New Britain herald., 1930-02-20
FIRE GAVE IMPETUS
 ID GREATER Y, M,'
association Progressed Fast
 Alter ConlIa6ratiOn in 1906

''''o''5 NIlC ldIdlll;fhS on
 Main street is the Y. NJ. (, A.
 building at the corner Of Court
 street which officials of the
 asSoclatlon are planning 10
 abandon as soon as necessary
 financing arrangements can be
 made for the protection of !
 new building, and it's construc-
 non. Because of the interest at
 'achcd to the structure. Clar-
 thce r. Barnes, general socrc-
 tary, has written series of ar
 I'clcs based on it's history which
 Wiil be published in the Herald
 from time to timc.-Ed)
 BY CLARENCE II. BARNES
 Although the local Y. NJ. C. \. mad reached it's majority of 9I wears l'i 1906, and before attaining ma- '"IttN had made two youthful starts itWard career in 1851 and 1862, T was the fire on November 27. '@o6, that dates the birth Of the pf, sent "Y."
 on that cold and farcful carty morning. recently retired Lieutenant samuel Bamforth, then patrol man. turned m the alarm that brought New Britain's fire appa;:l- ia 10 the ccn.er of the city 10 fight I''' most spectacular blaze which T. '"d encountered.
 From start 10 finish. there were dramatic moments uuring the con- iIa@raIon, X lurid sky told Officer I'"mforth that all was not well on It's beat as he patrGllcd lrS extent ' "m Lake street to the south %"urcir. A blazing building greeted "iH at Court street. His revolver | HrNod six times ill the outer haiI- a\ Of the "Y' 10 awaken the iani for of the building. but withou; aall, before the patrolman "pullcd the boN.' A former and con- Y mporarY cmployc. saved the lives "5 the occupants and part Of the huildlng. The north wall Of the Y. II. (. A. fell. inst after the prcsidc0t of the institution had passed be- meath it. Two heroes Of the fire rc- r"INcd promotion.
 Dame Praised for Hcroism
 Far into the daylight hours the lire ragged, threatening to destroy adjoining property. The "Y' went np in smONc pu the New Britain savings bank and the Boston Store were saved from destruction. Chief
 cWIcs rcapcd a harvest of criticism lor his leadership and Callman Rob- rt Damc was laudcd for his displIv o' heroism in rcscuins a family i'm on the top floor of the 
 Dame had been q physical dirca- tor Tn tho '. VI. C. A. He ran I'D he outside tlre-cscapcS. where otA- 'rS feared 10 tread, 10 find Fred J. Nave and his family, whose exit "d been cut eff by the raging blaze. Inside the building. j. Herbert the then incumbent physj- sal director, fought the blaze with 'i@nd-pipc hose. He was credited ' irh saving the Landcrs Memorial gymnasium, which had been built Wo years prt 'jOusly. and Dame got credit for q rescue. He and Will son were rewarded with suitable. watches by the late WIZ IJrm II. Hart, president of the asso- ,iation.
 Fire Department >hakc-Ip
 That was not the only reward that came the way of these two gyiu men. As q result Of letter writer To the common council hy Mr Hart, .ondcmninG the handling of Nthc fire, 3 ahakc-up cnsued in the tr. and Robert Dame Aa- anne chief. X year later, when the health of General Secretary 'asg broke under the strain of rebuilding he "Y", Wilson was elected gcno"- '. secretary of the directors of the Y, NJ. C. A.
 The fire subatantiatod the faith Of 2. least two individuals in the oll .ayins that Tit is an ill wind that blows nobody Good.' But they Were .ot the only ones benefited by the nluZe. What looked like calamity 9" the morning of the 27th of No. ,cmber, 23 years ago. proved to OC | blessing 10 the youth Of the con- They got a new "Y," gcarcd Q their needs.
 Courage of Little Girl
 That was to come later. mcan- while the aftermath of the fire. as ,j .I, 'cycalS touches of human interest. he sclf-abncsati of 13 year 0lI Anna Nave, now wife Of Johl Lynch, a bank cashier of Boston, '~used wide comment in inc city. When the fircmcn mounted the adder 10 rescue her family, in. they reached for the lit- lo girl first, but she drew back. Not until mamma, grandma and