Morning journal and courier., 1892-02-08
FIRE CAUSES AN. EXPLOSION.

Dynamite at A. N. Farnham West.
 villc, Causes an Explosion Heard in
 All Parts of the City-$1 500 Worth
 of Vegetables Burned-A Barn Con.
 taining Sixty-five Horses Saved- l.
 Insurance S1ight-The Total Loss
 $2,5OO.
 At exactly 3:15 o'clock yesterday morn l ing people in the neighborhood of Vest l vile and, indeed, in Hamden, and even in Fair Haven, as well as in other parts of the city, were aroused by an explosion that seemed almost like an earthquake. It was soon discovered that the explosion came from building belonging to A. N. Farnham, a vegetable gardner in Westville. The proprietor and his brother had gone to New York and were returning on the boat. A German employe had been left in charge, and he, awakened by the noise, hurried to the outer buildings and found the office and store shed in flames. He tried to enter, but was prevented by the dense smoke.
 l The Westville fire company was notified,
 but they could do nothing with their hose on account of the lack of water facilities | l will, however, and by means of buckets l prevented the fire from spreading to the
 neighboring sheds aud the large barn in 1 which there were sixtY;fve horses at the
 time. The New Haven fire department
 was telegraphed to, but did not go out,
 owing to the fact that there was no way of
 getting water. At o'clock the building
 was burned to the ground.
 Mir. Farnham has large farm in Vest
 vile and hires several others. ~ To clear
 stumps from land but partly cleared, he is
 in the habit of using dynamite, and had
 three or four dynamite cartridge lying on
 some giant powder in his office, which Is
 attached to the store shed in which vegeta-
 bles are kept over night. The cause as
 signed for the fire is that stove in the of
 fee became overheated and set the build ing on fire. When the giant powder wat
 ignited it made jar enough to explode the
 dynamite cartridges, and this was tht cause of the explosian. There were also rumors afloat to the effect that the fire wal of an incendiary origin. The office ane shed, both of which were destroyed, wer' l, valued at $1 ,00O. In the shed there wer' about 500 bushels of onions worth $1 { | bushel, 100 bushels of potatoes, 1,O0'
 punches of celery, and a large amount O 3 l other vegetables. The stock fully amount f ed to $1 ,500, making the total loss abou
 $2, 800. There was about $40O insuranc on the buildings, but none on the stock. , After the fire broke out the son of MI r Farnham went to the burning building z At about the same time the explosion too place and he was thrown about twent
 feet and badly shaken up.
 MT. Dingwall, chief of the Westville fir U U department, was hit on the lip by bucke Il thrown from the top of the building bu not seriously injured. The cut was abou | two inches long. Three stitches were pu U U in it by Dr. Marsh.
 |, The people who were awakened by th u explosion thought it was at the Winche ; ter or the Match works.
 The explosion was not without it's hl
 morous side. Shortly after the explosio IT an aged colored man, deacon in one ( " the churches, was seen coming f'om tt :. direction of the explosion and asked if 10 knew what was the cause of it. Said h
 ''I guess dem two stars coming togeth Tt made that crash and when such noises M, that are being made by the stars it is tin 7 for colored folks to begin to look out" 7a In several portions of the city perso1 If who were suddenly aroused from 8 sour to sleep by the noise of the explosion, ar 'G the violent shaking of the houses in co na sequence of it, ran to their doors in the ar night clothing, being of opinion that { of earthquake had taken place, and ready ad rush into the street at 6 moments notic
 Their fears were, however, soon dispelle at and after satisfying themselves that the to was no danger they returned to the m slumbers from which they were so rude
 awakened.