The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1890-12-05
CASTLE RONALD BURNED.

CASTLE RONALD BURNED.
Many destructive fires have occurred
In Newtown during its history, but all
combined could not arouse so widespread
interest as the latest, that which, on the
morning of Friday, November %, de-
stroyed Castle Ronald.
As Is we'll known, T.. l.. Ronalds, the
owner, was here abouea month ago and
gave directions for the care of the prop
erty during his absence for the White
in France.
He sailed for Europe on the French
steamer Normandie, leaving his property
here In the hands of Fred Hartmann, a
German hostler who has been with him
for months and Charles, German gar
dener who was brought here only a few
weeks ago. These, with female cook
and occasional help from John Bradley
or other Newtown day laborers, formed
the sole retinue ut the castle, although
George w. Stuart still exercised su-
pervising care of the whole.
Friday morning, Hartmann and Brad
ley were at the barn caring for the hors-
es, while Charles was busted keeping up
the temperature Of the conservatory,
which occupied the entire upper floor of
the castle, no easy matter in that loca-
ton, with the thermometer toying near
zero and Boreas bowling fiercely.
AT, Charles says, he examined the
conservatory and found it all right, but
hardly warm enough; 10 or 20 minutes
later, after putting fresh supply of
coal on the furnace fire, he again mount
ed the stairs to the conservatory. AS
he entered the door, there seemed to be
an explosion and flames burst forth near
the top of the hot air pipe.
There was n pump and hose near the
staircase and, with trembling haste, he
sought TO connect the hose; but in his
excitement he made misstep before he
could do so and fell headlong down the
enire flight of stairs. In his fall. he re-
celved inter nal injuries, which, he said,
almost killed him. 1t was several min
utes before he could rise and make his
way down stairs to spread the alarm
and, meantime, the flames were spread
ing. He at last told the cook and the
men and was then so exhausted that he
could do no more. Neither he nor any
one else can really explain the origin of
the fire.
Seeing the fire shining through the
windows of the conservatory, Bradley
ran down the hill and across the elds to
the Street, shouting 'Fire!" at the top
of his voice. The excitement spread,
Trinity bell was rung and nearly every
man In this section OF the town rushed
TO the top of Ronalds Peak, many gain
Ing the castle before Bradley could run
back.
Meantime, Hartmann had entered the
castle and sought To turn the water on
the roaring flames, but found the heat
too great and was forced to retire, the
conservatory floor having already burn.
ed through.
SO fierce did the heat become that nei
Their he nor the few familiar with the ar
rangement of the interior of the castl,
could save anything OF value on the sec
ond floor. A few doors were taken Out
and some articles thrown from the win
dows.
The fire department was promptly OF
hand, but could work with nothing bu
buckets. as it was impossible to get tn,
truck up Taunton hill.
However, they worked nobly and de
serve no little credit; Foreman John ii
Blackman setting worthy example Il
other fire chiefs by working far more
with his brain and his hands than b.
giving unnecessary orders. There wal
an abundance of water from two han'
pumps and the windmill, but scarcel!
enough buckets. .......
With the appliances at hand, however
the firemen succeeded in combining tn
the flames to the two upper stories
whose every inch of wood was burne,
away.
The only point at which the fire coul
gain access to the ground floor was q
the staircase and to this point the enei
gies Of the greater part Of the men wer
directed, while few carried out article
OF value from the lower rooms, only
replace. them when the excitement wa
over.
l.. b. Booth stood at the staircase
throwing water on the advancing flames
freezing on one side and burning on tn
other.
1t Ia extremely fortunate that the win