The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-01
FIRE AT MANCHESTER.
The Colburn House Takes Eire-A Panic in
Ball Room.


A fire broke out 10 the Colburn house
kept by Henry W. Davis at Factory Point,
about three o'clock Wednesday morn'Dg.
1t originated In the woodshed and was dis
covered by a servant gIr', Margaret Riley.
A dancing party was In progress in the hall
in the third story and when the alarm was
given the excitement was intense. A PAN
ic seized the party and the crush to escape
was fearful, two or three jumping from
the windows.
Garyin Moff at of Rutland-a brother
in-law of Mr.. Davis-was the first at the
fire, soon followed by Mr. Davis who hal
been dancing. The fire when discovered
was burning flercely. The inside of the
woodshed in the lower part of the j. was
in blaze and the door being open into q
stairway and hal above the fame and
smoked sucked through with great force,
reaching and filling the dancing hall. Mr.
ID wis seized some pals of water and dart
ed into the very heart of the fame, think
ing to quench it. In the attempt he was
badly burned about the head, one ear be-
ing burned nearly Off, bis face aud fore
al blistered whiskers and one hand bad
ly burned. a small crank engine belong
ing to Clark & Co.'S. tannnery was brought,
line with buckets was formed t. brook
ten rods distant, by which water was fur
nished it. BY the determined effort CT the
people the fire was confined to the L. All
worked vigorously, some of the dancers
forming in line without stopping to re-
move their gloves. Chose kids may be
bought at discount today.
]. G. Dunn, of Rutland fire department,
was present and took charge, and probably |
saved the building by his efficient direction.
HI closed all the doors above, thus stop
ping the draft, and took general charge of
the firemen. A suction engine from Man
chester village came to the fire and did
eff ,ient service. M. s Colburn also
worked indefatigably throughout.
The scene in the dancing hall was one of
the widest confusion. There were a hun
dred people in the room and as soon as the
alarm was given everyone rushed frahtical-
" for the door. Doubtless several would
have bten injured by the crush hsd it not
been for the presence of mind of one man
who told Wells TO go on playing, and re-
mainel standing in the middle of the room.
Several people stepT ell back and the crowd
passed through safely. One lady, Mrs. o
VI. Hall, was completely crazed by the ex-
element. She reached the ,econd story in
SAT, ty then became confused aud rushed
back into the dancing hail. Here she
jumped out Of a window onto a piazza
root twelve feet below. The roof was COW
cred with snow, and she would have fallen
to the ground but 70; B. F. Pollard of Rut-
land and Levi Pond, who caught her and
helped her off the roof by ladder One
of her wrists was sprained by the fall.
Colonial Wi i'm 5. Cady of Bennington
was on the p azza roof, slipped and struck
his head severely on the window stool.
The next morning he fell in fit thought
to have been caused by the accident. He
recovered in time to take the train.
One Of the most haz rdous escapes was
that of Henry Carpenter, who jumped
from window in the hal to the root of
the burning L, and thence to the ground,
stance of twenty feet.
The occupants OF the house were Mr..
aud Mrs. Davis and daughter eleven years
oil; Henrietta NJ fiat, Mrs. Davis's sister;
James Thayer, Mr.. Davis brother-in-law,
with his wife aud young cnild; Frank
Bently, porter; William II, Fullerton and
Ezra Foster, boardeIs; six or seven tan
ii mt customers, and three servant girls,
Margaret Riley and Sarah and Joanna
Gradey. Nune of them lost anything of
value except Mr.. Davis and the servant
girls. The girls rooms were in the l. di-
rectly over the fire aud their trunks with
all of their clothing save what they wore
at the time were burned. Their loss is
from $75 to 500 each, besides the loss
| of their situations.
| Miss MUffatt's room was next the girls, a
| little farther from the fire, and from that
two trunks containing papers and clothing
to tine value of 81 900 we're removed by
Garvin Mohritt. He also went into the
girls rooms but the smoke there was so
dense nothing could be saved. The house
was completely stripped of furniture, even
the carpets being removed from many of
the rooms, and much damage was Of course
done.
Dir. Fullerton was just recovering from
a long illness. He escaped from his win
dow by ladder. lie lost some clothing,
and a cise of lager just received which
was thrown from the window and broken.
Had t teen distinctly marked some one
would dopb less have been found heroic
enou Oh t. bear 1t through the smoke and
do Sn the stairs ia safety. We may be per-
m tied t. doubt, however, without II 4 .ct-
ing on the honesty of the people of Factory
Point il any ordinary emergency, If Mr..
Pulerton's chance at i. would have been
much better then than 1t Is now.
Among those attending the ball was
party from Rutland; Garvin Moffalt, Hen
~ Carpenter. A. Ii. Abrams and b. +.
Pollard. j. G. Damn was visiting M. s.
Colburn, across the street from the fire.
Tue damage to the building and furni-
ture is estimated at from So 500 to So, 500,
covered by insurance, beside the Interrupt
ton to business. Mr.. Davis took the Col
burn house in April and had got it in good
order and was doing a paying transient
business. He will reopen. the house as
soon as repaired.
|