed into service and stream of water directed from Its tower. 5
 For miles around, the sky was H. luminated by the blaze that had found it's way through the roof. Hundreds were awakened and ran to the scene of the Ire. Practically every police- man was rushed to Church street, where lines of safety were soon es- tablished so that the flremen might work unhamperd.
 After nearly an hours battle, the firemen had subdued the flames suf- ficieptly to allow of comparatively safe entry into the building and they undertook to attack the blaze from Inside. Capt. George Hoffman of No. II station fell through a, weakened floor and was injured. He was given treatment and taken to his home. When the flooring crashed through, an alarm was spread that several tlremen were buried under the debris, and a call was sent for the ambu- lance. Upon its arrival it was found that there was no need for hospital treatment for the fire fighters
 When the factory employees were vending their way toward the places of their employment shortly before seven o'clock, three hours after the outbreak of the blaze. water was still being poured on, the building. Short Iy after o'clock the apparatus was driven away and in less than half an hour workmen were carting away the debris to make room for reconstruc- ton.
 Expert mechanics of the Goss Printing Press company were in the. city in few hours. They found that, with the exception Of a par-baking of rollers on the press, the mechan- ism had suffered nothing more serious than severe water soaking. On the following day they had 1t in opera ton. Salesmcn of the Intertype com pany arrived in the city, took orders for typesetting equipment and had 1t on the floor and operating in four days. Paper stocks were hurried to the city and other equipment was de- spatched with no loss of time through the agency of water, rail and motor.
 In the meantime business and edi- torial offices were established in va cant store opposite the Herald" plant. These offices were maintained until, work on the new building hav- ing been completed, 1t was ready for business in the early part of Janu-