The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1886-09-29
Fires In harmony.

Harmony in the REPoEIER OF last week,
one Of which occurred Monday. the nice |
sett of farm buildings owned aud occn-
pied by Mr.. Ira lIurd and one Tuesday
occupied by MI. Abel Frost We are now
Obliged to record another fire in the same
part of the town, on Wednesday, of a set
of farm buildings. the property of Hon.
d. II. Bartlett and occupied by Mr. John
Foss. The loss included fifty tons of
hay, large quantity of unthreshed grain
a horse valued at 5000 beside other CON
tents of house and barn bringing the loss
well up to 81 900 There was sll00 in
surancc on the buildings and $500 on the
hay and grain. The fire was first discov-
cred about o'clock and seemed to come
from several parts of the barn at the
same time. These buildings were not far
apart, from Hurd's to Frosts being ! !
miles, and from IIurds to Foss's being
about 4 mile. There is mystery about
these fires that causes the people OF llar-
mony TO believe that they are the work
of an incendiary. The three fires all oc-
Cured at about O'Clock in the afternoon,
Monday, Tuesday and "Wednesday, and
all appeared as though they sprung from
different places in the barns at the same
time as though they were arranged by an
expert with time fuses or some other
such continuance. But few weeks ago
the store OF +. Dow and the Harness shop
OF A. A. Haines were burned and the in
dications Of incendiarism were about as
plain rs in the fires Of last week. The
citizens are naturally greatly interested in
the matter.
The excitement WAS further increased
Friday by the burning of buildings owned
and occupied by Earnest Willis about one
and one-half miles northward from Main
stream post-ofiicc. His house and stable
were consumed with most of the contents.
One barn was saved. The insurance on
the property burned was $500 in the
Phoenix of Hartford agency OF Chandler
I uttle in this village. The loss Is close up
to 81 600 and is II severe one for the
owner.
Saturday forenoon a meeting OF citizens
was held in Harmony village to consult
about taking measures to protect proper
ty and while in session the dread fire
alarm was given and the barn OF Alyah
Booker about one mile from the village on
the Athens road was discovered In names.
The house in this case was saved by hard
work. A lady at Mrs. Bookers reported
that but IA short time before the fire was
discovered she saw man running from
the barn toward piece of wnods not far
from off, "A company OF men surrounded
and searched it thoroughly but failed TO
find the man.
The buildings Of c. A. Iaughton one
of the selectmen about one mile east OF
NJ ain stream post office were also burned
to the ground Saturday These buildings
were very near those OF Mr.. Frost burned
Tuesday and Mr. Laughton had kept close
watch over them.
Saturday evening Mr.. G. f. Leighton
Chairman OF the Board of Sclcctmen OF
Harmony came 10 this village and wired
to Portland to State Detective, Ira True
to get his services to assist in asccrtaining
the cause of the fires. Mr.. Leighton re-
ported that the farm buildings Of John
Dorc and Ethan Smith of Wellington just
north Of the line between Harmony and
Wellington were burned Saturday and thai
smoke arising from other points in fiar
mony and fiartland indicated that other
buildings were burning. He said the PEG
pie were greatly alarmed aud many had
their household goods packed ready Il
move out any moment. lie also said TIN
buildings were all burned in the day tim,
and all caught In the barns or stables
He found card of matches under NOV
of hay in his own barn Friday and though
that the criminal was disturbed before h
had succeeded in firing the building.
On Sunday In the forenoon tho bari
with hay and grain belonging to Ebel
Nutter came to grief. There was no in
III. L.
harnessed his horse and driven away from
the barn about one half hour before. This
one appeared more like accidental burn
ing than the others. Mr.. Nutter is sal,
to be a great smoker and the theory /
that he must have dropped fire from hi
pipe while Harvesting his horse Skow
hogan gentleman who was at Harmony
Sunday represents the people generally
greatly excited and all sorts Of rumor,
ahoat and theories advanced as to the
cause or causes of the numerous fires.
A very stron. guard surrounded Har
mony village Saturday and Sunday nights
patroling all the roads leading into the
village. Three men were reported rs dis
covered Sunday evening approaching
the village via the road from Maine Stream
They were challenged and turned and
made good their escape. Tho guard fired
upon them without effect. The alarm in
the whole town amounts almost to a
reign of terror A large number of peo-
Pile were in Harmony from surrounding
! towns Sunday. but comparatively few
people were at the village from the farms
around as they did not dare leave their
own buildings. Preparations for moving
out the contents Of buildings are made in
all parts OF the town, including the village.
nf bn ri IN fn
moved out on piazza and everything
possible packed ready for Il hasty clear
ing out.
The insurance on tho buildings occu-
pied by Mr. Foss, the third set burned,
took effect Thursday noon and the fire
occurred about shutdown of the same day.
A close shave.
A man convicted of stealing some years
ago Is said to have sworn vengeance to
town. He lives In another town but Is be-
ing watched The men who were most
active In securing his conviction have
not been among the sufferers by recent
fires.
Fire caught on the roof OF the house of
Robert Trip, who IL attending Court
as juryman, on Tuesday of last week, the
same day the buildings were burned. 1t
caught on the roof and probably was oc-
casloneu by spark either from Frosts
buildings or a spark from the chimney.
The men at the first fire discovered 1t
and succeeded in putting 1t out after a
large hole was burned in the roof,
Yesterday 1t raincd hard all day and the
stage from Harmony failed to connect |
this morning with the Athens stage. We
have heard of no fires In the town since
,hc Nuttcr barn Sunday noon. The ex,
,itement does not subsidc and guards are
iept on in all parts of the town. We
,ould fill columns with rumors and Incl
Tents. Every effort is being made to fer
It out the incendiarens.
Meetings at NorrIdgewock.
SOMERSET RHPoRTRR -
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