Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1923-02-23

flames Meanwhile second alarm
was sounded
Company NJ ! on its arrival con
eentrated IL a 8rts on vain at
tempt to prevent She FIRE from spread
ing 70 above the cellar. but their ef-
forts we're in vain, for the fire was
steadily eating its way upward.
Pillar Of Smoke Arises
Meanwhile the alarm from the cen
trail box and the great pillar Of smoke
arising from the centre Of the city
drew many hundreds Of people from
their breakfast tables to the scene.
Captain Of Police Remi Delagei ar
irving and realizing that the fire was
bound 70 destroy the valuable law Il
brary Of Attorney Charles y. Torrey
on the second floor If the building,
made a vain effort TO mount the stairs
but Was turned back BY the dense
black smoke now pouring from every
window and doorway in the structure
Save Prescription Records
Willis Carroll and Clarence Brous-
seau, employees in the Donahue store,
arriving shortly after the fire depart
ment. risked their lives in a successful
attempt to rescue the prescription box
Of the Donahue store. collection Of
records which IT has taken many years
81 hard work and experience 70 com
pile. Almost sufocated and blinded
by the smoke. and with the book burn
ing in their hands, they emerged from
the building, saving the one valuable
object that came out d the fire that
was not stored away IN iireproof
vaults and safes
Twenty minutes after the fire had
started the entire lower floor of the
building was a mass Of smoke and
fame. The Donahue store with It's
splendid furnishings, one Of the finest
establishments Of is kind in this part
Of the state, was roaring furnace.
Smoke and flames were eating into
the valuable clothing stock Of Charles
Seder, and flames were licking at the
boxes lining the walls Of Alexander's
shoe store. The upper floors were
lost in mass Of thick black smoke.
Flames Reach Second Floor
Attorney Charles + Torrey arrived
on the scene shortly before 500 o.
clock. Just IN time to see flames break
through with a roar into the second
floor Of the building and begin To
consume his unique luw library. val
ued at about $4,000, and containing
many volumes long out Of print and
not by any means 10 be replaced. the
work Of 30 years careful selection
and accumulation. III the crowd
standing helplessly watching the de
atructi8n was Attorney Arthur s Mac
donald. who Lost also valuable IL
brary aud many papers. Or. II b
Wright. whose complete dental equip
ment Was LOST. and Or. Bernard J.
Murphy. whose recently rcfuruished
and improved Office. together with las
medical Instruments a8d data, vent
up ia the eondagration
Cupola Fails Into Street
AT iuzt S45 o'clock tine round Gu
pola topping the southeast corner Of
the building. together with the east
wall. fell partly outward as the sec
ond floor structure collapsed into the
cellar. The fire had then been burn
ing for scarcely over an hour and a
half. and yet the mass Of ruins gave
little evidence 81 any visible resem
blanee to the building that had stood
there intact less than two hours be
fore.
Threaten, Hopkins Property
The eupola, falling into the street,
aud section Of the north wall failing
outward. tumbled upon the roof Of
Lombardo's fruit store and against
the sidr Of the tenement house owned
by Mrs Sarah Hopkins For the mo
mont If seemed that there was nothing
to prevent these buildings too. also
frame structures, from being destroy
ga and spreading the fire further
along the line Of frame buildings eN-
tending along this side Of Main street
as far rs the brick rcloquin block con
tanning the Victory Theatre. A shud-
der ran through the crowd as the mass
10 flaming wood fell against the seem
.ugly unprotected building. However.
thanks TO the quick work Of the fire
men lea turning their hose from play
inr on the centre OF the burning
block. the extent Of the damage 10
the Hopkins property was confined to
severe seorchng of the building and
a flooding Of some Of the rooms
seven Streams Queneh Flames
Meanwhile those portions Of the
block sull standing were burning
steadily and dropping piece by piece
into the mass Of flaming debris in the
cellar. The seven streams Of water
from the fire department were having
telling effect and were combining che
bames to tho small area covered by
thc building Il was then realized
that the fire WAS completely under
control. with mo danger Of ais spread
iHe to nearby buildings
Losses Near $3.50
Mr. nonahue. the owner of the
building arrived en- the scene within
the first twenty minutes ~ the fire
The scene proved little more than
he could bear IN the face II the years
81 effort that he had made in build
ng up his store and improving his
property. After brief glance AZ the