The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-30
FIRE In WEBSTER.
Farm Buildings and
Some Live Stock
Destroyed.
is OF INCENDIARY ORIGIN.
Oldest Horse in Worcester
County Perished in
the Flames.

Webster, Sept. 29.-An alarm from
box AZ at 1880 o'clock this morning,
followed closely by a second alarm,
called the brave fire fighters of Web
ster to the scene of a fierce conflagra-
ton at the home of Mrs. Moses Larned, |
about mile beyond North Webster, |
and the fire limits. The fire, with the
exception of the homestead, destroyed
everything in sight.
Although there is no positive evil |
dence, Chief Louis e. Patterson has an
idea that there is something crooked
connected with the fire, and before he
left the scene, he instituted a rigid in
vestigation.
The fire was started in the centre of
the barn floor, as near as can be ascer-
tanned, for when Messrs. George Tan
ner and Joseph Fountain, the first ones
on the scene, arrived, they found
the barn doors unlocked and the
lower centre portion of the barn
ablaze.
They opened the small door and at
tempted to enter the barn, and then
open the wide door to let the live stock
out, but they found it useless, as they
were then nearly dead. They had been
working on Mr.. Tanners house, some
distance away, when they saw the
smoke and flames. They at once
spread the alarm.
strong wind was blowing 1t car
ried the sparks from the burning build
ing to an adjacent shed, and then to a
dwelling house still farther on. All
three of the. buildings were completely
destroyed, and nothing was saved.
The recently erected house, good
sized affair, caught fire several times,
but the fremen extinguished the flames
each time with the chemicals. There
was no water to be had, and If the fire
had got start on the house across the
road that Mrs. Larned now occupies,
nothing could have saved it. The fire
had done its work before the depart
ment arrived.
The wind blew 50 strongly that the
sparks were waited some distance
away, and the grass was set on fire in
all directions The firemen and others
had all they could do to extinguish the
burning grass. If this had not been
done, the entire section would have
been burned
Mrs. Larred and daughter, Mrs. Au-
gusta Lapman, the occupants of the
property, were not at home when the
fire started. They drove to Webster
this morning and took the o'clock
train for Worcester. They knew moth
ing of the fire until they returned this
evening.
The only ones about the premises
We're Mrs. George Whitney, an old lady,
who was at the house while Mrs. Lar
ned was in Worcester, and Edward
Whitney, a young lad who was working
in the fields quite a distance in rear Of
the house. He is employed at the
place. He fed the cattle and horse this
morning, and when he left the barn,
everything in it was all right. He
closed the doors, but did not lock them
The barn that was destroyed was
erected in 1853 Last December it was
appraised and the value placed at $1,000
The barn was stocked with 20 tons Of
fine hay. a driving carriage, farming
implements, horse, two COWS and a
heifer. The house that was Quilted has
not been tenanted for nearly 20 years,
and the last person to live in it was
Henry Brown.
The barn was the oldest building In
this vicinity. 1t was built over 200 years
ago.
Another feature of the fire was that
1t killed the oldest horse in this locality.
The horse was nearing bis 43d birthday,
and without q doubt 1t was the Oldest
animal of its kind in Worcester county.
Mrs. Larned always drove it when she
came to town, and the old gray horse
was known by nearly everybody here.
The loss is estimated at nearly $4,000,
but 1t is not insured for half that
amount. What insurance there is on the
property is carried through the firm of
Waldo Johnson & Son, now conducted
by the son, Fred w. Johnson. This is
the third incendiary fire in that neigh
borhood.
Michael King, about 40 years of age,
died last night at the Webster poor
farm from the effects Of consumption.
He leaves a brother, William, in the
Merino village: a brother, Thomas, who
Is located out west as an engineer on
some railroad, and two sisters in Olney-
vile. The interment will be at North
Webster.
The running team of the fire depart
ment, under the captaincy Of John j.
Kelly, goes to Ware tomorrow to con-
test in the races there. They run 200
yards there instead Of a hundred as
they have in previous races.
Mrs. Wilson Faulkner returned to
Boston today after visit at the Tracy
house.
The c. T. A. society had a well at
tended smoke talk in their rooms last
night. Refreshments were served and
interesting speeches made. Details wepe
talked over relative to the coffee party
that the society will hold in Music hall,
Oct. 10. The tickets are now on sale. An
admission of ten cents only will be
charged.
A husking party was held at the home
Of Mr.. and Mrs. Albert Spicer last night
in the Gore. There were number of in
vitations sent out. Music was furnished
by Prof. Clapp's orchestra.
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Hiscox, who run
the Waverly house, are looking for a
fellow who claimed to be the foreman
of gang Of linemen, and have placed !
the case in the hands of Officer Gilbert |
Osborne. The fellow stayed at the house |
for couple Of days and then disap-
peared for parts unknown.
Miss Margaret Elizabeth Duffy, a well |
known young lady of rs years, died this |
morning at the home Of her sister, Mrs. |
John H Conway, on Lake street, after |
an illness of eight months. The funeral |
will be held from the St. Louis church |
at 2 O'Clock Sunday afternoon.
The welcome announcement Is out |
that the Boston & Albany will run their |
annual autumnal excursion to New |
YORK on Tuesday, Oct. g. via Spring. |
Acid Pittsfield, over the Berkshire |
Hills which are now resplendent in |
their autumnal foliage. to Albany, |
thence via the Hudson river famous for |
the beauty of its scenery, especially the |
Palisades, excellent view of which may |
be had from the day boat. Or if one |
wishes he may go down the river by