New Britain herald., 1924-12-16
Police And Bremen Make Heroic Rescues When Occupants of Dalton Building Are Trapped By Smoke And Flames.
No Serious Injuries Are Reported, Though Sev- eral Persons Are Suffer- ing From Shock and Exposure.

Waterbury, Dec. 16.-Forty-two families, lightly clad and many in night clothes, were made homeless by fire which turned the Walton apartments at 279 North Main street into roaring furnace shortly after midnight. The fire was under con- trol at daybreak. Tenants of nearby buildings, ordered to vacate last night were back in their tenements today. For a time ttremen were handicapped by lack of water pres- sure.
 Nothing Is Saved
 The apartment house loss will run into more than $500,O00. Nothing was saved. The fire is believed to have started in the boiler room and worked it's way up through the ele- vator shaft and walls. The fire es- cape in the rear afforded the only means of escape but those in front were entirely cut off. The building is owned by James J. Wall of Hart ford. He purchased the block re- gently and changed it over in mostly two room apartments.
 Many Heroic Rescues
 Many heroic rescues were made. Two firemen. Michael Gallivan of Chemical 2 and George Whitaker Of Engine 2, Mrs. Anna Wagner and daughter. Olga, are in St. Mary's hospital. They were overcome by smoke.
 Mir. and Mrs. George McNauEht were trapped in the third floor. Mrs. McNaught was rescued by James Murphy, fireman over a ladder. MT. Mcknight, who went to the hallway to see if escape was possible by the stairway was overcome by smoke and carried out Of the building by PatrOlman William Cass.
 Patrolman James Terrill took an aged woman out of the block. Her name was not known. He was the fire policeman in the building.
 The fire was discovered by Albert F. Bauby who was passing by the block. He notified Leo Fisher of A Bronson street who rang the alarm. Miss Sarah Goldberg of 296 North Main street awakened the i8nitor in the building and an attempt was made to awaken all the tenants.
 
 Newsprint paper valued at $27,o0O owned by the Waterbury American and Republican was in one of the store houses near the burned apart ment block with the result that much ut It was water soaked.
 At a late hour this morning no serious injuries had been reported. Several women who loft the building in light sleeping clothing are said 10 he suffering from exposure and are under the care Of physicians,
 Total losses
 The latest estimated loss today was $500.0Go. This iucIujes the apartment block, the furnishings, 40 ilmlIlcS personal heIonglNgSi the Larson storehouso, furniture. four large auto trucks, oGr naw outomo- bile, a small car and three small trucks. one new autonoohle. a small car, and three smaU trucks, anI rolls Of newsprlnt all cr these stored in the storehOuse. Very little was saved from the hlaza. which during it's progress de>eloneI ir'o 3 >erita- ble raging furnacr.
 Tha heaviest lo>s-z i0c.55o1 the buildings and fnrt"4sr,
 At the sto~o1rusa t2 which inc flames spreqi 's.m tae apartment block. the bu.nrs is estimated at S25.oO0 wrro between So aud S5 families l,eI Gaw .nra stored there, each famHys rsftnu.e1 as being worth an aroarn oe $1.ooQ.
 TNo m orl.N of fEe vehicles stored there vii, le to'ai losses The P,rubtran-Amnuoar was today conducting ar irEes,tE5ton as to its loss of rolls ot nowspriotr which is expected to run 10 8 high figure,