Danbury Times

A Hat Factory Destroyed

Hardly had the smoke ceased to rise from the ruins of the old dwelling on Franklin Street, when the appalling cry of fire again sounded in our midst, and again were our people called to witness another sad conflagration. At one o'clock, Tuesday morning, fire was discovered in the large Wool Hat Factory of S. C. Holley, on Main Street, near the bridge. The discovery was made by two gentlemen who were passing the factory at the time, and saw the flames through the windows of an addition to the building. One of them ran to the house of Mr. Holley, next to the factory, and alarmed him, and then proceeded up street, spreading the alarm, while the other carried the alarm down street. The Fire Companies were quickly on the spot, and very soon had streams of water playing upon the fire. Over the flames no control could at first be had, and they ran rapidly from one part of the building to the other, very soon engulfing the building. A man, who was asleep over the office, became aroused in time to save himself, but to do so he was obliged to jump from a window. He was not injured. The fire succumbed to the efforts of the firemen about 1 o'clock, leaving the building a ruin. The floors and roof were destroyed, and also large portions of the sides. Of the stock and fixtures but little was saved. The engine, however, escaped with but little injury, and it is estimated that $100 will restore it to use.

The origin of the fire is unknown, but it is believed to have been the work of an incendiary.

The loss on the building, stock and fixtures is about $30,000. Insured for $18,000 in companies represented by Cowperthwait & Hoyt.

The firemen did the same faithful service here as at the fire the night before, and endured much suffering from the intense cold. Mr. John Shethar gave up the drying room of his factory to them, where they were able to dry their hose.

In the burning of this factory, the village sustains a loss, the present dull times make it illy fit to bear. On the market the effect will be comparatively of no significance, but it is the workingman who will suffer, and through him, the village at large. Quite a number of operatives are thrown out of employment by this misfortune, and the scarcity of work gives them no prospect of being able to ship elsewhere.

Like the old house on Franklin Street this structure, which follows it so soon to destruction, was an old familiar building.
It was one of the pioneer hat shops of Danbury, and has witnessed the progress of hatting almost from its conception. A little more than a year ago, Mr. Holley gave the old building a complete overhauling, and made a very fine looking factory of it, by adding another story, and newly siding and roofing it.