Connecticut western news., 1894-01-11
FALLS VILLAGE.

A. F. Gibbs has been ill with the grippe, and the family of Wm. Gillette with one exception (Wilie) have all been afflicted with the same complaint
 Mrs George Melvin, of Salisbury, was guest for few days last week of her daughter. Mrs W. P. Stone. -.s.-
 A large party were skating on the "cove" Saturday, but the snow storm of the succeeding day spoiled their fun for while, again.
 F. o. Peetz has been sick abed with some fever for several days and was taken to the Inn for better accommoda- tions and quarters, and Is under the care of Dr Skiff.
 Clarence Sparks, of Winsted, was guest of relatives over Sunday.
 At about half past six o'clock Thurs day evening the villagers were startled with the cry of fire, and in few minutes time there were from seventy five to one hundred people witnessing the confagration of G. W. Halls tobac- CO building which was situated south of the village between Railroad and Pros pect streets. There were five wagons besides one and one half tons of one of the best crops of tobacco raised in this
 
 stripped and placed in a large pile and covered with fifty or more bundles of rye straw and would have been packed Tn boxes and sent to market this week. The building was built one year ago last summer and painted. The dimensions were 24xS0 with IA foot poets with large sliding doors at either end. We are in- formed no one of MT Halls force had been in the building for a week, and the theory is that 1t was fired by a worthless tramp who had been seen in the ntighborhood that afternoon and had, no doubt, 8 mania for fire. The flames were under such headway when discovered that when the first arrivals attem pted to open the door the flames shot out in an instant. consequently they were not able to cave any of the wag- ons just inside. The whole structure was enveloped in flames in short time and in half an hour or less the rafters and sides tumbled in. There was some insurance on both building and con- tents.
 The second fire of the season was that of the barn Friday night of John Rapp, living midway betw cen the river bridge and Lime Rock, the building being even with the roadway. James Carroll was passing by at 930 p. m., and saw through the cracks, light, which on closer inspection proved the barn was on fire, having been fired in the hay which was nearly empty, the match, 1t is supposed being dropped into the bayseed. His calls aroused MT Rapp, who with MT Carroll, succeeded in quenching the flames by throwing on plenty of water which was obtained from the "Frog pond" just across the road MT Carroll returned home with feeling of uneasiness and the owner went into the house but did not retire. In couple of hours he looked out again and the barn was enveloped in flames Help arrived soon but too late to save the barn. Three head of cattle and one horse. wagons, sleighs, and single har- ness were saved. but one horse had died from srffocation by the time they got to it's stable which was apart from the other horse. There was small insur- ance. The loss is severe to MT Rapp. It was the work of an incendiary ard after the fire was extinguished it is sup- posed the demon set fire to it again. Be is described as being in the twenties, wore turban cap and aa ulster over- coat.
 MT Fred E Egleston informs us, rel l ative to our item last week, that he has not suddenly set up for a historian, but, through the pamphlet referred to, made this proposition to the people of the 1 town, that he would publish short history of the town, churches, public buildings, etc, with illustrations, if certain conditions were compiled with, every one who can being invited to con- tribute bits of history or description of scenery, to help make the book reada- ble and of value The enterprise has met with considerable encouragement, and the history will probably be pub lished, more or less complete. depend ing somewhat on the disposition to fur nish information of those who can do so