The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-15
THE REFoRMER BRATTLEBoRo VT. FRIDAY. MAY is, 1896
Many LiyesLOst.

uerto Vlelo, capital OF the provinct
OF Manabi, Ecuador, with popula
tion of 10000 was almost totally. de
sstroyed by earthquake on the night o.
May I. There were two shocks, ant
they were followed by floods which in
undated the city. The overflow wa.
doubtless caused by the uph.aval o
tho bed OF the river on which the tow
is situated. Many lives are supposed
to have been lost. Manta, another
town in Ecuador, also suffered severely
from the earthquake. Great chasm.
were opened in the earth, and there
was another heavy loss of life ther e.
Forest Fires
The forest fires which have been
burning in Western Massachusetts
during the past two weeks have
wrought considerable damage, but the
most serious one swept over large
tract Of land at New Salem Sunday
night. The fire is supposed to have
started from pile of sawdust which
mad been smoldering since the fire of q
week ago. Nearly 800, 200 feet of lum-
per were burned in the two fires and
the large ice house owned by M. L..
Iourtellotte of West Springfield was
burned to such an extent that large
quantities of ice were melted. Over
LOO cords of selected hard wood owned
by Eaton & Coggswell were burned
and Mr.. Tourtellotte estimates his loss
to be $1,000. The Tourtellotte ice house
covers over an acre of ground and is
situated about half mile from the
New Salem depot on the north side of
Ihompson's pond. A spur track runs
from the main line of the Ath oil
branch Of the Boston and Albany road
to the ice house, and there were piles
OF wood on either side. These caught
fire and the heat was so great that
the rails expanded and became as
crooked as a wriggling snake, being
about foot out of line in places
There was an amusing incident con
nected with the fire. Two big Ital-
ians. seeing the fire coming roaring
over the hill, started on run with an
equally frightened rabbit in close pur-
suit. The Italians beat the fire out by
several leaps, but when they reached
what they considered a haven of safe
ty they were completely exhausted.
Vessel Blown up-Eleven Persons
Killed-Captain ana Others BADLY Hurt
Another Boat Saves Many lives.
One of the most terrible disasters of
recent years occurred Monday night
about % miles below Vicksburg, Miss.
The tow boat Harry Brown of Pitts
burg, upward bound from New Orleans,
exploded her boilers at IL O'Clock.
The boat was completely wrecked and
sank in less than five minutes. Eleven
persons are known to be lost, four
bodies being recovered. The prompt
lowering of the Honshal's boats re-
suited in the saving of many lives.
Capt. KERN was blown on the cabin
of the Brown by the explosion. This
portion of the cabin floated off from
the hull as it sank. The captain, al
though seriously injured, remained
perfectly coolIand collected and direct
ed the efforts of the men who were at
work securing the bodies. Capt. KERN
attaches no blame to any one. He says
the cause of the explosion will never
be known, as Chief Engineer William
was lost. He declares that
the vessel was running at her usual
speed and under no special pressure,
and he can form no idea of the cause
of the explosion. The boat carried AS
officers and crew, all white. She had
in tow GO empty barges and two fuel
boats. The Harry Brown vas built in
1882 and was owned by the coal firm
of Brown & Co. of Pittsburg. The
boat was in perfect order and had just
had her boilers cleaned at New Or
leans.
Accounts In IA Bad Tangle.
Information was brought to Con-
cord, N. H., Monday of financial ir-
il the town affairs of Dali
ton. which have seriously disturbed
the usual quiet of that place. Dalton
is q small town in Coos county, which
has suffered much under debt since
the war, and the property owners with
in its limits have mad the undesirable
distinction of paying the heaviest tax
of any town in the state The total
valuation of the town, according to re
turns in the state treasurer's office in
1895, was Sl56, SIC, and the total debt,
which included the debt imposed by
the late war. was at the close of that
year S24, 1913. The towns assets were
sJ7S5. and the net debt SIG, 5SS. The
state tax was $40, and the amount
paid to the state by the town 8246. 10,
which left balance of sos. 30 in IA
vor of the state. The tan assessed was
81. 30 on 500. During 1885 the debt
was decreased $500. %. For the last 10
years the office of town clerk and treas |
lrer has been held by 3. =. Taylor.
who has been greatly respected by his /
townsmen. and regarded as in every !
way reliable. In the election last spring |
the administration OF the town affairs !
was partly changed by political over
IL nj l.l
officials we're chosen in place of Dem
)crats. Among the latter was Mr.. lay
or. who failed to surrender the town |
books and accounts to his successor
when called upon to do so. After some
time, as the story is told here, the
new officers secured possession of
them. and careful examination dis
closed that something was wrong. and
a subsequent investigation showed a
shortage in the towns treasury. The !
was carried far enough |
,nly to disclose a deficit of $4,000, when |
il was decided to employ an expert. |
TAYLOR was considered man of con-
siderable means. He was understood |
TO be not over methodical in his ways |
If transactlng business, and it is
claimed that the hasty examination
already made showed wrong balances
mon his books. All of his property in
sight. including bank stocks and funds
and stock in his store, has been placed |
ppder attachment, but no movement
toward his arrest has been made.
The carpenters strike at Newark
ended Monday in compromise and
200 men returned to work Tuesday
rhe bosses agreed to give the
non 80. 80 day until August l, and