New Haven, CT Headley Bldg Fire, Jan 1904

FIRE WORKED DOWN THROGH A SHAFT

One of New Haven's Finest Buildings Is Ruined--Firemen Extinguished $150,000 Blaze.

New Haven, Conn., Jan. 18.--Fire and water completely wrecked the Headley building, corner of Church and Crown Streets, tonight, causing a loss which will aggregate $150,000. A score or more of tenants lost all their office effects but in most instances the insurance is ample. The thermometer was not far above zero and the firemen worked under harsh conditions. Almost adjoining the Headley building, on the Crown Street side are some of the largest furniture houses in the city and to protect these was the chief aim of the firemen in the early stages of the blaze.

When the Headley building was put up some years ago for commercial purposes it was considered one of the finest in the city and many of its features remained until the end. The walls were of heavy brick and the interior was divided into three sections. The center one being a light shaft around which ran balconies and off which led offices. The shaft was from the second floor to the roof.

The fire started in the rooms of the St. Aloysius Society on the top floor. It worked downward in the light shaft until the four stories were a mass of flames, although confined within the walls. Three hours after the firemen were called out the walls stood like gigantic icebergs while within them where once was spanned the second floor was the fire. About 10 o'clock several explosion occurred but of no great force and served only to topple more material into the fire. The fire was out before midnight.

The building was owned by Miss Hannah Bennett and was valued at $60,000. The tenants who lost heavily were D. W. Cosgrove, boots and shoes, loss $20,000; H. Hyman, clothing, loss $25,000, and Adam Zeigler, saloonist, loss $15,000.

Worcester Daily Spy, Worcester, MA 19 Jan 1904
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Transcribed by Linda Horton. Thank you, Linda!