Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-11-20
TWO 1NCEND1ARY FIRES.


ment In Years---The Dutton Marble
Works Badly DamRged---The Valley
Grain Company's store House Quilted
1.-Two Horses Observation-Disclosures
Work OF the FIremen.
Excitement and anxiety were aroused
throughout the village Wednesday night
by the breaking out of two fires scarcely
80 rods distant from each other and only
one hour apart. The knowledge that all
the available fire fighting apparatus was in
use, coupled with the feeling that third
fire might break out in another part of the
village, because of the evidence of incen-
diarism at the two fires, and the PROBABLE
ity of disastrous sweep should the de-
partment lose control of the fire in hand,
stirred many people to high pitch of feel
ing 1t was generally known al this time
that one of the steamers was disabled.
The first alarm was pulled in from box SO,
ut 1890 O'clock and in six minutes steam
er No. was stationed on the south side
of MILESTONE bridge and was pouring a
stream of water upon the one and half
story marble works of Deacon w. A. Dut-
ton. Flames we're streaming through the
roof OF the building and many predicted
that il would be destroyed. Lines of hose
we're run from the hydrants located in
front of Galvin's store on Main street,
Flat street and the South Main and Canal
street corner. In ~ minutes the recall
was sounded, as the fire was practically ex-
tinguished, although work was kept up for
an hour.
This fire was discovered by Charles Co
nant, Orlin Ellis and George Hughes, who
happened 10 reach MILESTONE bridge to-
ha las tn gal
Brattleboro and Patrick Higgins, the ho-
tel clerk, pulled in the alarm.
Chief of Police Hall appeared at that
time and all hands started TO rescue the
four-year-old colt and another horse owned
by Daniel DuttOn, which we're kept in the
annex toward Vernon street. These we're
gotten out safely together with two sleighs
and some carriages. One of the horses
had been gotten out and, while Landlord
Turner was in a stall after the other,
the door was closed to prevent a draft by
some one who supposed both horses were
out, and Mr.. Turner was nearly suffOcated.
His shouts were heard, however, and the
door was opened. The space from the
caves TO the ridgepole was filled with hay
and has been frequently utilized by ramps
as a sleeping place. 1t was here that the
fire started Mr.. johnson, who is EN-
ployed during the night in the railroad
yard, saw a person leaving the building
and notified Chief of Police Hall who rec
ognized the man as one TO whom he had
| promised a nights lodging earlier in the
evening He was placed in the lookup,
not under arrest, however and wa ques-
| toned yesterday morning by Chief of PO-
| lice Hall and Chief Engineer Turner. BE
| gave his name as Paddy" Miles and said
| he was travelling from Vernon to Island
| Pond. His testimony failed to implicate
| him in any way and he was released.
The fire was confined to the upper part
of the building and did damage to the
amount of from $500 10 $500 The mar
BILE stones on the ground floor we're color
ed somewhat by water, but the damage to
them was not great. Mr.. Dutton carried
insurance policies in the sun office of Lon
| don through Sherman d JENNIE as follows :.
| $500 on the shop, 5000 on he stock, 600
ON the horses and 500 on other personal
| property.
In going TO this fire the brake on the
steamer gave out and it was necessary TO
/ drive down across the railroad track be-
| fore a stop could be made.
In one hour and ten minutes from the
time the first alarm sounded, fire was seen
| in the rear part of the Valley Grain COM
pany's building, on the south side of Flat
/ street, directly opposite their main stores,
and another alarm was pulled in from box
/ SO by Daniel Curtin, one of the firemen.
/ Steamer No. went out at once and was
stationed near the bridge. The pump of
steamer No. had been taken apart TO re-
move sand which had been drawn in at
the Dutton fire, but it was hastily put to-
| gether and the steamer was also stationed
near the bridge but II could not be used.
| A general alarm was then sounded which
| brought out the Estey Organ company
steamer. 1t was placed near the pond
! back of the Vinton paper mill and played
on TO the rear of the burning building, the
! fremen standing in the brook.
This building was the old Canal street
schoolhouse and the barn which formerly
/ stood on Col. Geo. S. Dowley's premises.
1t was formerly owned oy W. Il. Minor,
but was sold TO the Valley Gram company
when that concern was organized. IL was
a one and a-half story wooden structure,
| the front part being used as a Chinese
laundry and for storing flour and grain.
| This part was not damaged. The barn
was used as a storehouse and contained two
carloads of baled hay, one of grass seed
and quantity Of ensilage and fodder corn.
I
horses valued at 500 each. immediately
upon reaching the scene Will Warren, ole
of the firemen, who is employed by the
Valley Grain company, went into the barn
TO release the horses, but they had already
died of suffocation.
In one end of the stable was a flight OF
stairs near which it is thought the fire
started. The flames soon appeared through
| the roof and dense cloud of smoke settled
! down upon the frenen who were working
/ heroically TO confne the flames in the
building, knowing that TO allow the fire to
! spread TO adjoining buildings meant the
destruction of that entire section of the
village, which is covered thickly with
wooden buildings for manufacturing con.
Germs. Less than three feet TO the east
VAS the large carriage house of the Brat
| tleboro Livery company, while but a few
feet to the west was w. II. Minors new
/ building, 10 which the burning barn was
/ Joined by a she'd Mr.. Minors building
/ took fire once, but the blaze was extin-
! tinguished. Ii was after l o'clock when
the department left and guard remained
all night.
! The insurance carried by the Valley
/ Grain company is as follows: $500 on the
building and $1,000 on the stock in the
/ Continental insurance company, through
Sherman & JENNIE, and $500 on the build
/ ing in the Lancashire insurance company,
through II. E. Taylor d Son. Practically
all of the property was destroyed with
the exception of the old schoolhouse,
/ which is not very valuable.