|
|
|
|
 |
Second Brimfield Hotel |
|
Original Newspaper Article May, 1891 (The Brimfield Bugle - Journal of the Hitchcock Free High School) THE BURNING OF THE BRIMFIELD HOTEL Little did Brimfield think, as the sun rose upon its little village that fated morning of Nov. 24, 1890, what was in store for it; of the misfortune coming upon it before many hours. The usual quiet and stillness pervaded the streets. The school bell summoned the students to their duties, the little commotion caused by the arrival and departure of the stage had ceased and quiet reigned throughout the village. What a contrast there was soon to be! What excitement as compared with the present tranquility! About half past nine a person in the street happened to glance toward the hotel and to his amazement observed what he made out to be smoke coming from the roof. The alarm was soon spread through the street and the bell began ringing in that manner which always spreads so much excitement. Meanwhile many of the students of the HFHS had observed the smoke. No more study for them. The teachers understood what was the matter and classes were quickly called from their rooms and in an orderly manner the school was dismissed. All rushed across the street to the hotel, whose roof was by this time enveloped in one black cloud from which angry red tongues of flame soon began to leap. People came rushing from all directions and the crowd swelled to a great number. Nothing will collect a crowd so quickly as a fire and I doubt if Brimfield's streets had ever before seen such a crowd collect in a shorter time. But all these people did not remain idle. They went to work immediately with a will and tried to save as much of the furnishings as possible. They had a good chance, too, for as the fire caught from a chimney at the top of the building it did not burn very fast, but worked down slowly. Where every moment is so precious, things are not always handled with the greatest of care. Various articles of furniture made their exit through the upper story windows causing danger below. Occasionally some came crashing down the stairs making the confusion still greater. But all the effort was not without its good result, for a large amount of furniture and other furnishings began to collect in the street around the Soldiers Monument. Almost everything of value was stripped from the two lower stories and a good deal from the upper. After the building got to burning, the wind carried a number of cinders towards the school house. Perceiving the danger a number of students went upon the roof with water and quickly had a line, mostly of scholars, extending from the brook - the nearness of which was fortunate to the school house - up a ladder to the second story porch and from there through the belfry to the roof. The way the water came up to that roof, some of the time, was surprising for all worked in a most creditable manner, the girls taking hold and giving their aid which was not at all small or anything to be laughed at. The day being cold, the spilled water soon gave to the steps, ladder and almost everything it came in contact with a slippery coating of ice, making it very difficult and not wholly without danger to climb around. But the roof was kept wet until the danger was over and the schoolhouse was saved. The students of the HFHS had loyally and faithfully done their duty to the old schoolhouse. Meanwhile the buildings of William Janes on the west side of the hotel had been in danger, but through the means of some labor escaped. After getting as much from the interior of the building as smoke and flame would permit, nothing more could be done, and everybody had to be content to stand and watch the rapid work of destruction. The proprietor, John L. Bacon, had gone away that morning and only reached home to find his property in flames. The Palmer and Wales fire engines were telephoned for, but it was soon seen that their services would not be needed and the former was stopped at Foskett's Mill. The Wales engine came up in a time so short as to be boasted of for quite a while afterwards, but was not brought into service. By eleven o'clock there remained little except a mass of smouldering ruins which did not die out for a week afterwards. Never before had the village of Brimfield witnessed such a fire. Now it looked bare and forsaken indeed with nothing but an unsightly mass of ruins where a few hours before had stood the hotel. Very few country villages are provided with such an excellent accommodation to travellers and it has been sorely missed. Then also it offered an excellent opportunity to students of the HFHS, especially those coming from out of town and wishing to find a good boarding place near school. The past winter was pretty dull for the town without its usual number of sleighing parties and social gatherings at the hotel. A large number of the citizens have realized the importance of having some sort of a hotel and a new movement has been on foot lately for rebuilding. Recently the citizens of the town held a meeting at the town hall to consider the matter. The result was the appointment of a committee to investigate and report at a future meeting. That meeting has not yet been called, so we know nothing of their doings; but we hope a definite plan will soon be agreed upon and definite movement be made, for a hotel is something we cannot get along without. It will be a great benefit to the town and if built, we trust will receive the hearty patronage of all. | |
First Hotel Page | Third Hotel Page | |